Rakka got a whole pile of food drops in the mail (from Chotda). I took part in the great food drop taste test. I'll summarize, but you should follow that link for the in depth review.
Right. So, food drops are sugar candies that come in flavors of regional Japanese foods. We're talking beer, octopus balls, udon... you get the idea. We tried 8 kinds. How was it? The short answer is: most of these foods were not meant to be sweet; not, at, all.
Showing posts with label japanese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japanese. Show all posts
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Bento Kudasai
I haven't been to Japan, so I can't speak to the authenticity of Bento Kudasai. But authenticity doesn't matter when lunch is on the line; it's on value for money that we judge places on around here. 'Course, perceived authenticity is a factor in the formula, so maybe it does matter. Well, either way, Bento Kudasai has it. So lets get to it.
nigirizushi bento
The most important question is, is it good? Yes it is. They say they make pretty much everything themselves, including the kimchi (which, omg, kimchi! you know i'm going back again and again). It shows; the quality is really high. Though, to be honest, the vegetarian boxes have tasted better to me than the fishy ones. The vegetable boxes are full of subtle flavors and textures. I think the fish is pretty low on the sashimi quality scale though.
zOMG! Kimchi!
But then it would be, he segued, because the price is right. Lunch for under $10, come on down. Well, unless you're me and fail to resist the mini box full of kimchi. But I usually manage to get away for $11. A box and kimchi is a pretty ideal portion for me. I did a full box and udon once; man, was I stuffed.
case full of bentos
Other notes: CG seriously digs the gyōza; I think whenever he suggests Bento K, he's got the gyōza on his mind. It's pretty small, just a bench with about 4 stools. The lady that runs the front is really friendly.
In conclusion, get on down the street and get you some bento.
nigirizushi bento
The most important question is, is it good? Yes it is. They say they make pretty much everything themselves, including the kimchi (which, omg, kimchi! you know i'm going back again and again). It shows; the quality is really high. Though, to be honest, the vegetarian boxes have tasted better to me than the fishy ones. The vegetable boxes are full of subtle flavors and textures. I think the fish is pretty low on the sashimi quality scale though.
zOMG! Kimchi!
But then it would be, he segued, because the price is right. Lunch for under $10, come on down. Well, unless you're me and fail to resist the mini box full of kimchi. But I usually manage to get away for $11. A box and kimchi is a pretty ideal portion for me. I did a full box and udon once; man, was I stuffed.
case full of bentos
Other notes: CG seriously digs the gyōza; I think whenever he suggests Bento K, he's got the gyōza on his mind. It's pretty small, just a bench with about 4 stools. The lady that runs the front is really friendly.
In conclusion, get on down the street and get you some bento.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
salmon teriyaki [adventures in japanese cooking]
This is another from the Japanese cooking for honkies cookbook. As I've probably mentioned, teriyaki is to Seattle as cheesesteak is to Philly, so obviously I was anxious to get this right. I don't think I did.
bento style
American, and therefore Seattle, teriyaki is not really like the Japanese stuff. Overly sweet and seasoned, not subtle, etc. At least according to the the book. I don't know. I still haven't been to japan to see for sure. I really aught to fix that. Anyway, the recipe I went is supposed to be authentic.
it's easy, just mix the stuff, put the fish in, wait, cook
It was less sweet than Seattle teriyaki, in a good way. But the sauce didn't condense down into a syrup in the time it took to cook the fish. I was afraid to cook it any longer for fear of ruining the fish. Still, it was good and easy enough to try again. I'll let you know if I have any breakthroughs.
Oh, by the way, who knows how the salad dressing works at Seattle teriyaki places? I tried to make some up, and it was ok, but not quite right either.
bento style
American, and therefore Seattle, teriyaki is not really like the Japanese stuff. Overly sweet and seasoned, not subtle, etc. At least according to the the book. I don't know. I still haven't been to japan to see for sure. I really aught to fix that. Anyway, the recipe I went is supposed to be authentic.
it's easy, just mix the stuff, put the fish in, wait, cook
It was less sweet than Seattle teriyaki, in a good way. But the sauce didn't condense down into a syrup in the time it took to cook the fish. I was afraid to cook it any longer for fear of ruining the fish. Still, it was good and easy enough to try again. I'll let you know if I have any breakthroughs.
