BGSU-HJU Traveling Home Hiroshima Links Diversion Manners Life Home Banks, Mail Faith ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Safety ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Eating in Japan Simply put, Japanese food is the best, and I don't just mean traditional delicacies. Their interpretations of foreign dishes is superior to almost anything you can find here when it comes to quality. Quantity however may be somewhat lacking. Food prices in general are a bit higher than here, something you'll really notice at the grocery store. If you aren't an expensive eater, dining out may actually be somewhat less expensive and certainly more interesting. Most meals will cost 600 yen, assuming you don't order drinks which are upwards of 200yen without free refills. Take into account with these prices though that you do not need to pay tip after the meal as the gratuity is included. However, some restaurants secretly add to the price of food with a "seating fee", a practice particularly common in izakayas. There are a surprisingly large number of restaurants whose menus are written or supplemented with English in Japan, menus that they will invariably give you if you look the least bit European. This however is not true of all restaurants, and in addition, few servers actually speak English. Luckily for those who cannot read or speak Japanese though, another common practice in Japan is to include pictures of meals on the menu. Also, many restaurants actually have a case in front of their establishment that displays plastic or shellacked versions of some of the dishes they offer along with their prices. As for restaurants themselves, especially in the cities it is possible to find any kind of food and atmosphere. Most though do not offer any such thing as a non-smoking section. Servers are usually quite polite, though not as personable as in the States. They always smile, bow, and use formal language, but probably because they are not working for tips and due to different expectations, you will not be able to enter a conversation with them. There are sometimes exceptions such as at okonomiyaki stands, bars, and other informal places where you sit directly across from the cook\barkeep. Servers in restaurants that cater to foreigners, as well as foreign servers sometimes will speak to you as well, usually asking "where are you from" if nothing else. Itadakimasu The Japanese diet rarely involves cheese. Mozzarella and provolone, my personal favorites, are found only sparingly even on pizzas, which are thinner and smaller than you can get at Little Caesars. Cojack, Colby, and 'American' cheese are pretty much impossible to find in your typical grocery store though there are always specialty stores that carry a wider though more expensive variety. In Hiroshima, Andersons bakery and Jupiter market are both known for their selection of foreign foods, including many cheeses. Meat also is used far more sparingly than in the United States, and is always relatively expensive. Thus, the main protein of Japan is seafood, and they use every part of every creature in their cooking. Some of the fanciest traditional dishes include fried fish bones, fins, eyeballs, and innards. More famous however is o-sushi, bits of seafood and pieces of fish served raw. However, this is not the only food served uncooked. Raw eggs are common dipping sauces for a variety of meals including sukiyaki and oden. There are some meals that involve raw beef as well. There is little to worry about however as the standards of cleanliness and preparation are very high in Japan, and although ecoli and salmonella are not unheard of, their occurrence is relatively rare. Interestingly, despite the high price as well as traditional Buddhist bans, meat and other animal products are used in many dishes. Thus, despite Japanese cuisine's strong emphasis on tofu and soy, strict vegans might actually have trouble in dining out. Most meals, even noodles, have come into some contact with meat or milk if only for flavoring. Fortunately, the majority of restaurants are happy to accommodate their customers' desires if possible and will remove the meat to the best of their abilities if asked. As for vegetables in the supermarket, like all other foods the prices can be a bit steep. Moreover, they are often smaller than American produce, especially the potatoes and carrots. Frozen vegetables, if you can fit them in the freezer, are generally a better deal than fresh. Overall though, the most expensive food-commodity in Japan is fruit. Apples for example usually cost 138 yen for a single, small piece. Mikans (oranges), mangos, and strawberries however are somewhat more affordable and thus found in all manner of dessert items. The Japanese would put even the French and Italians to shame in the sheer number of coffee shops and bakeries lining the streets, most of which make incredibly delicious treats although they charge a pretty penny. In most coffee houses for example, a plain black cuppa costs around 400yen or more, meaning that it is usually cheaper to go to one of the many Starbucks. Tea of course is the Japanese drink of choice, and most restaurants provide free green or mugi (caffeine free barley) teas. There are different grades of tea however, most of which are not drunk on a daily basis with the most famous of these being matcha. If you don't like tea however, you can usually get regular coca-coal