Umami Bomb

Tsukemen hasn’t quite taken off in the West in quite the same fashion as conventional ramen; but if tsukemen was done in the same way as at Tsukemen Tetsu, I’d put some money on it gaining siginificant popularity.

Looking at the picture will immediately tell those of you familiar to making sauces and stocks that this tsukemen broth possesses intense flavour. Made from pork bones and bonito, the flavour is different to your average tonkotsu ramen broth: the fish adds another umami dimension, not to mention that it’s highly concentrated in comparison with conventional broths. Basically it’s an umami overload: sheer deliciousness: perhaps too intense to drink on its own: hence the need for noodles.

Tetsu’s tsukemen noodles are in my mind a hybrid of an udon and a conventional ramen noodle: chewy and slippery like normal udon but thinner and with enough texture to allow the broth the cling on.

How to eat tsukemen: Dip these noodles in the broth, and slurp away, and eventually, you will reach umami nirvana. Add to that meltingly tender cha-shu pork belly pieces and an expertly cooked “onsen” egg, and that, as you can imagine, is an irresistible preposition.

I went to the branch next to Shinagawa JR train station: probably a good bet if you need to fill up before a long Shinkansen train ride.

Tsukemen TETSU (Shinagawa branch)

Shinatatsu Ramen Mentatsu Shichininshu

3-26—20 Takanawa Minato-ku Tokyo

Opening hours: 11am – 11pm (Ramen plaza opening hours)

Price: Around 900 – 1000 yen

http://houseofhaos.com/2014/02/04/tsukemen-tetsu-shinatatsu-ramen-plaza-tokyo/

Hunter Gatherer Cuisine

Deer sashimi? Wild boar yakitori? Probably not the first thing that comes to mind when looking for food in Kyoto. But a visit to a hunter’s izakaya by the name of Okariba might make you change your mind. Outside the restaurant you are greeted by a humourous sign which sets the tone for the rest of the evening:

The interior is most definitely something straight out of the forest: it looks like a wooden hut, with dim, incandescent lighting to give you that in-the-middle of nowhere feel. 

Needless to say, the food here is an honest, hearty affair: strong flavours, almost unapologetic in its robustness. I’d strongly recommend you try the wild boar yakitori skewers – moist meat, with just the right amount of charred-ness, topped with a salty-sweet sauce.

The deer sashimi – melt in your mouth, fatty deer whose fat is slightly nutty and sweet – it tastes like a gamey cross between beef carpaccio and iberico ham. When dipped in the sweet soy and ginger dip – it is a mouthwatering preposition.

To counter-act all the meatiness, a hoba-yaki is highly recommended. Basiscally, vegetables and mushrooms, mixed with a sweet miso sauce, gently grilled atop a hoba leaf. The result is a smokey-sweet moreishly additctive vegetable medley. Just try it for yourself.

Tasty but not as spectacular was the grilled salmon-trout but a good fish option nethertheless. Actually, both the fish and hoba-yaki get an added taste dimension when mixed with each other.

Prices are very reasonable, especially considering how unique this place is and the quality of the food: when all this is washed down with some beer, your bill will only come up to around 2000 - 2500 yen per person.

Obarika

43-3 Okazaki Higashitenno-cho, Sakyo-ku, Residence Okazaki 1F, Kyoto

+81757517790

Opening hours: Tues – Sun 17:00 – 22:00. Closed Mondays

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/kby6200/lang/en/

Affordably awesome sushi

Not many words for this recommendation. Come here. Queue for a bit (remember to get a queueing ticket). Get the chef’s special set (the one with loads of different kinds of sushi, chawanmushi, crab salad), a steal at just under 3000 yen. Eat all and be happy.

Best items: O-toro (fatty tuna belly) sushi, hotate (scallop) sushi – highly recommend to ask them to ‘aburi’ (flame sear) it, large prawn sushi, anago (conger eel) sushi, crab roe salad. Also order a portion of mackerel sashimi, which is also sublime.

Umegaoka Sushi no Midori Sohonten

7 – 108 Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo, 104-0061

+81355681212

http://www.sushinomidori.co.jp/ginza.html 

Miso + katsu = Miso katsu

When I see a restaurant whose logo looks like the following, I have no choice but to peer inside and have a look.

And when I realised they were serving miso katsu, a special type of katsu from Nagoya, I was only left with one choice: eat here.

The food is simple: juicy, deep fried breaded cutlets of various parts of a pig, doused in a what could be one of the most umami-intense sauces I have ever had: red miso sauce. And it’s not just made of red miso, there’s a pretty notable amount of pork bone based broth in there, just to up the umami factor. Served with some simple steamed rice and cabbage, and some miso soup or tonjiru on the side, and it’s an addictively moreish meal.

It’s pretty hard to go wrong here no matter which part of the pig you choose (my personal favourite was the hire (fillet) tonkatsu - see below); prices are good too. They also have a souvenir shop at this (Ginza) branch, definitely worth perusing if you like interesting depictions of pigs on mugs or T-shirts.