Oh, by the way, who knows how the salad dressing works at Seattle teriyaki places? I tried to make some up, and it was ok, but not quite right either.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
chikindon (gyudon but with chicken) [adventures in japanese cooking]
Remember last month I got that 'Japanese cooking for Americans' book and then made some stuff from it. Yeah. That was great.
chikindon
No, seriously, it was. Which is why I'm fiddn ta keep it going. There's a recipe for gyudon, which looked pretty freaking fantastic. But I'm not down with Gyū (beef)*, so I adapted it for toriniku (chikin (chicken)). This was a complex process with many steps, they were:
The end result was sweet, winey deliciousness. I had mine with extra yum, in the form of a raw egg on top.
when in doubt, crack an egg on top
The only question now is: what's next?
* I know a 'no mammals' policy is weird. It's an arbitrary place to draw a line. All lines are arbitrary. so thhhbpht.
chikindon
No, seriously, it was. Which is why I'm fiddn ta keep it going. There's a recipe for gyudon, which looked pretty freaking fantastic. But I'm not down with Gyū (beef)*, so I adapted it for toriniku (chikin (chicken)). This was a complex process with many steps, they were:
- Replace beef with chicken
The end result was sweet, winey deliciousness. I had mine with extra yum, in the form of a raw egg on top.
when in doubt, crack an egg on top
The only question now is: what's next?
* I know a 'no mammals' policy is weird. It's an arbitrary place to draw a line. All lines are arbitrary. so thhhbpht.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
adventures in Japanese cooking
A couple of weeks ago Rakka and I stopped in at Kinokuniya (the one in Uwajimaya) and, purely on impulse, we picked up "Let's Cook Japanese Food".
It's written by an American lady who married into a Japanese family, and then spent a bunch of time in Japan learning to cook from her mother in law. I'm not exactly in the target audience, since I have no ambition to be a housewife (Japanese or otherwise), but I'm close. After all, I am an American whose exposure to Japanese food is mostly limited to sushi restaurants. And yes, I am interested in simple home cooking that real people make on a regular basis.
Ok, so lets start with Ebi no Chiri So-su (shrimp in mild tomato chili sauce). This was surprisingly easy, and would have been more so if I had sprung for pre-shelled shrimp.
shelling shrimp
There were a ton of ingredients (yes, there's ketchup hiding in this picture), but putting them all together only took one bowl and one pan (and one dish to temporarily hold the cooked shrimp).
As you can see, it came out pretty good. It was slightly sweet, subtlety spicy and nicely shrimpy.
Ebi no CHiri So-su
The ketchup thing threw me for a minute. According to the book, a lot of everyday food in Japan is adaptations of other cultures' food. This is heartening. Now, when I head into the kitchen to bastardize some traditional japanese dish, I can feel like it's a trade instead of a theft.
So the shrimp was last week. Last night I tried my hand at Tsukune (grilled ground chicken skewers). This, even more than the grilled corn, justified the indoor electric grill that the book made me get.
Indoor grills rock
It came out a little more meatloafy than I expected, and a little more chary. All in all, pretty good though.
Tsukune
There are still 100+ recipes in the book, and there's a whole Kinokuniya full of more cookbooks. I think my adventures in Japanese cooking will continue. And, of course, they'll be obsessively documented right here.
It's written by an American lady who married into a Japanese family, and then spent a bunch of time in Japan learning to cook from her mother in law. I'm not exactly in the target audience, since I have no ambition to be a housewife (Japanese or otherwise), but I'm close. After all, I am an American whose exposure to Japanese food is mostly limited to sushi restaurants. And yes, I am interested in simple home cooking that real people make on a regular basis.Ok, so lets start with Ebi no Chiri So-su (shrimp in mild tomato chili sauce). This was surprisingly easy, and would have been more so if I had sprung for pre-shelled shrimp.
shelling shrimp
There were a ton of ingredients (yes, there's ketchup hiding in this picture), but putting them all together only took one bowl and one pan (and one dish to temporarily hold the cooked shrimp).
As you can see, it came out pretty good. It was slightly sweet, subtlety spicy and nicely shrimpy.
Ebi no CHiri So-su
The ketchup thing threw me for a minute. According to the book, a lot of everyday food in Japan is adaptations of other cultures' food. This is heartening. Now, when I head into the kitchen to bastardize some traditional japanese dish, I can feel like it's a trade instead of a theft.
So the shrimp was last week. Last night I tried my hand at Tsukune (grilled ground chicken skewers). This, even more than the grilled corn, justified the indoor electric grill that the book made me get.
Indoor grills rock
It came out a little more meatloafy than I expected, and a little more chary. All in all, pretty good though.