or one of Japan's own sodas such as qoo and calpis. These drinks are usually very sweet and sugary, not something you'll want to go near if you're diabetic. Favorite Foods Azuki: A sweet red bean paste, it's often a part of Japanese and Japanese-influenced desserts. Tastes wonderful with mochi and matcha! Bonito Flakes (katsuo-bushi): Rice-paper thin pieces of dried 'bonito' fish, they're used as a topping on a variety of dishes including okonomiyaki (see below) and pasta. Despite their small size, they have a strong salty-fish flavor. Chikuwa: Commonly found in oden and other soup-like dishes, chikuwa are made of ground fish paste rolled into a tube-shape and boiled. It has an interesting rubbery texture but not much flavor of its own. Croquets: Though probably horrible for your body, croquets taste terrific, especially when covered in curry. They are made of a paste, perhaps sweet potato or minced pork, which is dipped in egg, coated in breadcrumbs then fried. Curry: Japanese curry has almost no 'kick', not even the 'extra hot' versions. However, it's very tasty in its own way, especially mixed with strips of ginger. ~When dining at a Thai or Indian restaurant, keep in mind that the Japanese customers generally are not fond of very spicy foods. Therefore, if you prefer 'medium' spice in the States, you'll probably have to order hot or very-hot to suit your tastes. Recommendations in Hiroshima: Japanese curry can be found all over, and there are special curry houses. Most of those aren't very good, though they are cheap. You can get pretty good curry for the home in most grocery stores and the dollar store. For Indian curries, check out Roopali down the road (towards Diamond City) from the Shinkansen side of Hiroshima Station. Thai-curry lovers should look into Lemon Grass Grill, located above Backen Mozart on Chuo-dori. Gratins and Dorias: Found in many different restaurants, these are concoctions of cream, milk, and sometimes cheese mixed with a variety of meats and veggies then poured atop of noodles or rice before being baked in a hot oven. They run from 600-900 yen at most venues but are incredibly delicious. Recommendations in Hiroshima: "Fusha" on the 3rd floor of Asse at Hiroshima Station has not only great gratins but fantastic sundaes that although they cost as much as a meal, are worth gaining a few pounds. "Gratin Paradise" in the alley parallel to hondouri shopping arcade also makes good gratins and dorias. Japanese Mayo: Mayonnaise in Japan has a tangy flavor, a creamy color, and can be used on many different dishes including salads. ~~Katsu: Katsu can apply to any piece of meat dipped in raw egg and rolled in breadcrumbs prior to being fried, but the most common is tonkatsu, or pork cutlet. Although you can find cheap cuts of meat served in this manner at many restaurants, the really good katsu dishes cost upwards of 1300 yen. Recommendations in Hiroshima: If you're on a budget, you can get pretty good tonkatsu at Ootoya, a chain restaurant. There's one in the alley across from the Hondouri Starbucks, near Ninnikuya. Gusto: Skylark, also a chain, has decent tonkatsu as well though it's hardly top of the line. Still, for 600yen and 24 hour service, it's not bad. Katsudon: The poor man's tonkatsu, katsudon consists of a cheap cut of bread-crumb-coated fried pork and placed atop a dish of rice. This is then doused with a raw egg that cooks itself on the hot rice. It usually costs from about 400-600 yen for a regular sized bowl. Kamaboko: Commonly found in oden, udon, and and even as a garnish, kamaboko is a mixture of ground fish compressed into a block that is then sliced into thin pieces. It's usually white with a pink outer rim and has the taste and texture of a hardboiled egg. Sometimes people cut kamaboko into fancy shapes including sakura (cherry blossoms). Kinako: Kinako or soybean flour has the appearance of ground cinnamon, but a unique semi-sweet taste with a dusty texture. It is often used as a coating for mochi (below) and also has been made into an ice cream flavor. Konnyaku: A typical ingredient in soups, salads, and everything in between, the grey mottled appearance of this rubbery food can be surprising if you have never seen it before. Despite the appearance however, it doesn't taste bad or even have much taste. Konnyaku is made from a plant commonly called "devil's tongue" in the states, or rather a ground powder of the plant, and is usually served either in a block or as noodles. Matcha: A finely powdered and strong tasting green tea normally used for the tea ceremony, matcha has also become a common flavoring in ice cream, milkshakes, and other dessert items. There are many different types of matcha, varying in quality and price. The expensive brands are used only for ceremonies where they are traditionally served with a small sweet to help negate the bitter flavor. Matcha is also drunk by some people as a medicine since a cup a day is said to keep you healthy. Mochi: Not only does this pounded rice cake figure heavily in Shinto ritual, it can also be included in a vast number of delicious dishes including okonomiyaki, omelets, and desserts. Mochi naturally has a slightly sweet taste and is incredibly sticky. Natto: This is a food you either love or hate. I'm afraid I fall into the latter category. It consists of fermented beans that have a slimy, snot-like texture that you can eat alone, mixed with mustard, or on any manner