About food in Japan

Hungarian restaurant - Az Finom (アズフィノム) in Harajuku

In Tokyo, I wonder if any kind of dishes can NOT be found?

This time I tried food from Hungary, Eastern Europe. The restaurant, Az Finom is just off a major street of Harajuku, vital fasionable town. The restaurant is located on the basement floor and the inside of the restaurant is elegantly decorated with art works on the wall, wooden cup boards and white cloth on tables. It has a long counter table where guests are able to enjoy the unit as a wine bar and to try variety of wine from East Europe.

We ordered a dinner course with local specialities of Hungary and a glass of Hungarian "Tokaji" wine .

 

Maybe the best-known Hungarian dish, Gulyas Soup,

cooked with "Paprika", icon of Hungarian ingredients

That is not spicy as much as imagined from the red-chili color.

A good starter especially in Winter.

 

Fois gras with onion tarte

Don't miss it. Goose fois gras is also Hungarian speciality!

 

 

Chicken paprika with pasta

Chicken meat is soft and well matched with paprika sauce.

 

The dishes are prepared by the Hungarian chef. So they must be real Hungarian dishes, even though I have never been there. The plates used at the restaurant are noble porcelain made by Zsolnay from Hungary. The highest quality porcelain products make the restaurant more elegant and Hungarian atompsphere.

 

 

Restaurant name: Az Finom

Address: B1 Azuma building 2-19-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website (Japanese only) : http://zsolnay.az-group.net/

 

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The keywords-of-the-year 2010 (流行語大賞 2010)

A publishing company announced 10 buzzwords as "The keywords-of-the-year 2010"(流行語大賞 2010) last week. Among these ten frequently used words in Japan for 2010, here I introduce two related to "food".

* "Taberu ra-yu" (食べるラー油, chili oil for eating)

Ra-yu(chili oil) is the one we can find at Chinese restaurants and what we put for dim-sum, the most often gyoza (餃子). Normally what we know is hot oil in orange color, simply liquid form, while "Taberu ra-yu" includes full of small pieces of both chili and garlic tips. (as you can see this photo) The oil brings yummy garlic scent that strongly stimulates our appetite!! Apart from those who hate hot and spicy food, everybody have been nocked out by the garlic scent, I guess. Put the oil on top of steamed rice or tofu, salad. If you would like to have something gorgeous, boild pork must be matched well with "Taberu ra-yu". It is rather "for eating" than "for dipping and seasoning". That is the reason of the naming "Taberu ra-yu".

A major food producer Momoya launched their first product in "Taberu ra-yu" category in mid-2009. It captured Japanese people's mind across ages and regions. Seeing the populatlity, a major spice maker, S&B foods followed its rival and introduced thier version of "Taberu ra-yu" in Spring 2010. The war of "Taberu ra-yu" started at that time. The wider people acknowledged the products the more it became wanted. For a while, as soon as bins of "Taberu ra-yu" were placed, they had been quickly run out from the shelves of supermarkets across Japan. Day by day, the phenomenon caught the attention of other food producers and food service companies of course. Now we can see differnt versions of "Taberu ra-yu" by different producers and dishes arranged with the very popular ingredient at Chinese or Japanese casual restaurants. 

Yes, surely it was so popular and is one of the keywords of the year in 2010.

Below the product by Momoya and its rival by S&B Foods.

* "Jyoshi-kai" (女子会, Girls Party)

The word is new but the concept is never new, I believe as a girl or a lady...

The food service industry newly paid more attention on exclusive gathering among girls or ladies recently. They started organizing and offering course menu or package plan targeting ladies only groups called "Joshi-kai", featuring food ingredients particularly appreciated by ladies; good for beauty or help for controling their weight, good visual presentation and tasty of course.

Ladies prefer to try different plates even by small portion for each and they must be price-sensitive... Some can be attentioned on thoese points.

Restaurants competed for Joshi-kai plan each other.  It is good for femal consumers to have more attractive choices. Such girls party or Joshi-kai may be held among femal colleagues for socializing or networking, otherwise simply among groups with same interests, among good friends, as seen in many of other parts of the world. Surely all are relaxing and fun time for ladies

Should we think about boys plan next year?... Yes, maybe.

I am looking forward to finding "the keywords-of-the-year 2011 a year ahead from now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese tea salon - HUA TAI TEA (華泰茶荘), Shibuya (渋谷)

HUA TAI TEA (華泰茶荘) is a boutique specialized in Chinese and Taiwanies tea as well as tea making products. The origin of the boutique is back to 1842 in Taiwan. In Tokyo, the tea house as a whole occupies four floors for tea shop, tea salon and private space. The tea salon is located on the third floor and is in cozy atomoshpere with Chinese interior decotration. It serves nice selections of Chinese tea from the tea shop, dim-sum and Chinese desserts. 

