About food in Japan

Yutori no kukan cafe share with Harumi Kurihara (栗原はるみ)

Harumi Kurihara is one of the most well-known cookery writer based in Japan. I could say she is a Japanese version "Martha Stewart", though some people might have different image for them. Otherwise she might be described as the most famouse "housewife" in Japan. She leant her cooking ways from her mother and her dishes attracted many of home party guests brought by her husband in the broadcasting industry. Cooking style and dishes she introduced are throughly "homemade" receipi but ones loved by everyone.  

In Yokohama, at a shopping complex not far from JR Yokohama station, a cafe produced by Harumi Kurihara offers dishes by her receipi.

On one weekend, I had lunch set called "Kamome lunch" (かもめランチ, named after from "seagull", the icon of Yokohama port).

How the lunch set is like is described on this blackboad.

 

I'll show the dishes with photos here...

 

 
One main dish (croquette), farmer's fresh salad, 3 small side dishes, rice and miso soup, pickles.

This is an "ideal" meal at home in Japan.

With more kinds of vegetables in different colors and in different ways of cooking,

it means a good balance in nutritional.

3 side dishes are small but never be just ordinary. Here is the world of Harumi Kurihara.

Gochiso Hiyayakko (ごちそう冷ややっこ), "delicacy cold tofu"

A piece of tofu is very typical and simple side dish.

We put soya sauce and shreded leak normally.

She made it upgraded with a little more effort for the topping!

"delicacy"(ごちそう)

sesami, diced leak, pickles, ginger, garlic and ham mixed with soya sauce and dashi soup.

Uhhnn a good idea, I could make it myselef at home.

This is the way her receip make our life better and the reason why she is so popular among Japanese ladies across generations.

Other dishes are also ones introduced on her recepi books and basically are simple but something special and look much better than typical.

 

Lunch set includes dessert (sesami pudding for today) and Japanese grilled tea (originaly brended) selected from their drink list.

Yutori no kukan (ゆとりの空間) represents "comfortable space" in Japanese. That is what Ms. Kurihara would like to offer you everyone maybe.

 

The cafe provides dinner set menu as well, which is also "an ideal healty dinner" for Japanese and some a la carte dishes. What cannot be missed after a break at the cafe is a boutique attached to the cafe. Food ingredients and table wares used at the cafe are available at the boutique. They are produced or selected by Harumi Kurihara. Let's bring some of them to your home and cook the same plate you like at the cafe.

 

Harumi Kurihara Official site: http://www.yutori.co.jp

Her receipi books are tranlated into English. Below are some examples;

 

Cafe name: yutori no kukan (ゆとりの空間)

Address: Yokohama Bay Quater 3rd floor, 1-10 Kinko-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-city, Kanagawa

 

 

大きな地図で見る

SO TIRED - fantasy dining cafe

In Marunouchi, the real centre of business in Japan, where head quaters offices of Japanese major enterprises are situated, the cafe's name is ironic as an "oasis" of the people working in the business district.

SO TIRED... 

I am sure the shop master would not like the guests to say so when they leave the cozy and colourful cafe, filled with sunlight during day time. It is also discribed by the cafe producre as "fantasic dinnin cafe" for the iconic stained glass like colorful tall walls. 

The cafe provides casual Chinese lunch as well as Western style plates. I do not know any other restaurant or cafe offering both Chinese noodles and American style pepper steak apart from family restaurants. It is fantastic when you are not able to agree with your partner or colleague for what kind of restaurant, especially Chinese or Western food to go for lunch together. You do not have to be split or do not have to be compromised. Or even at lunch time alone, you could try a combination of humbreger plus dim-sum.

Not only for lunch, unlike the name, SO TIRED is a good place for a break. Chinese dessert and coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cafe name: SO TIRED

Address: Shin-Marunouchi building 7th floor, 1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Just infront of Tokyo station, between the station and the Imperial Palace

Website: http://www.heads-west.com/sotired.html

 

大きな地図で見る

Mifune Gochiso Izakaya, Ningyocho (三船 ご馳走居酒屋 人形町)

Toshiro Mifune (1920-1997) is a legendary actor who played all (except for one) Kurosawa films. His career had continued for almost a half century from 1947 and workd for tens of films not only of Japanese but  of international, including "Seven Samurai" (1954 七人の侍) and "Rashomon" (1950 羅生門).

