Monday, July 20, 2009

Fun in Japan: set meals

This month I am spending time in Tokyo to speak at RubyKaigi. I also will be
visiting Fukuoka briefly for another conference. It is great being in Japan.
One great aspect of visiting Japan is trying the large variety of food here.
Besides really common (read that as US common) types like Soba, Ramen, Sushi,
Tempura, Shabu-Shabu or Yakitori you can also have other common foodstuffs
in Japan like Okinomiyaki, Chankonabe, and many others. In fact, each time
I visit I am introduced to new styles of food (Chankonabe and Oyakudon so far
this trip).

If you are adventurous you can try exotic dishes like Fugu (Pufferfish), to
somewhat stranger dishes like Horse Shashimi (bland). Or if you are very
strange you can have Gotemono (Japanese virility food!). But this entry is
about a meta-aspect of eating in Japan: set meals.

In the US, we have some restaurants that have multiple courses, but in Japan it
seems much more common. All restaurants here which specialize in a single
type of food seems to have a set meal. For example, ff you have had
Unagi/Anago at a US restaurant it is generally just an entree. If you have
an Unagi set meal you get something like the following:


1. Eel spines (salty and crunchy)


2. Eel fins and livers on a stick! (fins are decent -- livers not as decent)


3. Eel omelet



4. Eel fillet


5. Eel salad (with fresh water eel)


6. Eel rice bowl with miso soup

Cool huh?

The biggest problems with ordering set meals is understanding the menu.
Frequently these menus are written in Kanji and generally in an artistic form
of Kanji, which can render even easy to read Kanji unintelligible (well to me
anyways). If you are with a Japanese companion this obviously works best
because they can: read the menu, tell you how to eat each dish, also give
nice facts about the food (e.g. "Those are guts"), and just generally be fun
to hang out with.

If you cannot find someone to take you to a restaurant, then just try one and
be adventurous. Quite a large number of people can speak English in Japan.
They can be shy about using English, but odds are you can find a restaurant
where between a little common ground with English and a Japanese-English
dictionary you can probably get in on the set meal action.

21 comments:

  1. That looks wonderful! Do they have pictures on the menu or on the table? If I can't read the menu I can just point? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. There are quite a few restaurants with picture menus and also surreal plastic display versions of their food.

    At times when we arrive at a restaurant we automatically get the english menu. I think areas that are more heavily populated seem to be more gaijin friendly. Less populated areas are tougher to figure out the menu, but a little cooler I think.

    As we told another friend... It is worth trying to pick up katakana if you come to Japan. Katakana is frequently used to phonetically spell out foreign words. So in many cases you can decipher a katakana word and go: "Oh it is a danish"!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Superdelicious...I wish I were having a couple of those set meals right now. Why don't any American Japanese places do this?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is there anything that an “Oh, not-so-fan-of-seafood” like me try? I mean, I do not like seafood at all and as I am visiting Japan next week, I wanted to make a list of all the places I can visit and all the food I can eat. My initial plan was to go there next month but as I have availed the best Dissertation services international students prefer too, so now I am going the following week. Do leave me a recommendation if any!

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are looking so attractive that I have started drooling. We are already up for planning a family trip, and we were looking for an adventurous place with an exotic variety of food dishes. And you have shared the right thing here, I will also look for some amazing places in Japan that we can visit for some adventure. But before that, I have to find help in accounting essay so that I can get rid of my academic burden. And that I can start full-fledged vacation planning.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Japan looks fun, but the only thing that is off-putting to me about Japan is its cuisine. I am not a fan of seafood at all. And whatever website that is offering tours to japan has pictures of all sorts of weird sea creatures on front page. I mean, can’t you find something else to promote Japan?

    ReplyDelete
  7. These look very attractive, and I have started to drool. We are planning a family trip and we are looking for an adventure full of exotic food. You shared the right things here, and I will also look for some magical places in Japan where we can go adventure. But before that, I must seek the essay help to get rid of my academic burden.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Through different fun, we feel pleasure and enjoy happiness. We should enjoy our lives and manage fun that is important for a happy life. I have also visited Japan with my friends and we make a fun there and enjoy a lot. Assignment writing services.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Right when you have a good weapons store of promotions, you'll need to change them up dependably and test different variations to see which are best with your customers. It may require some undertaking before you figure out the best formula, and you may likewise find that you need to interminably go movements to attract more thought.
    By: vonhaus voucher code

    ReplyDelete
  10. Queen Casino Login - play with €10 Free | Konicasino
    The free クイーンカジノ spins feature 카지노사이트 is triggered when 우리카지노 you play Queen casino slot machines, queen casino bonus, play with a deposit of €10.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I needed to thank you for this incredible read!! Russian Female in Delhi I most certainly partaking in every last piece of it I have you bookmarked to look at new stuff you post.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey guys! I know we all love to write some texts but usually don't know how If you don't know how to start but really personal statement writer service want to, you can use this beautiful service! Check this my paper writer and be happy to start! Good luck

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good morning world, please write paper for me cheap ! - We are not limited to providing you only good authors. We offer you a full range of academic and other high-level written help. With carefully selected experts, you can get support on all of the following issues and much more

    ReplyDelete
  14. wow! that's really good and informative about countertops.

    Indepedent Delhi Girls

    ReplyDelete

  15. Obviously, when you are working. I completed my assignment, so I made a note of the relevant info in my notebook. When I needed more relevant data, I visited the best essay writing service uk, where I found a wealth of data that I made a note of in my laptop. I want to encourage you to create your own laptop and make a note of the relevant info in this book.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The post is fantastic and I really appreciate your hard work.
    web: expert essay writers

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you for sharing this wonderful, informative blog!
    It was really a great post. Hope to read many such posts!
    Tooth Extraction Aftercare

    ReplyDelete
  18. As soon as we enter a restaurant, we are given the English menu. I believe that more densely inhabited locations are more welcoming to gaining. Less inhabited regions are more difficult to navigate the menu, but I believe they are a little cooler.What a fantastic post. This was far too much informatics for me. It's just what I was looking for.I would like to advise that you continue to share such information.Thanks.
    divorcio de alojamiento y pensión en nueva jersey

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a fantastic insight into navigating Japanese menus! Your advice on embracing adventure and attempting to communicate in English is so encouraging. New Jersey Domestic Violence Act I appreciate how you highlight the value of a Japanese companion, making the dining experience not just about food but also about cultural exchange. Your positive approach to overcoming language barriers is both practical and inspiring—thanks for sharing such helpful tips! Penalty Driving On Suspended License New Jersey

    ReplyDelete
  20. Exploring set meals in Japan sounds like a delightful culinary adventure! The variety and presentation of dishes, coupled with the challenge of deciphering Kanji menus, add a unique charm to the dining experience.
    New York Divorce Law Firm

    ReplyDelete