Tsukune
There are still 100+ recipes in the book, and there's a whole Kinokuniya full of more cookbooks. I think my adventures in Japanese cooking will continue. And, of course, they'll be obsessively documented right here.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
unicorn crêpes
What do I need to say about Unicorn Crêpes? It's French food writ Japanese street style. The shop is full of plastic examples of the delights contained within, and two tables. It's fantastic.
Crêpe!!!
Of course, I go savory whenever possible. The spicy tuna, egg, lettuce and mayo contrasted nicely with the lightly sweet crêpe.
Savory
Rakka, who is of course my exact opposite, goes for sweet at every opportunity. So UC is her type of place. Blueberry chocolate received her seal of approval.
a bit sweet?
I mentioned the plastic crêpes right? It's one of my favorite things.
it looks so real!
I like it so much, I took a lot of pics.
It's not too far to get to for lunch. I think I'll do that... every day!
Crêpe!!!
Of course, I go savory whenever possible. The spicy tuna, egg, lettuce and mayo contrasted nicely with the lightly sweet crêpe.
Savory
Rakka, who is of course my exact opposite, goes for sweet at every opportunity. So UC is her type of place. Blueberry chocolate received her seal of approval.
a bit sweet?
I mentioned the plastic crêpes right? It's one of my favorite things.
it looks so real!
I like it so much, I took a lot of pics.
It's not too far to get to for lunch. I think I'll do that... every day!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Japanese Curry: a tasty kick to the head
I only promised this post recently, but some of these pictures are a year old. I'd like you to know that this much planning and forethought goes in to every post on this blog. I frequently consult psychics so that I can start reviewing restaurants long before they even open.
Anyway, to the task at hand: Japanese Curry Sauce Mix. Probably not something you've spent a lot of time with. I suspect that this is true even if you're Japanese, but I could be wrong. If you haven't had it, Japanese curry is thick, sweetish, dark brown, and very unlike any other curries you've tried.
My interested started when Uwajimaya put huge stack of it right in the middle of everything with a sign saying 'nearly free' or some such. How could any self respecting curry fancier resist?
three (0f four) contenders
So I picked some up. It was from S&B. I made it with tofu and peas. It was ok tasty, pretty bland, actually. But it... I was going to say 'hurt', but that's not right. It made my head feel reeeaaaaly weird, like the back of my brain was getting squished by a brick. It was a curry version of a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. An... interesting experience, but not one I wanted to try again in a hurry.
yum?
Later I tried some Golden Curry. I realized later it's also from S&B. Right about the time I started to notice that brick pushing down on my brain stem again.
I liked the experience of eating the curry though. It was the after effects that I wanted to avoid. Maybe switching brands would work? It did, after a fashion.
The next version I tried was Vermont Curry from House Foods. It had a better flavor (can you believe that this whole thing started as a taste test?), and, joy of joys, no brain bricking at all!
looked better in person (bad photo by me)
The next day, as I sat perfectly still and yet poured sweat like a faucet ("I guess it's humid" I thought. Little did I know that I was foreshadowing), I decided that House was the shiznit and S&B was the shizite. So then it was time to try some of House's Java curry.
Java Curry block
They refer to it as 'Sauce mix' but it's not much of a mix. It's more a solid block of what Santos tells me is transfats, and I have no inclination to disbelieve her. Let's just take another look:
looks like milk chocolate, but it's very not
That's not a mix, or even a paste. It's a solid mass. It does dissolve almost instantly in boiling water. And then proceeds to transform into a thick stew.
a bit visceral, but you need to see it
Which is actually pretty tasty. And again, no brain bricking, which is nice. But the next day was another one of those hot, humid days that left me pouring with sweat. Strangely, the weather wasn't affecting anyone else in this way. I had leftover curry for dinner that night, and another sweaty day to follow. The day after was fine, though.
looking good
It finally dawned on me: No brain bricks, but House brand curries impede a body's ability to regulate temperature. Turns the thermostat right up. The effect lasts for about 18 hours, apparently.
So, there you have it. Japanese curry sauce mixes are both tasty and more or less immediately uncomfortable. Use at your own risk (I have a few packets if you want to try them. Tell me how it goes.)
Anyway, to the task at hand: Japanese Curry Sauce Mix. Probably not something you've spent a lot of time with. I suspect that this is true even if you're Japanese, but I could be wrong. If you haven't had it, Japanese curry is thick, sweetish, dark brown, and very unlike any other curries you've tried.