The Izakaya just opened this spring in Ningyocho features the theme of "Mifune". Walls in the Izakaya are decorated with the theme; movie shot photos, wooden plaques of names for which he played in films..

Unexpected find is BGM music there, Beatles!! I am not sure why but he could be a big fun of the most famous Bristish band. At least Japanese businessmen 40's to 50's, a target market of the unit must like the music reminding their youth age. 

The dishes there are casual traditional Japanese food. The concept of the Izakaya, the world of Mifune or Samurai, reflects in the food; rustic, simple but what every ones like, respect on traditions of Japan and  masculine. If you love Japanese films and Japanese food, it is the best place to experience both at the same time in Tokyo.

 

Food that we have today are....

 

Original cocktail "Shichiroji"(七郎次) named after from one of Seven Samurai.

Japanese citrus, shochu and soda.

 

5 kinds of fresh vegetable

with Japanese version "Bagna Cauda"(fish and oil mixed) sauce and Miso-mayonaise sauce.

 

Chicken meat balls in Houbayaki (朴葉焼き, grill　with miso paste on leaf of Hou)

and pork skewered (not typical Izakaya menu Yakitori, chicken skewered)

 

 
Fried chicken black pepper and sesami.

Very crispy and spicy!!

 

A big onigiri (rice ball) and tonjiru (とん汁, miso soup with pork and full of vegetable pieces)

It is a typical homey receipi.

 

 

 

 

 

The sister units also fearure Mifune world but each altered in a bit different taste. Roppongi, the first branch is upscale, one in Shinjuku for meat grilled infront of dinners and the newest one in Kanda for seafood.

Restaurant name: Gochiso Izakaya Mifune, Ningyocho (ご馳走居酒屋　三船　人形町)

Address: 1-18-2 1F Nihombashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.tokyo-rf.com/restaurants/m02/index.html

 

 

 

 

大きな地図で見る

 

Michelin Guide Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe 2011

Michelin published its restaurant guide for Kansai region (Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe) 2011 version on the last friday. Surprisingly 12 restaurants are awarded three stars. The number of 3 star restaurants on the guide is the biggest in the world and even more than one for Tokyo and Paris. Out of 239 restaurants on the guide, 80%  are Japanese restaurants in a variety of categories from Izakaya (居酒屋, casual dining bar), Kushiage (串揚, skewered and fried food) to Kaiseki (懐石料理, upscale sophisticated course).

Kansai region’s capital Osaka is considered more vital Asian-like city contrary to Tokyo cosmopolitan and it is called "the merchant city ". At the same time, it is known for casual dining as an example of Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, salty pancake). In Kyoto, the ancient city, upscale traditional Japanese restaurants attract dinners for more than a hundred year with the most sophisticated anc delicate ways of cooking skills. Kobe may be known for the Kobe beef by non-Japanese people. The city, just next to Osaka, is a hometown base of wealthy in Kansai. It is natural easily to find fine restaurants there.

Here the list of 3stars restaurant on the Michelin Guide Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe 2011

<Kyoto　京都>

Kikunoi Honten (菊乃井　本店) - Japanese Kaiseki  http://kikunoi.jp/store/

Kitcho Arashiyama (吉兆　嵐山本店) - Japanese

http://www.kitcho.com/kyoto/shoplist_en/arashiyama/index.html

Chihana (千花) - Japanese Itamae cappo (chef's cuisine) http://kyotochihana.com/e/

Tsuruya (つる家) - Japanese http://www.kyoto-tsuruya.co.jp/kyoto.html

Nakamura (なかむら) - Japanese Kyoryori (京料理, Kyoto local cuisine)

    http://www.kyoryori-nakamura.com

Hyotei (瓢亭) - Japanese Kaiseki http://hyotei.co.jp/

Mizai (未在) - Japanese http://www.mizai.net/

 

