Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Kaiseki cuisine, both in selection of
food and presentation, is based on the four
seasons. In spring, for example, cherries
and cherry blossoms are often incorpo-
rated into dishes. The kaiseki gourmet can
tell what time of year it is just by looking
at a meal.
A kaiseki meal is usually a lengthy affair,
with various dishes appearing in set order.
First come the appetizer, clear broth, and
one uncooked dish. These are followed by
boiled, broiled, fried, steamed, heated, and
vinegared dishes, which are finally fol-
lowed by another soup, rice, pickled vege-
tables, and fruit. Although meals vary
greatly depending on what's fresh, com-
mon dishes include some type of sashimi,
tempura, cooked seasonal fish, and an
array of bite-size pieces of vegetables.
Because kaiseki is always a set meal, there's
no problem in ordering; let your budget
be your guide.
KUSHIAGE
Kushiage foods (also called
kushikatsu) are breaded and deep-fried on
skewers and include chicken, beef, sea-
food, and lots of seasonal vegetables (snow
peas, green peppers, gingko nuts, lotus
roots, and the like). They're served with a
slice of lemon and usually a specialty
sauce. The result is delicious, and I highly
recommend trying it. Ordering the set
meal is easiest; what you receive may be
determined by the chef and the season. A
restaurant serving kushiage, called a
kush-
iage-ya,
is often open only for dinner.
OKONOMIYAKI
Okonomiyaki,
which
originated in Osaka after World War II
and literally means “as you like it,” is often
referred to as Japanese pizza. To me, it's
more like a pancake to which meat or fish,
shredded cabbage, and vegetables are
added, topped with a thick Worcestershire
sauce. Because it's a popular offering of
street vendors, restaurants specializing in
this type of cuisine are very reasonably
priced. At some places the cook makes it
for you, but at other places it's do-it-
yourself at your table, which can be
quite fun if you're with a group. Yakisoba
(fried Chinese noodles and cabbage) are
also usually on offer at okonomiyaki
restaurants.
RICE
As in other Asian countries, rice
has been a Japanese staple for about 2,000
years. In fact, rice is so important to the
Japanese diet that
gohan
means both “rice”
and “meal.” In the old days, not everyone
could afford the expensive white kind of
rice, which was grown primarily to pay
taxes or rent to the feudal lord; the peas-
ants had to be satisfied with a mixture of
brown rice, millet, and greens. Today,
some Japanese still eat rice three times a
day, although they're now just as apt to
have bread and coffee for breakfast. In any
case, Japanese rice is sticky, making it eas-
ier to pick up with chopsticks. It's eaten
plain—no salt, no butter, no soy sauce (it's
considered rather uncouth to dump a lot
of sauces in your rice)—though trendy
restaurants nowadays may sprinkle rice
bowls with black sesame seeds, plum pow-
der, or other seasoning. Most restaurants
serve polished white rice, while health-
conscious restaurants may also offer
unpolished brown rice
(genmai).
ROBATAYAKI
Robatayaki
refers to res-
taurants in which seafood, meats, and
vegetables are cooked over an open char-
coal grill. In the old days, an open fireplace
(robata)
in the middle of an old Japanese
house was the center of activity for cook-
ing, eating, socializing, and simply keep-
ing warm. Today's robatayaki restaurants
are like nostalgia trips into Japan's past and
are often decorated in rustic farmhouse
style, with staff dressed in traditional
clothing. Robatayaki restaurants, usually
open only in the evening, are popular
among office workers for both eating and
drinking.
There's no special menu in a robatayaki
restaurant—rather, it includes just about
everything eaten in Japan. The difference
is that most of the food will be grilled.
Favorites of mine include gingko nuts
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