My interested started when Uwajimaya put huge stack of it right in the middle of everything with a sign saying 'nearly free' or some such. How could any self respecting curry fancier resist?
three (0f four) contenders
So I picked some up. It was from S&B. I made it with tofu and peas. It was ok tasty, pretty bland, actually. But it... I was going to say 'hurt', but that's not right. It made my head feel reeeaaaaly weird, like the back of my brain was getting squished by a brick. It was a curry version of a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. An... interesting experience, but not one I wanted to try again in a hurry.
yum?
Later I tried some Golden Curry. I realized later it's also from S&B. Right about the time I started to notice that brick pushing down on my brain stem again.
I liked the experience of eating the curry though. It was the after effects that I wanted to avoid. Maybe switching brands would work? It did, after a fashion.
The next version I tried was Vermont Curry from House Foods. It had a better flavor (can you believe that this whole thing started as a taste test?), and, joy of joys, no brain bricking at all!
looked better in person (bad photo by me)
The next day, as I sat perfectly still and yet poured sweat like a faucet ("I guess it's humid" I thought. Little did I know that I was foreshadowing), I decided that House was the shiznit and S&B was the shizite. So then it was time to try some of House's Java curry.
Java Curry block
They refer to it as 'Sauce mix' but it's not much of a mix. It's more a solid block of what Santos tells me is transfats, and I have no inclination to disbelieve her. Let's just take another look:
looks like milk chocolate, but it's very not
That's not a mix, or even a paste. It's a solid mass. It does dissolve almost instantly in boiling water. And then proceeds to transform into a thick stew.
a bit visceral, but you need to see it
Which is actually pretty tasty. And again, no brain bricking, which is nice. But the next day was another one of those hot, humid days that left me pouring with sweat. Strangely, the weather wasn't affecting anyone else in this way. I had leftover curry for dinner that night, and another sweaty day to follow. The day after was fine, though.
looking good
It finally dawned on me: No brain bricks, but House brand curries impede a body's ability to regulate temperature. Turns the thermostat right up. The effect lasts for about 18 hours, apparently.
So, there you have it. Japanese curry sauce mixes are both tasty and more or less immediately uncomfortable. Use at your own risk (I have a few packets if you want to try them. Tell me how it goes.)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
spendy spendy (Collins Pub and Shiki)
If all you have is a ten spot, you won't like this post very much. Collins Pub and Shiki are both quite nice, but neither are really ce places. Collins is closer, in the low $$. But Shiki is all the way up in the $$$. They're the only places I've been this week, though, so they'll have to do. Since neither really count, I'm rolling them up in to one post.
I promise I'll get you some cheap eats next week, or maybe I'll tell you about my obsession with japanese curry paste. What do you say?
My trip to Collins was impromptu; I didn't have my camera, so no pictures. My eloquence will have to suffice. I get sammich. It fish. It good!
*cough* Sorry, I mean, I had the ahi tuna sandwich with mustard aioli. The tuna was seared on the outside, and was still beautifully pink in the middle. I was a nice thick cut of fish. I was pleased. The fries were tasty. It was $13, list.
Now lets switch over to some really good sushi. At Shiki in LQA. There's not much bad I can say about Shiki. Some days the need for quality can trump the need for quantity, even for my cheap ass. For days like that, there's Shiki.
If I have any complaints, it's that the cream cheese in the washington roll sort of overpowered the fish. And the same can be said for the fried crab in the spider roll. Of course, I sort of blame myself for ordering american sushi. What a rube.
blurry sushi
Anyway, the place is right around the corner from me. The hard part now is going to be to prevent myself from blowing my quarterly bonus on fugu and sapporo.
I promise I'll get you some cheap eats next week, or maybe I'll tell you about my obsession with japanese curry paste. What do you say?
My trip to Collins was impromptu; I didn't have my camera, so no pictures. My eloquence will have to suffice. I get sammich. It fish. It good!
*cough* Sorry, I mean, I had the ahi tuna sandwich with mustard aioli. The tuna was seared on the outside, and was still beautifully pink in the middle. I was a nice thick cut of fish. I was pleased. The fries were tasty. It was $13, list.
[where: 526 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104]
Now lets switch over to some really good sushi. At Shiki in LQA. There's not much bad I can say about Shiki. Some days the need for quality can trump the need for quantity, even for my cheap ass. For days like that, there's Shiki.