<Osaka　大阪>

Kashiwaya (柏屋) - Japanese Kaiseki  No official own website http://r.gnavi.co.jp/c158900/

Taian (太庵) - Japanese Kappo No official website

Hajime (ハジメ) - French  http://www.hajime-artistes.com/

 

<Kobe　神戸>

Ca cento (カ・セント) Spanish  http://casento.jp/

Komago (子孫)  Japanese No official website

 

Those Japanese restaurants offers limited number of tables and advanced reservation is strongly recommended. Especially after the publishing of Michelin guide, they might be fully booked for a few months. Please be ready well advance to visit them. Japanese upscale restaurants in general offer only  one or a few courses by price range and no a-la-carte menu. All food provided there are served at the best condition as per the chef's recommandation and well-prepared with fresh, high quality ingredients.

 

 

Related stories in this blog

Koju (小十) - Japanese upscale restaurant, Michelin ***

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/04/koju-小十-japanese-upscale-restaurant-michelin-.html

Kaiseki Tsujitome(懐石　辻留）

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/08/kaiseki-tsujito.html

LA TABLE de Joel Robuchon - French (Michelin Guide 2010 **)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/08/la-table-de-joel-robuchon-french-michelin-guide-2010-.html

RESTAURANT SANT PAU - Spanish

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/03/restaurant-sant-pau-spanish.html

Chinese- Momonoki (桃の木) Michelin 1* (2009)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2009/11/chinese-momonoki-桃の木-michelin-1-2009.html

French - Les Creations de NARISAWA (Michelin *)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2009/08/french---les-cr.html

 

GOUTER de ROI White chocolate - GATEAU FESTA HARADA

The most people check my last post about this sweets, GOUTER de ROI, crispy sugar coated rusk produced by GATEAU FESTA HARADA based in Takasaki, Gumma prefecture. The boutique in Tokyo still attracts a lot of people who are happy to make a long queue to get a pack of GOUTER de ROI. 

It offers the newer type of rusk during October to beginning of May.

 

This is it

GOUTER de ROI White Chocolate

I cannot wait it, as I love white chocolate...

The piece is pure white.

It is a bit problem to hold it, as top and side of the small piece are all covered with white chocolate and it melts by heat from fingers.

 

Before it melts on fingers, let's bite it !

 

The rusk is crispy as same with the original version.

Of course the sweet chocolate coating is additional joy on it!

Fantastic!!

 

The white chocolate has been selected among tens of chocolate ingredients by Gateau Festa Harada product development team. It produces a good combination of rust and white chocolate, making the most use of flavours of butter and milk.

Unnn. I cannot wait for another piece!

 

Price:

GOUTER de ROI White Chocolate from Yen 420 by 5 pieces

 

Related story: Rusk "Gouter de Roi" - Gateau Festa Harada

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2009/12/rusk-gouter-de-roi-gateau-festa-harada.html

 

GOUTER de ROI productes are available at food floor in following major department stores in Tokyo and Osaka.

<Tokyo>

Matsuya Ginza - http://www.matsuya.com/foreign/index.html

Keio Shinjuku - http://info.keionet.com/foreign/index.html

Tobu Ikebukuro - http://www.tobu-dept.jp/ikebukuro/

<Osaka>

Hanshin Umeda Honten (the flagship store) - http://www.hanshin-dept.jp/dept/english/

 

Online-culinary classroom for Japanese food

Ms. Elizabeth Andoh recently launched two new websites to provide online-culinary classroom; http://www.washokucooking.com and http://www.kanshacooking.com/ companioned with her two cooking books, "WASHOKU: Recipies from the Japanese Home Kitchen"(washoku / 和食, Japanese dishes) and her newest work just published "KANSHA: Celebrating Japan's vegan and Vegetablian traditions"(Kansha/感謝, in Japanese, a word representing appreciation, especially to nature's bounty).

