foodjapan.net - your guide to Japanese food and travel

Hakodate Ramen

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:29:52 GMT

[food]^* A speciality of Hakodate, this humble shio (salt base) dish is a direct descendant of the predecessor to all ramen.

Squid "Odori-don"

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:53:45 GMT

[food]^* A small, live squid is freshly prepared and served almost-whole on a bed of sushi rice in this rather memorable (in many ways) Hakodate dish.

Day 20-B: Otaru (Part 2)

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:16:03 GMT

[blog]^* Day 20, Part 2: glass figurines, music boxes and teddy bears in the angelic little city-town of Otaru. Not much food today, though...

Day 20-A: Otaru (Part 1)

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 06:36:59 GMT

[blog]^* Sorry about the delay, real life intervened! But we're back to bring you Day 20, Part 1: Otaru, an enchanting little tourist town on the western edge of Hokkaido.

Day 19: Kushiro

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:44:47 GMT

[blog]^* Day 19 - a rather lonely and forlorn day in Kushiro, a city with a better past. Also: katte-don and robata-yaki. (Warning - discusses whale meat.)

Katte-don

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 06:28:36 GMT

[food]^* Starting with a plain bowl of rice, small portions of toppings (sashimi, pickles, meat) are separately bought and loaded onto the bowl to serve in this Kushiro speciality dish.

Abashiri

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:15:57 GMT

[place]^* Located on the mouth of Abashiri River as it runs into the Sea of Okhotsk, Abashiri is host to a number of small museums and ruins, and some rather curious "local cuisine".

Day 18: Abashiri

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 02:09:52 GMT

[blog]^* Day 18 - moyoro-nabe, zangi-don and my fateful introduction to yama-wasabi. Plus, a prison (of sorts) and an aquarium (of sorts) and sunset-watching from Mt. Tento.

Zangi-don

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:50:16 GMT

[food]^* Unique to Abashiri in Hokkaido Prefecture and using only local ingredients, salmon zangi is mixed with rice and yama-wasabi in this highly unusual lunch dish.

Asahikawa

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:28:45 GMT

[place]^* Square in the centre of Hokkaido, Asahikawa has long been a centre for trade and commerce in the region, and is known for its excellent seafood and Asahikawa-style ramen

Day 17: Asahikawa

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:34:50 GMT

[blog]^* Day 17 - hail, volcano vents and hypothermia on Mt. Asahidake, ramen, and from a sushi chef: learning the secret to happiness

Asahikawa Ramen

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:28:35 GMT

[food]^* A distinct style of shoyu ramen, found only in Asahikawa, which is as much a product of the region's history as of culinary considerations.

Wakkanai

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 07:54:07 GMT

[place]^* The northern-most city of Japan, Wakkanai borders on the Sea of Okhotsk and is a rustic, quiet sort of place, centred on fishing and a small amount of local tourism.

Day 16: Wakkanai

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:57:24 GMT

[blog]^* Day 16 - Wakkanai, the northern-most town of Japan, and its various delights: seafood, the sea, fishermen and, uh, other sea-related stuff. Plus, a taste of isobe-yaki.

Isobeyaki

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:43:25 GMT

[food]^* A speciality dish of the city of Wakkanai, up to twenty-four types of fish and vegetables are used to put together this magnificent stew, cooked and served in a scallop shell.

Soup Curry

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:01:07 GMT

[food]^* Essentially vegetable soup with just a hint of curry, this unexpectedly gorgeous dish has experienced a huge burst of popularity recently in its native Sapporo.

Miso Ramen

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:32:07 GMT

[food]^* Rich, intense and just over 70 years old now, miso ramen is the signature dish of Sapporo, capital of the northern region.

Genghis Khan

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:39:20 GMT

[food]^* Similar to Korean barbecue and hugely popular in Hokkaido, jingisukan or "Genghis Khan" is a cook-it-yourself dish of thinly-sliced mutton and vegetables grilled on a hot metal dome.

Days 12 - 15: Sapporo

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:44:10 GMT

[blog]^* Days 12 to 15 - various adventures in the chilly northern capital of Sapporo, including ramen, very expensive sushi, a beer garden and (super, super delicious) "soup curry"

Taiyaki

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:16:34 GMT

[food]^* Stuffed with red beans or custard cream in a waffle-like shell, this 101 year old fish-shaped snack is loved by young and old alike.

Day 11-B: Going to Hokkaido!

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:40:10 GMT

[blog]^* Day 11, Part 2 - Azabu and Roppongi districts, and trying some famous taiyaki. Plus, the long-awaited overnight train ride to Hokkaido!

Day 11-A: Tsukishima & Tsukiji

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:55:20 GMT

[blog]^* Day 11, Part 1 - Tsukishima district and Tokyo's speciality foodie dish: monjayaki. Plus, a sneak peek at Tsukiji Fish Market "behind the scenes"

The Ugliest Dish on Earth

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:59:17 GMT

[special]^* So ugly, we gave it its own special article. But what exactly is it? We tell you all about it (and how exactly it gets that ugly) in this article featuring professional monja cooks from Tokyo.

Monjayaki

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:27:32 GMT

[food]^* The predecessor of its famous cousin "okonomiyaki", batter, cabbage and dry ingredients are mixed and cooked on a hot plate to form this distinctly dubious-looking but very delicious dish.

Utsunomiya

loren@foodjapan.net (Loren) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:18:28 GMT

[place]^* The self-proclaimed capital of gyoza, Utsunomiya is an area of rich historical and natural beauty, and offers a pleasant surprise to those who are willing to look further in.