Yabaton (Ginza branch)

2-11-2 Ginza, Ginza Daisaku Building, Chuo, Tokyo 104 0061

Opening hours: Tues – Sun 11am – 10pm (closed Mondays)

http://www.english.yabaton.com/

Price: Around 1500 JPY per person

Sinful Steak

Again, I’m not gonna write much here. Come to Asakusa Tsutsui for what I guess is Western-Japanese fusion: expertly marinated and cooked sirloin wagyu steak on rice.

I got the steak don set: mouth-wateringly tender wagyu atop rice smothered in a slightly salty soy-based sauce: made even more delectable with a touch of butter. Whilst the portion size is extremely generous, the unctuous taste of that beef will leave even those with the smallest of appetites wanting more.

Akasaka Tsutsui

Izumi-Akasaka Building, 2-22-24 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Open Weekdays 11.30am – 3pm, 5- 10pm; Weekends 12- 3pm, 4.30-10pm, closed on punlic holidays that fall on Monday

Price: 2000 – 3000 JPY per person

http://www.akasakatsutsui.com/

Omnipotent Pork Chop

Grilled lemongrass pork chop with broken rice might be omnipresent throughout HCMC, but only one is omnipotent. Using superior quality pork on the bone, cut more thickly, marinaded expertly and charcoal grilled to perfection, it is easy to see why 167 Nguyen Van Cu is known as one of the best spots (if not the best) to get this delightful plate of porky goodness. 

Just look at this picture - doesn't it just induce hunger?

Everything is done perfectly here. The smokey, lemongrassy exterior of the pork with charred crisp bits which are unbelievably moreish; the addictive sweet and spicy hit of the fish sauce, the moist yet al-dente rice, and, I did not mention the pork terrine. No doubt French influenced, this pork terrine is moist, juicy, and put simply, a must have.

Go here early - it could easily sell out by noon.

Address: Com Tam Nguyen Van Cu, 167 Nguyen Van Cu, P.2, Quan 5, HCMC

Get here before noon!!!

Price: 130,000 VND (including terrine. Bit expensive but more than worth it)

Phone: (08) 3923 7350

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g293925-d1070980-Reviews-Com_Tam_Nguyen_Van_Cu-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html 

Addictive crabby noodle breakfast

Hu tieu my tho (featured in this post is the 'dac biet' version, or special with crab). It's a bit hard to explain this dish, so let me just list all the elements first. Slightly chewy and highly slurpable rice noodles, char siew and minced pork, crab claw meat (sweet and tender), chopped spring onions, brought together by this rich reduction of crab and pork goodness, enhanced with the sharp sweetness of tomato.

Don't forget to squeeze on some lime and chuck in some beansprouts for some extra crunch, and if you like, a touch of vinegar will lift the dish slightly. It all comes accompanied by this soup broth of which I'd only recommend to use of bit to reduce this viscosity of the crab sauce.

It's meaty, sweet, sour, chewy, fresh, slightly spicy, definitely ticks all the right boxes. I must admit I did try to drink the potent crab sauce on its own - as you can see from the above it was a massive flavour bomb, perhaps even too powerful for my taste. Best to mix it with the noodles and crab/pork.

Address: Thanh Xuan - Hu Tieu My Tho, 62 Ton That Thiep, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC
Another breakfast place - get here as early as possible otherwise it'll all be eaten up by people like me
Price: 80,000 - 100,000 VND
Phone: (08) 3821 3193

http://www.foody.vn/ho-chi-minh/thanh-xuan-hu-tieu-my-tho

Probably the best dollar you could ever spend

Food in Vietnam is getting more expensive these days, so it's great to see quality food staying at ridiculously low prices. For me, the pick of the bunch is Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai, where, for less than 1 USD (actually it's 75 cents), you can get charcoal grilled lemongrass pork patties stuffed into an airy-on-the-inside crisp-on-the-outside baguette, brought together by a sweet, tangy and devillishly spicy sauce.

What's even more awesome about this place is that it's easy to find. Tell the cab driver the address below, and look out for the alley pictured below and this little stand with a small charcoal barbeque next to it - this is where this legendary sandwich is made.

My only regret was that I only got one banh mi. Apologies for the pic quality, I took them whilst in the back of a cab.

Address: Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai, 37 Nguyen Trai, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, HCMC

Opens at 5pm. Get there asap to avoid disappointment!

3 words you need to learn: Somsak Pu Ob

Glass noodles and prawns. Doesn’t sound exciting. And at 250 baht a bowl, it’s kinda expensive for Bangkok street food. But believe me, you just have to come and eat here.

One downside is the slightly long wait – around 40 minutes (at least when I went). So, if you’re wondering why it takes so long, check out the streetside kitchen and you’ll see why. One chef, four burners. Every move by this man is so precise and deliberate – and it shows in the food.