On these websites, picking up some dishes from her two publishing (with the page number) every five or six weeks, she will post cooking "WORKSHOP" in PDF format with images and information. For both sites, additional information can be found to learn concepts related Japanese traditional food and deeply to know more about Japanese food culture, ingredients or preparation tools. These informaiton and workshops must be valuable for those who are keen to learn Japanese food and cooking culture at profound level.

Ms. Elizabeth Andoh, raised in America, is based in Japan and has provided A Taste of Culture culinary arts programmes "in English" since 1970's. She also works as author and journalist for numerous cooking books, magazines and newspaper articles including New York Times Travel Section.

Related website:

http://www.washokucooking.com

http://www.washokucooking.com

http://tasteofculture.com

 

Related links, Elizabeth Andoh's pubishing works:

To purchase WASHOKU: Recipies from the Japanese Home Kitchen from amazon.com,

please click here.

 

To purchase KANSHA: Celebrating Japan's vegan and  Vegetablian traditions (newly published on 19 October 2010), please click here.

 

 

Yuuyoo cafe Hokkaido organic - organic food from Hokkaido (北海道)

Hokkaido (北海道) is the northernmost region in Japan. With the huge land and rich nature, the place remind us some good quality food ingredients such as seafood (scallops, salmon...), potatos and other vegetables, daily products (butter, milk, cheese). How fantastic if we are able to enjoy these fresh food from Hokkaido, while we are in Tokyo. That is Yuuyoo cafe. In the mid of business district near Shiba-koen and Tokyo Tower, Yuuyoo cafe serves dishes made with fresh organic food from Hokkaido region.

From outside, it is almost nothing change from ordinary cafe in Tokyo. The dishes on the menu are totally unique as ones available in Tokyo. All dises (I believe) include ingredients from Hokkaido and/or speciality cooking way from the region. It is really hard to select severals from the list.

The big blackboard in the cafe may help us with selecting today's dinner. It shows Best 5 popular dishes among women or men. To know how different between ladies and gentlemen is another interesting stuff ...

Looking at the menu list, it reminds us that the north land produces not a few kinds of high quality food from vegetables to meat.

A few examples we had there...

  Agedashi Imo mochi

(Soup like one for Udon, the balls called Imo mochi are made from potato and

sticky damplings like traditional rice cake, mochi)

Taraba Crab meat cream croquette

(Taraba crab is one of well-known specialities for Hokkaido)

The croquette is the 5th popular dish among ladies.

Scallops and asparagus cooked in

"tagine"(triangle shape steam pot from North Africa, but recently quite popular in Japan) 

Both ingredients are from Hokkaido of course. The spicy black pepper is a good accent.

 

Also do not forget the drinks and desserts...

Shochu (焼酎) - milk! is used as ingredient!

though I could sense the smell or flavour from the glass.

 

Affogato - Milk soft cream (made in Hokkaido) with hot coffee.

 

That is true, after we enjoyed the dishes, we feel flying out to Hokkaido as soon as possible in order to try more food!

 

Restaurant name: Yuuyoo cafe Hokkaido organic

Address: Hanai building 1st floor, 1-2-9 Shiba-Koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website (Japanese only) : http://r.goope.jp/yuuyoo-cafe/

From Gourmet navigator: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/e374100/

 

大きな地図で見る

Cupmen (カップメン)

 

His name is "Cupmen".

Recently he came to my home.

What is his job?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He helps me with holding the lid of Cup Noodle, while I  am waiting for it cooked.

 

That's a great job isn't it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The orange color in the hands is turned to white color gradualy by heat come from the cup.

3 minutes waiting time is very short when I am waiting with Cupmen.

 

After the great task, he needs a break.

Then like this.

 

 

Thank you for your fantastic job, Cupmen!

 

Cupmen was created by a Japanese designer Mr. Akira Mabuchi. As per the description on the product package and on the official website, he produced Cupmen "from the desire to be entertained by someone while you wait for your noodles."

 

Cupmen has a friend called "Cupmen 2". The friend has totally differnt character from Cupmen. The men is always more relaxed during his task.