of dishes like omelets and okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki Okonomiyaki in its most basic form consists of a thin pancake base topped with finely shredded lettuce, strips of pork, lightly cooked udon or soba noodles, and topped off with egg. The Hiroshima style keeps all ingredients separate and layered, but most other places mix everything together. Before serving, the okonomiyaki is painted with a special sauce reminiscent of BBQ, and usually finished with Japanese mayonnaise, powdered seaweed, bonito flakes, and small shreds of ginger. Between the egg and noodles, you can ask for any number of toppings choosing from such things as squid, cheese, mochi, or even natto. Most places cook all of this on a hot flat stove called a teppan, usually right in front of the customers, who then have the option to eat it off the grill using a tiny turner called a "hera". However, if you have a nekojima (cat tongue) you can get it on a plate and use your chopsticks so you don't burn your mouth. The most basic okonomiyaki costs from 400-600yen, and toppings are usually 100-300 yen extra. Recommendations in Hiroshima: Okonomiyaki is one of Hiroshima's specialties and as such is sold everywhere. One of the more famous establishments is "Okonomiyaki-mura", a 4 story building full of teppans. This is located just behind Alice Gardens in Hatchobouri. The second floor of restaurants at Hiroshima Station JR side also has many stands, and there is a large, cheap okonomiyaki eatery on the 6th floor as well. Omeraisu: Yummy mixtures of ketchup-onion seasoned rice covered by fluffy egg, omeraisu are finished with a variety of sauces including but not limited to tomato, demi-glaze, seafood mixtures, and even curries. Some venues can add additional toppings like cheese or poached egg. Prices can vary pretty widely, the cheapest omeraisu being around 500 yen and the most expensive at 1400. However, portions are usually very large. Recommendations in Hiroshima: Espoir on the 6th floor of Asse isn't bad, but it's Rakeru on the first floor of Diamond City mall that has the best omeraisu and regular omelets around although it is a bit more expensive. Their home-made bread is also quite delicious. Sushi: Probably the most famous Japanese food, even bad sushi is pretty good in Japan. There are two main types with nigirizushi, a piece of fish atop wasabe-coated rice being the most common. Makizushi is the roll type more familiar in the United States. Many restaurants in Japan have at least a few sushi appetizers available. However a true sushi-fanatic should find a kaiten-sushi restaurant where you can pick your favorite foods off a conveyor belt, the price of the meal being determined by the plates left at the end of your feast. My personal sushi favorites are tako (octopus), ika (squid), tamago (cooked egg), and unagi (eel). Most sushi costs between 100-300 yen per plate at the kaiten places, but can get extremely expensive at nicer restaurants. Takoyaki Takoyaki consists of small chunks of tako (octopus) broiled and stuck in the middle of a ball of dough that is then fried. There are usually 6 of these to a package which are painted with a BBQ like sauce then topped with mayonnaise and seaweed flakes prior to being served. One set costs around 400-600yen. Hiroshima is famous for takoyaki and there are small stands in various places throughout the city. However, it is also extremely popular at fairs and festivals. Tempura: There are actually different kinds of 'tempura' in Japan. The first and most common is similar to katsu with the pieces of seafood and vegetables being rolled in raw egg and bread crumbs before being flash fried. The other entails dipping the food in a light batter made with a flour base before being thrown into the hot oil. Despite its popularity in American-Japanese restaurants, tempura is not that common in Japan outside of masses of fried vegetables thrown atop noodles or the large frozen shrimp sold in grocery stores. Fresh tempura made in restaurants is relatively expensive. Tororo: Made of a grated mountain yam, tororo has a sticky, slimy texture similar to natto but lacks any odor or taste. Mixed with ponzu or soy sauce, it doesn't taste too bad. Udon, Soba, Ramen, etc: Pretty much every city in Hiroshima has its own special noodles and their own style of serving them. The difference between these versions is negligible, usually coming down to the quantity of a certain ingredient. Udon (thick wheat), soba (thin buckwheat), and ramen are the most common noodles you'll find. They are usually served in a hot mixture of soy sauce or chicken broth. Ramen traditionally has slices of pork and scallions thrown in with it as well. Most noodle places can add a variety of things such as tempura, fish-cake, vegetables, and even eggs to fill out the meal. Although noodles aren't usually very filling, they're relatively inexpensive and comforting in their warmth, literally the Japanese equivalent of chicken noodle soup. Unagi\anago: Freshwater eel\marine eel. Anago is considered the tastier of the two, but is also more expensive and considerably harder to find. Unagi in the meanwhile is fairly common, especially in the summer when it is traditionally eaten. Most unagi dishes cost 800yen or more, but you can get small pieces at sushi bars. It is not actually served raw but instead has been lightly baked and painted with a tasty teriyaki-like sauce.