Result: Huge, ridiculously fresh prawns oozing with sea-sweetness, cooked to perfection. Glass noodles cooked al-dente complemented by the richness of pork fat, the heat of baby garlic, the tingle of Szechuan peppercorns and the freshness of spring onions. 

My tip: let the sizzling pan in which you’re served this seafood delight cool, so that you can really enjoy the flavours. Then mix up and dig in.

You can also get the crab version: I will be back for this.

Address: Thanon Charoen Rat Soi 1, Khlong San, Bangkok

Opening hours: Mon – Sat 5pm – 10pm, Sun 4pm – 10pm (be warned: they sell out early!)

Price: 250 Baht – 400 Baht per person

This place isn’t too hard to find. Go to Wongwian Yai BTS station, and exit towards Saraphi 3. Walk straight up Saraphi 3 for 5 minutes and you’ll hit Charoen Rat Soi 1.

http://www.eatingthaifood.com/2013/07/thai-seafood-somsak-pu-ob-bangkok/

Glorious Pork Ribs

Amongst the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, a little roadside stall by the name of Khao Gaeng Jake Puey sets up around 4pm. Loyal customers and those keen to discover something new grab a small red plastic stool and wait patiently in anticipation of sheer deliciousness.

Whilst this place might be known for its curries, in my opinion, the curries are not what you come here for. You come here for their sweet, tangy and spicy pork ribs. Juicy and moreish, pile these up on your plate, then get stuck in. You will probably order seconds.

Also worthy of space on your little pink plastic plate is the stir fried crab meat with chilli, peas and black fungus (pictured to the right of the ribs). Addictive stuff.

Address: Chinatown, at the corner of Charoen Krung and Mangkon

Opening hours: 4pm – 9pm daily except Mondays. Better to go early in case the sell out

Price: 60 baht per plate

http://www.eatingthaifood.com/2013/10/thai-curry-kaeng-kari/

Duck to challenge to crown of Four Seasons

Many people around the world know about London’s infamous Four Seasons and its Cantonese roast duck. Even Bangkok has a branch. But let me tell you about a 150 year old shop in Bangrak whose duck, in my opinion, is a more than worthy contender for the supreme roast duck crown.

Prachak Pet Yang is where you’ll find this top quality duck – and whilst it is quintessentially Cantonese, there is a distinctly Thai twist to their roasted delights. Stuffed with ginger, coriander and a touch of kaffir lime, the sauce is more fragrant than the Cantonese version, and less salty. The duck is juicy, but don’t expect European sized ducks found in London’s Four Seasons, the duck is slightly on the small side.

But at 120 Baht for a boneless portion of half duck, this is a steal, and a must for any meat lover. Do bear in mind that the duck may sell out by 5 -6pm!

Address: 1415 Thanon Charoen Krung, Silom, Bangrak

Opening hours: 7am – 10:30pm daily (Closed during Chinese New Year and Songkran)

Price: About 100 THB per person

A meal that will leave you speechless

Many people have seen the documentary ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’. And doubtless that many of these people will have been inspired to eat at the restaurant of the oldest man to hold three Michelin stars. I was tempted but my friend recommended that I try somewhere else: Sushi Imamura. As you can tell from the title, it was one truly inspired recommendation.

Traditional sushi meals are in my view the highest level of theatre. Firstly, a sense of anticipation and suspense is created in the room as you keenly gaze upon the box to see what fish or sea dweller the sushi master will bring out next. You then watch and admire his skill in preparing the sushi with immense precision, before getting a tad excited as he places it in front of you. You then proceed to eat each piece of fish/seafood and rice in a graceful or otherwise manner. Finally, you enjoy a speechless moment, often asking your co-diners not to speak to you in order for you to reach a meditative state of food nirvana.

Such speechless moments during this meal included (in order, from top to bottom):

-          Shirako: If you don’t know what its is, I won’t tell you what this is in case it puts you off eating it. But it tastes like a cloud. Just eat it

-          Seared saba: smokey, meaty perfection

-          Squid: Unbelievably fresh, silky and sweet

-          Chu-toro: They didn’t have o-toro, probably because the quality wasn’t up to scratch. But the chu-toro was so damn good.

-          Large shrimp: Supremely sweet, unbelievably fresh

-          Uni: Creamy, velvety, sweet… some of the best uni I’ve had

-          Anago: Cooked, in a slightly sweet soy-based reduction. Melt in your mouth

-          Black sesame ice cream: a universal crowd pleaser but this is the best I’ve ever had

The price per head, including a small amount of sake, was approximately 14000 yen, which, for such quality, is a steal in my view. Needless to say, reservations required.

http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1316/A131602/13096905/

Address: 5-8-13 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo

+81 (3) 5789-3637

Open Tuesday – Sunday. Closed Mondays. Call ahead to reserve