 

Official website: CUPMEN http://www.plus-d.com/cupmen/

*It may be available in some countries outside Japan. Please check "Contact" page for the nearest location where you can find Cupmen.

 

 

Tendon (天丼) - Aoi-marushin (葵丸進), Asakusa (浅草)

Asakusa (浅草) is one of major tourism spots in Tokyo for the icon temple Senso-ji (浅草寺) and Kaminari-mon (雷門). Around the temple, streets and small boutiques selling traditional stuff or sweets  are always filled with tourists whether young students or aged couples from all across Japan and the world. Surely it is one of the most popular places for tourists in Japan.

Tendon (天丼) is known as a specialty of Asakusa for people visited the old town. Tendon is abberebiation of Tenpula donburi (天ぷら　どんぶり), as the name shown it is Tempula with rice in a bowl. What kinds of ingredients served depend on the restaurants. The typical foods for tendon are prawn, fish, vegetables. Normal tendon is mix of several ingredients cooked in "tempula style".

Aoi-Marushi (葵丸進) tempula restaurant opened in 1946 just after the war in Asakusa. Now it stills exist as a 5 floor-height building of tempula restaurant. With the ample space, the casual restaurant is able to serve to any kind of diners from a tourist person to large groups including school students trips.

It offers 6 different tendon menus which can be selected by main ingredient or by volume even the smallest one for kids.

 

This is the most expensive tendon there "Tokujo (特上 the extra quality) tendon".

The tempula pieces are so big and many to be over the bowl

The tempula coating is crispy.

The sauce is a bit sweet.

Ingredients include 2 prawns, 2 pieces of fish and vegetables.

The volume is of course much enough for lunch.

It was hard to take dessert after the tendon.

 

Don't miss the specialty of Asakusa, the town with Japanese long tradition and culture is not only about Senso-ji and Kaminari-mon.

 

Restaurant name: Aoi - Marushin(葵丸進)

Website: http://www.aoi-marushin.co.jp

 

Here another well-known tempula restaurants in Asakusa. You could find a long queue in front of these restaurants during lunch time. Not to miss the specialty it is better to visit there just after its opeing time.

Sansada (三定) - just next to Kaminari-mon

http://www.tempura-sansada.co.jp/

 

Daikokuya (大黒屋) - known for the prawn(long!) tendon menu

http://www.tempura.co.jp/

 

Nakasei (中清) - upscale and more expensive one in the traditional style building

http://nakasei.biz

 

Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival at Ebisu Garden Cinema

The first "Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival" will be taken place during 6th to 12th November 2010. The organizer selected "tasty good" 8 movies from both Japanese and international works. Let's enjoy eating through films with yummy plates and food.

The 8 films to be screened at the film festival include;

* etrip (2009, Japan)

English subtitle will be for the main work of the film festival.

Related story in this blog: eatrip - Movie about food and eating by a Japanese food director

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/04/eatrip-movie-about-food-and-eating-by-a-japanese-food-director.html

Official site: http://tokyogohan.com/english

 

* Tampopo / タンポポ (1985, Japan)

Related story in this blog: Taimeiken (たいめいけん) - Tampopo omerice (たんぽぽ オムライス)

Link: http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/09/taimeiken-たいめいけん-tampopo-ome-rice-たんぽぽ-オムライス.html

 

* Kamome shokudo / かもめ食堂 / ruokala lokki (2005, Japan) - the story of a Japanese lady who opened a small restaurant in Helsinki.

Official site: http://www.nikkatsu.com/movie/official/kamome-movie/

 

* Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain / Amelie アメリ (2001, France)

 I am sure I do not have to add further explaination about this well-known French movie with Audrey Tautou.

 

* Chocolat / ショコラ (2000, USA)

 

During 6th to 12th November 2010, either of 4 films per day will be played from 11:00/13:45/16:25/19:00.

Time table in Japanese: http://www.kadokawa-gardencinema.jp/yebisu/news.html#20202

 

Ebisu Garden Cinema

Address:4-20-2 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Official site: http://www.kadokawa-gardencinema.jp/yebisu/