Jess's Top 5 in Japan: Japanese Foods

It's the return of my Top 5 in Japan! This time I'll be going with food. Now, I have purposefully left out Sushi and Sashimi because as much as I love it it seems uncomparable-and it's my choice anyway. I also left out ramen, I think it's of chinese origin and I love it too but it doesn't have enough character for me. Some of the foods I have included are a bit snacky but that's alright too and some I may have included with personal bias, since I can cook them^.^ But it's might top 5 so this is biased anyway!

Top 5 Japanese Foods

Number 5:

Definatly going with Tai-Yaki. Tai-yaki, more a snack than solid meal, are fish shaped doey goodness that can be filled with anything; azuki, cream, cheese, etc. My personal favorite is when they are filled with cream or custard. So delicious! You can't really buy these from stores, instead you have to find the stalls making and selling them. Not only is it delicious but it smells great and is fun to wacth being cooked. They are best when they've just been made, but are really hot then too so be careful.

Number 4:

For me, Takoyaki was one of the first treats I had here. It is made by putting some tako, or octopus, into the cooking things they have (metal plates with semicircles in them) and then filling that with a mixture of flour, veggies, and other stuff I don't really know. Then, when half the ball is done cooking you flip them. They range in sizes and some have more yaki than tako or more tako than yaki. A warning, the octopus is often chewy and some people don't like it, I do. Usually you also pour a ton of sauce over them too. Takoyaki is pretty is to make and lots of people have the tools to do so here. You also find them at festivals all the time and randomly on the street too. I really like this so it's a definate must.

Number 3:

Okunomiyaki comes in third. This you can find in tons of restauraunts everywhere and there are different kinds depending on where you are in Japan. hiroshima is most famous, I think, though so if you're in hiroshima give it a try! Basically, as I have described before, its like a pancake with a ton of stuff inside. Otoosan makes a mean okunomiyaki and I've made it myself at restaurants before as well. Although simple, it's incredibly delicous! Tokyo is famous for something similar to okunomiyaki only more liquidy. I can't remember the name but if you get the chance to try it, then do! It looks really gros but actually tastes pretty good!

Number 2:

Well, this is Japanese as far as I know but doesnt involve much cooking. Yakiniku is number two, mostly because my favorite restaurant in Japan is this all you can eat Yakiniku place where you cook the meat yourself (which is how it is usually done). Basically you grabs plates of raw meat and then cook it at your table, you can also grab veggies and such. It's a very social sort of meal and I always have fun when I do it. This is definatly for meat lovers though but if you want to try it out there's a great restaurant in Shinbashi!

Number1:

My ichiban suki is most definatly Katsudon. Not too complicated but extremely savory you can get katsudon almost anywhere and it always taste good. It's just rice with tonkatcu (fried pork), onions, sukiyaki sauce, and egg on top. Some places have it sweeter than others and some places have the egg runnier than others but no matter what I love this dish! Manami taught me how to make it so provided I can find all the ingrediants I will be cooking it a lot when I get home. To me there's nothing better than a hot katsudon in my tummy!

^.^

and that's that.

Much Love!