Of course, wide selections of tea (categorized such as green, white tea, flower tea, produced region, served by glass, mug or tea pot ...) are offered from the boutique and their staff are happy to answer our questions or to help with choosing what kind of tea we will have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Longing tea from China, I selected. That is from one of the most famous Chinese tea region. It is fresh green tea. A pot for boild water is set on every table. Guests are able to pour the water into their pot at preferable interval of timing. Have tea as much as you like...

Authentic dim-sum are also available there. A good choice for light volume lunch.These dishes makes the tea time more joyfull and last longers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you do not have enough extra space in stomach for dim-sum, several kinds of Chinese desserts can be an option.

 

After a half minutes from arrival, you will feel as if you were in China or Taiwan, not Shibuya (knowns as noizy nightspots and young fashion town) in Tokyo. The quiet and cozy tea salon is an oasis in Shibuya.

That is also a good idea to buy tea leaves at the boutique, if you like the tea you had at the tea salon.

 

Cafe name: HUA TAI TEA

Address: 1-18-6 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo

Website address: http://www.chinatea.co.jp

 

 

 

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Makunouchi Bento (幕の内弁当) - at the National Theatre (国立劇場)

Makunouchi Bento (幕の内弁当) is a cateogry of bento (弁当) produced by professional catering services. It is available at many places, convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores and others during lunch and dinner time. No precise difinition of Makunouchi Bento but roughly the bento box is made from two major parts, rice and side dishes. 

The history dates back to hundreds years ago and no one knows where it comes from actually. One story refers where the name Makunouchi Bento came....

Maku (幕) represents curtain of theatres and Makunouchi (幕の内) implies the word "between acts". Makunouchi bento is boxed meal taken by audiences or actors behind the scene during the interval of acts. 

Here this is the "real" Makunouchi Bento at the National Theatre where Kabuki is often played.

The sushi rice balls are enough small to bite them easily. Side dishes are seasonal, all Japanese typical ones, tempura, boild vegetables, egg cake etc.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the Kabuki theatare, several kinds of Makunouchi Bento could be available and choosen depending on ones appetite and favourie food. Normally Kabuki plays last for about 3 hours total from mid-day with one or two times break. So before or inbetween the play, Makunouchi Bento or others styles of meal is another joy for Kabuki watching.

Don't forget getting your lunch box there!

 

Website of National Theater of Japan

http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/english/index.html

 

 

Hitsumabutshi, Wasabiya (櫃まぶし, わさび家) - Shinjuku (新宿)

Hitsumabushi (櫃まぶし、ひつまぶし) is the local specialty of Nagoya and surroundings. It is grilled eel (うなぎ) on top of rice in a wooden box called "Hitsu" (櫃、ひつ). Grilled eel is referred as Kaba-yaki (かば焼, a style of grill with sweet sauce) and it can be often seen in other parts of Japan. 

 What is unique of Hitsumabushi is the way of having it after served. A smaller rice bowl is provided with the wooden container Hitsu and spices on a small plate. It is able to be enjoyed from the bowl by 3 different ways.

 

 

The first serving

Simply just eel and rice mixed.

The sweet sauce enhances the harmony

and it is enough good to complete the dish though...

 

The second serving,

from here it is different from ordinary eel with rice dish...

eel + rice + spice, here wasabi (わさび)

Again the sweet sauce creates a good match with hot fresh wasabi paste.

This is also far enough good to complete.

But we can try another way of enjoying it.

 

The third serving

eel + rice + spice, here wasabi (わさび)

+ hot water (could be Japanese bouillon at some restaurants)

= Ochazuke (お茶漬け) style

When it becomes like nice Japanese risotto, it is really easy to finish all!

 

Wasabiya provides not only typical Hitsumabushi with eel but also other versions of Hitsumabushi such as chiken and sea bream (鯛) instead of eel.

It is known that Hirumabushi was originally created by a Japanese restaurant called Atsuta Horaiken (あつた蓬莱軒), close to Atsuta shrine in Nagoya-city.

 

Related story:

Unagi(うなぎ、鰻） eel - Matsukawa

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/07/unagi-eel---mat.html

Ochazuke (お茶漬け) - En (えん)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/02/ochazuke-%E3%81%8A%E8%8C%B6%E6%BC%AC%E3%81%91-en-%E3%81%88%E3%82%93.html

 

 

Restaurant name: Wasabiya

Address: 4th floor, 1-13-3 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku Tokyo

English website: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g658000/lang/en/

 

 

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Restaurant name: Atsuta Horaiken

Address: 503 Goudocho, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya-city, Aichi

Website: http://www.houraiken.com

 

 

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French - Le Beurre Noisette Tokyo (ル・ブール・ノワゼット) at Mitsukoshi Ginza

Le Beurre Noisette, the well-known "Neo Bistro" in Paris opened its new and the first branch in Tokyo on September 2010.

