When people think of Japanese food, they usually only think of sushi or ramen. However, Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world, and in Osaka they create new words because of their love for food. For all these reasons, it could be said that Japan is the world center of gastronomy. One of the reasons that explain the country’s extraordinary cuisine is that its culinary tradition revolves around umami ; the fifth taste: umamiIt means “pleasant, tasty flavor” and is the (scientific) reason why (almost) everyone prefers bacon and French fries to have tomato sauce. Basically, it enhances the flavor of many foods; sweet, bitter and all kinds. Who doesn’t want to eat in a country that has the (secret) ingredient to make everything taste better? I’m going to give you ten delicious reasons to embark on a culinary adventure in Japan Restaurant.
- SUSHI
Sushi put Japan on the food map, so it’s only fair to put it first. Small cold rice balls date back to the 4th century BC. C and were used to preserve fish. Nowadays they are the favorite food to dip in soy sauce. Preparing sushi is an art and it takes decades to become a true sushi master – you can spend years just learning how to make rice well. The best sushi can be found in Ginza (Tokyo) and in the country’s fishing ports, but you can also go to a kaiten-zushi , one of the many restaurants that serve it on a belt conveyor, which are more affordable.
- TEMPURA
In the 16th century, Portuguese Jesuit missionaries landed in Nagasaki and introduced the revolutionary method of frying food to Japan. The Japanese adopted it and began to fry seafood and vegetables, which they first covered with a light batter. This oishii or appetizer is perfect to accompany it with rice, noodles or for a barbecue.
- RAMEN
This noodle soup is one of the most popular and cheapest dishes in Japan, so it makes sense that it is also a favorite among college students. Ramen is as simple to make as it is delicious: use wheat noodles, like Chinese ones (they are yellowish and look a bit like spaghetti), put them in broth and add slices of meat, dried seaweed and green onion. Many people eat ramen for lunch and in Japan it is considered fast food. However, many restaurants have their own secret recipe, so the experience can be unique ( umami ) every time.
- SOBA
Soba, the Japanese word for buckwheat, this cereal is used to make thin spaghetti-type noodles that are characteristic for having a gray-brown color. Soba noodles are widely eaten in Tokyo and date back to the Edo Period (1603-1868), when they became popular among samurai. Egg, tempura and other ingredients can be placed on top of the noodles, and they can be served hot or cold, with or without broth. Cold soba noodles are eaten with a soy-based sauce called tsuyu , and after trying them, I decided to switch to Team Hot Soba .
5.UDON
We continue with the noodles and now I’m going to talk to you about udon, the thick cousins of soba. The broth is its natural habitat, on top of it is put chives, tempura or tofu. If you spend enough time in Japan, people will ask you if you’re an udon or a soba person, so be sure to try them all and pick your favorites. Anyway, when you eat ramen, soba or udon, you have to slurp them loudly, it is considered polite and a sign that you are enjoying the food.
- TAKOYAKI
Takoyaki are flour balls filled with squid, cabbage or dried shrimp and served with sauce. Throughout Japan you will find many street vendors and food stalls selling takoyaki , it is perfect for eating on the go: they are bite-sized, because they are made in special molds, and an almost perfect round shape.
- ONIGIRI
Anime fans will surely recognize this from Pokemon and Sailor Moon. Onigiri is a ball of cooked rice that is filled with salty or sour things, such as dried plums, salmon, or cod, and then wrapped in dried seaweed (nori). You can find them all over the country, even in grocery stores.
- OKONOMIYAKI
Okonomiyaki is a combination of the word okonomi, which means “to your taste” or “however you want it” and yaki , the Japanese word that means “roasted” or “cooked”: it is a tasty omelette that has several ingredients, I tried one with cheese, soba noodles, green onion, fried garlic slices, pork, egg and kimchi. There are many ways to prepare and serve okonomiyaki ; When I tried it there was a line of cooks who prepared the different orders and then placed them on a small griddle so they wouldn’t cool down. To eat them you use a small spoon-type spatula and the rest is delicious history.
9.YAKITORI
The best accompaniment for these grilled chicken skewers is a cold drink. Yakitori can be made with different parts of the chicken, such as thighs, wings or liver, so we recommend that you don’t be chicken and try all the skewers you come across .
- KATSUDON
Delicious. It’s a bowl of rice topped with fried pork chops and egg omelet. Katsudon is not only delicious, but it is supposed to bring luck to students, athletes, or anyone who needs it. The first part of the dish, katsu, sounds very similar to the Japanese word meaning ” to win ” or ” to be victorious .” (So be sure to eat katsudon before your next exam. If you don’t get a good grade, at least you’ll have eaten something delicious.)