what japan taught me about...FOOD pt 2

Onto the middle-range foods.  These would be the better izakayas, restaurants, and cafes.  This price range would be around 800-1200円, about $8-12.  These are the places you go for dinner or for a nicer lunch, and are typically sit down restaurants.


My staple 'nice meal'?  RAMEN!!  It's hard to go wrong with a big bowl of ramen.  Unlike its college dorm counterpart, ramen in Japan is loaded with flavor and is delicious!  Depending on the type of soup base you get the calories can run fairly high, but those calories are from real food that wasn't mass produced or flown in from the other side of the world.  

Most ramen will have seaweed, pork belly slices, onions, fish cake, and some variety of cooked egg (variety depends on the chef).  Don't let those ingredients fool you, they blend in perfectly with the hearty flavors already present in the broth.  And the noodles are nothing short of perfection!!  They're the same long wheat noodle that comes in instant ramen, but fresh and chewy.

 

My first ever bowl of real ramen!!

My favorite, tonkatsu ramen, is made by boiling down pig legs until all of the collagen and fat and nutrients dissolve into the broth.  It's about 800-900 calories a bowl, but let me tell you, after walking 3 miles to get back to your apartment those calories are needed!  Don't forget to slurp it up!! (It's good manners to slurp!)
 

There are many European style cafes and restaurants in Japan, especially Italian and French cuisine.  The absolute best Italian food I've ever had was a $12 bowl of crab alfredo in Nagano.  The Japanese execute everything to such a high degree of quality that no matter where you go, you will not be disappointed, no matter the ethnicity of the food.  In addition to European food, there is a plethora of Indian/Middle Eastern food available. And a heaping bowl full of buttery Indian chicken masala with naan is exactly what hits the spot after walking around Tokyo for 7 hours.

 

Indian curry in Ikebukuro

Even izakaya food is high quality.  They're ordered tapas style, and typically are salty to complement beer (an izakaya is essentially a bar).  The ingredients are incredibly fresh and go together in a simple manner that boasts complex flavors.  My favorites are cheesy potatoes, fried lotus roots, and karrage (fried chicken).  And no izakaya trip would be complete without a big bowl of salted edamame :) 



What are your favorite foods in Japan? Let me know in the comments, and check back later for my next food related post!!