 

"Neo Bistro" is, as per the restaurant's information, different from traditional bistro consisdered casual eating place but it is the place where fine cuisines inherited from Grandes maisons (luxury grand restaurants) are served at reasonable prices. sLe Beurre Noisette, whose chef had work experiences at a few of Michelin 3star restaurants, is one of the most popular among those Neo Bistros. 

The unit in Tokyo is situated on the 12th floor of Ginza Mitsukoshi (銀座三越) department store.In the heart of Ginza, inside of the restaurant is decorated to bring atomosphere of            

bistro in Paris".

 Ginza Mitsukoshi recently completed a big renovation project is crowded with domestic and international tourists  as well as local people especially during the weekend.

 

Luckly we could get a table infront of wine rakcs and next to the kitchen with glass window.

Our lunch was started with a glass of "Beaujolais nouveau 2010" and bread with noisette.

For me, this is the first time to taste the new wine made in 2010 since it is on sale last Thurseday. Uhhh it smell sweet flavour like strawberry jam, not too fresh. 

 

 

 
This is the plate as my friend ordered as starter.

Remoulade of beets and smoke salmon. What a surprising color!

 

Pied de cochon (hand of pork) carpaccio, lentil with vinegar

My starter dish is not so beautiful in color.

It is tasty and deserves the name of "our specialty".

I believe the taste  characteritic is close to Japanese one rather than typical French.

It must be loved by Japanese...

 

Pinapple pork from Okinawa cooked for 24hours

Very soft enough to swing...

 

Millefeuille with autumn fruites (apple, pear and pineapple) and vanilla ice cream

Caramel flavour cream is also nice...

 

It is a French restaurant surely but the plates can be liked by Japanese, as the taste is subtly close to Japanese traditional flavour such as soja sauce.

 

Restaurant name: Le Beurre Noisette Tokyo

Address: Ginza Mitsukoshi 12th floor, 4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.lebeurrenoisettetokyo.com/

 

 

 

 

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MARLOWE pudding from Hayama - (マーロウ プリン 葉山)

Pudding (purin, プリン) has been loved by many people from kids to elder in Japan for long years.  MARLOWE pudding became the top 1 on the survey among food and/or sweets specialists in Japan as their recommended pudding. (Nikkei April 2010) 

It is not available in Tokyo and I took a journey to Zushi (逗子) where one of the shop branches is located.

MARLOWE started its main restauran in 1984 in Kanagawa. From the restaurant beatiful scene of sunset over Sagami bay and Mt. Fuji are available as well as fresh seafood and vegetables from the region.

MARLOWE pudding was originally provided as dessert at the restaurant. Now it becomes so poplular that the owner opened two "pudding shop" in the area.  

What is different from ordinary pudding...

Made from good quality selected ingredients exclusive (fresh milk from Hokkaido, eggs of rich in Vitamin E, sugar, naturaly made vanilla beans), no addtives, no gelatin 

What is unique ...in glass "beaker" special ordered and made by PYREX

It can be used as a measure cup after it is finished. Otherwise you can return the cups to the shop for re-use.

I tried 3 kinds of their pudding.

Hokkaido fresh cream pudding

The best sale puduct for 22years

It is very soft, not too sweets but with rich caramel and vanilla flovour.

It looks big volume but the staste is not so heavy.

It was not hard to finish a glass, inspite of the volume.

 

This is HELLO KITTY 35th anniversary version cup

Of course the cup can be used as tea-cup or beer mag after finished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The custard pudding taste is softer than the first one.

It has less bitter in caramel. For kids this must be better not only because of the cute cup.

 

Kuro-mitsu (黒みつ black syrup) pudding

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kuro-mitsu flavour is not so obvious.

It seems to emphasize bitter caramel taste.

Again the big volume is not a problem and it is easy to finish or even you could feel having more...

 

 

 

The taste is never too sweet. It is simple but ones made from fresh good quality ingredients.

That is the reason MARLOWE pudding is recommendable to anyone, youg or old, even to ones who are not "sweet-lover". 

 

The shop also offers other products such as cake, jam and fruites sauce.

Don't miss the fruites sauce that makes good match with MARLOWE pudding!

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately it is not available in Tokyo. The nearest pudding shop is at Sogo department in Yokohama. Othersise it can be ordered from online store within Japan. However surely I will come back and will have the pudding again. It is one of unforgettable experience...

 

 

Shop name: MARLOWE Pudding shop

Official website: http://www.marlowe.co.jp

Onine store: http://www2.enekoshop.jp/shop/marlowe/

Zushi branch

Address: 1-2-10 Zushi, Zushi city, Kanagawa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Negitoro-don at WIRED CAFE - ネギトロ丼 WIRED CAFE

The Japanese casual meal is convererted to fashionable experience. It is not so often to be seen stylish modern Westernized cafe offering Japanese meal. It is likely to be pasta, sandwiches, pizza or French dishes served there. Here WIRED CAFE in Gotanda (五反田) is an exception.