If I have any complaints, it's that the cream cheese in the washington roll sort of overpowered the fish. And the same can be said for the fried crab in the spider roll. Of course, I sort of blame myself for ordering american sushi. What a rube.
blurry sushi
Anyway, the place is right around the corner from me. The hard part now is going to be to prevent myself from blowing my quarterly bonus on fugu and sapporo.
[where: 4 W Roy St, Seattle, WA 98119]
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Asia Ginger Teriyaki
Everybody loves Yakisoba, right? I hope so, because that's all I got for you today. Not that Asia Ginger's menu is limited in this way. It's just the only thing anybody happened to get last time. Doctor D, who turned me on to the place, goes there for the Udon, btw.
So, here's some GC's chicken version.
And, I got the shrimp.
Undo pictures were not taken. Oops. Too busy chomping on the ridiculous amount of carbs, maybe. I'm no expert, but it's not a dish I expected to be served over rice. Damn filling, though. I can say that much.
Pretty good flavor too. And cheap, oh so cheap. The place itself is nice on the inside. Yeah, I'll be back.
So, here's some GC's chicken version.
And, I got the shrimp.
Undo pictures were not taken. Oops. Too busy chomping on the ridiculous amount of carbs, maybe. I'm no expert, but it's not a dish I expected to be served over rice. Damn filling, though. I can say that much.
Pretty good flavor too. And cheap, oh so cheap. The place itself is nice on the inside. Yeah, I'll be back.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
rice-n-roll
We've talked before about my second favorite parking garage restaurant. Rice-n-roll is the #1 favorite. Best place! Parking garage food doesn't get much better.
Salmon teriyaki bento lunch. a bunch of stuff for ~$8
It's got my two favorite things: cheap and tasty. And healthy. Which is three things, but who's counting? You can order individual rolls and stuff, but I usually go for the bento. You get to choose one of three or four main dishes and one of three or four sushi rolls. They all come with edamame and miso soup.
The salmon is an extra buck. You can get a bento for about seven dollars. I will not complain. See, this is me being happy about that.
Spicy Tuna roll. it's not top notch, but I think tasty
Full disclosure time. Not everybody likes it. There's at least one person in the office who claims to have had a bad experience. Resulting stomach trouble was implied. I, myself, have had no problems.
I have to admit, it's questionable if RnR should be considered parking garage food or not. The building that houses it is an office building, not a dedicated parking structure. But if you look closely, the only entrance is in the parking garage. I think it counts.
That entrance was designed for cars, not people
[where: 214 Madison St, Seattle, WA 98104]
Salmon teriyaki bento lunch. a bunch of stuff for ~$8
It's got my two favorite things: cheap and tasty. And healthy. Which is three things, but who's counting? You can order individual rolls and stuff, but I usually go for the bento. You get to choose one of three or four main dishes and one of three or four sushi rolls. They all come with edamame and miso soup.
The salmon is an extra buck. You can get a bento for about seven dollars. I will not complain. See, this is me being happy about that.
Spicy Tuna roll. it's not top notch, but I think tasty
Full disclosure time. Not everybody likes it. There's at least one person in the office who claims to have had a bad experience. Resulting stomach trouble was implied. I, myself, have had no problems.
I have to admit, it's questionable if RnR should be considered parking garage food or not. The building that houses it is an office building, not a dedicated parking structure. But if you look closely, the only entrance is in the parking garage. I think it counts.
That entrance was designed for cars, not people
[where: 214 Madison St, Seattle, WA 98104]
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Red Bowls
My new favorite lunch spot. I almost wish my job didn't feed us so often, because then I could have more Red Bowls. The place is fantastic.
It's Japanese/Korean fusion, or something. I don't know. I do know that it's a great place to get a unfried fish dish for lunch when you're in downtown/pioneer square. It's also a great place to get an uncooked fish dish. One of my favorite things is the Spicy (raw) Salmon Bowl. Don't worry, they have cooked fish, foul and mammals as well.
I'm also a huge fan of udon, which they have in abundance. And it's good.
The place is tiny, but the proprietors are really friendly and helpful. Service is fast. I can't wait until I'm free for lunch again.
It's Japanese/Korean fusion, or something. I don't know. I do know that it's a great place to get a unfried fish dish for lunch when you're in downtown/pioneer square. It's also a great place to get an uncooked fish dish. One of my favorite things is the Spicy (raw) Salmon Bowl. Don't worry, they have cooked fish, foul and mammals as well.
Spicy Salmon Bowl raw salmon in spicy sauce and assorted veg over rice.
Udon Perfect for a cold winter day.
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