Negitoro-don (ネギトロ丼) is a Japanese word representing rice bowl (丼) menu with negi (ネギ, Japanese leak) and minched Toro ( トロ, tuna or maguro). At WIRED CAFE in Gotanda, the menu is explained in English as "Avocado & Fresh Tuna Rice Bowl with Soft-boild egg". I believe that negitoro-don is relatively new as Japanese dishes. It is not rare to find "avocado" on the dish. Yes! Avocado is not Japnese food but is a good match with soya sauce and fresh tuna anyway. Maguro from Misaki (三崎), known as one of the best quality ones, is used as ingredient for negitoro-don at WIRED CAFE. The sauce soya with sawabi (わさび醤油) is simple but sufficient for the fresh tuna.

 

At a grance, it looks like a salad bowl. It is healty plate and you can enjoy traditional Japanese food at the same time in the stylish cafe with the latest modern music.

 

Restaurant name: WIRED CAFE

Address: 2nd floor Atre-vie Gotanda, 1-26-14 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

Official site: http://www.cafecompany.co.jp/brands/wired/gotanda_atrevie/index.html

 

 

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Stuffed cabbage at Acacia, Shinjuku - Yoshiku (ロールキャベツ アカシア, 新宿 洋食)

It becomes cooler day by day in Tokyo. When chilly wind blows and it reminds us that the winter is just around the corner, we feel like having hot food more than a few weeks ago. Stuffed cabbage stew is one of such dishes.

Stuffed cabbage stew is not originally Japanese food but is from Europe. The one served at Acacia is unique and excellent homemade cooking. It is hard to identify from which country the cabbage stew is from.    

It looks very simple only cabbage and soup.

The soup is thick and a bit creamy.

The flavour is rich, although I cannot imagine how it is made.

The blended flavour from different ingredients is complex.

It is the taste that I have never had before at any other restaurants.

Inside of the roll, minched meat with spices is fully stuffed.

At a look, the dish looked simple.

At the end, we found how much the taste is complex; cabbage, meat, consome soup, spices etc.  

 
The set menu includes a rice bowl and two rolls of Stuffed cabbage stew.

 

Acacia oepned in 1963, almost a half century ago in Shinjuku. It keeps the homemade taste of stuffed cabbage until today. It is loved by people for that long time. Sometimes they makes a queue for waiting.

The restaurant's atomosphere is a good match with the food provided there. The retro-flavour interior decoration makes dinners feel romantic and nostalgia.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restaurant name: Acacia (アカシア) Shinjuku main shop

Address: 3-22-10 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.restaurant-acacia.com

Acacia also have 3 branches including one in Germany! Both in Japan seem to be in convenient locations for travellers.

Haneda International Airport branch - on the 2nd floor Market Place, the 2nd terminal 

JR Tokyo Staion - Gransta (inside of the station ticket gate) Basement 1st floor

Munster, Germany - Japanese restaurant "Tokyo Acacia"

                              Address: Friedrich-Ebert-Platz 2-48153 Munster

 Map for the main branch location

 

 

 

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Le Bretagne - crepe cafe at Kagurazaka (ル・ブルターニュ クレープ 神楽坂)

Kagurazaka (神楽坂) is a quiete residential area in central Tokyo. It is also known as "French quarter" because of some French educational institutions located in the area. Consequently it is said that authentic French food are available at restaurants in Kagurazaka where French nationals are walking around more than in other places in Japan.

This cafe is not the exception. Cafe Creperie Le Bretagne, as the name shown, provides authentic galette (ガレット buckwheat crepe for meal not for dessert) and crepe (クレープ) both from Bretagne region in France.

The cafe has open terrace when the climature is appropriate. After welcomed by French staff, the interior decoration is lovely with wooden floor and funitures, porcelain displayed from the region. We must feel as if we visit Bretagne not the Asian cosmopolitan. 

The ingredient choices offered as salty galette for lunch or snack is much enough and is hard to select just one or two; tomato, bacon, cheese, mushroom, onion, season's special etc... Crepe as dessert is also what cannot be missed. Galette is a good choice for light lunch or dinner during traveling, when you are tired to be filled up. But here you could not be reliefed in that way. 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cafe creperie is so popular to accommodate guests fully for lunch and dinner time. It might request you to wait for a while until ready to be served, especially lunch hours on weekend. Yes, it is worth waiting and enjoying strolling at Kagurazaka.

 

Restaurant name: Cafe-Creperie Le Bretagne

Address: 4-2 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.le-bretagne.com

 

 

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