Tsukishima for Monjayaki 月島のもんじゃ焼き

My first trip to Tsukishima (月島) about 20 years ago was so exciting. I had no idea that this area existed and as my cousin and I walked down the street, I couldn't believe that there were so many restaurants all serving the same type of food, monjayaki　（もんじゃ焼き）. It was like discovering a foodie hot spot. That thrill returns each time I go back.

I went with my good friends Yuki-chan and Yoko-san recently and they too shared this enthusiasm. Deciding where to go is easy, look for somewhere that is full, but still has a table open, and somewhere that you get a warm welcome to. There are enough restaurants here serving the same food, if they aren't inviting, then keep moving on.

Monjayaki are often compared to okonomiyaki, yet they are very different. To best understand what it is you have to see the photos. We started with our favorite, a combination of mentaiko, mochi, and cheese (double please).

The teppan grill in the middle of the table is turned on by the staff and as it heats up we start drinking ice cold beer, a great match for monja. The trick to making a good monjayaki is to cook up the cabbage and using the soft cabbage to create a pool to pour in the liquid broth.

Shinji's Bento 進児の弁当

Over the rice I topped some grilled fish. In the bento from left to right: grilled benijake salmon, steamed broccoli, hijiki salad with carrots and potato starch noodles, fried slices of kabocha squash, bean sprouts and carrots marinated in soy, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil, and fried shumai dumplings.

Tsukudani Tenyasu and Tanakaya 佃煮 天安 田中屋

(The top two photos are of Tanakaya and the bottom three are of Tenyasu. Yuki Sensei and Yoko Sensei are in the bottom photo.)

The area Tsukuda is famous for the intensely flavored sweet, soy simmered seafood or sea vegetables called Tsukudani, ni comes from niru (to simmer), so the name comes from simmered goods from Tsukuda. Popular Tsukudani types include asari (clams), shirasu (tiny anchovies), ami (tiny shrimp), kombu, and ebi (shrimp). This is best enjoyed with a hot bowl of rice.

Tenyasu Honten 天安本店
Chuo-ku, Tsukuda 1-3-14
03-3531-3457
9:00 – 18:00, no holidays
www.tenyasu.jp/ (Japanese)

Started in 1837, this 4th generation shop is on the banks of the Sumidagawa River. The old two-story building is marked with a large blue kite-like banner with white calligraphy that stands one floor tall.

Tanakaya 田中屋
Chuo-ku, Tsukuda 1-3-13
03-3531-2649
Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 17:30, Sunday and holidays 10:00 – 17:00
no website

Next door to Tenyasu is Tanakaya, also with a rich history.

There are many types of Tsukudani (佃煮), these are some of the more common ones:

Ami – tiny opossum shrimp
Anago – conger eel
Asari – littleneck clams
Ebi - shrimp
Funa – Prussian carp
Hamaguri – Orient clam
Hoshi shiitake – dried shiitake
Hotate - scallops
Ikanago – sand lance
Inago – locust
Kaki – oysters
Koayu – baby sweetfish
Koi - carp
Kombu – kombu
Konago – sand eel
Kuri konago – walnuts and sand eel
Nori – laver
Shijimi – corbicula clam
Shirauo – Japanese icefish
Unagi – freshwater eel
Wakasagi – Japanese smelt

Cheap Eats in Tokyo - Korean Ishiyaki Bibimpa

Korean Ishiyaki Bibimpa
www.bibimpa.co.jp

The signature dish here is an ishiyaki (stone pot) filled with rice, topped with beef, spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, daikon, and zenmai (ferns), and then heated over high heat. An egg yolk is placed on the top at the last minute. With a spoon you mix it all together. Be sure to pick up the crusty bits of rice on the bottom of the stone pot. You can spice it up with some of the sauces on the counter. There is one shop just outside of Tokyo station, Marunouchi exit. Veer to the right when you leave the station and follow along the tracks. The shop is under the tracks on your right hand side.
Chiyoda-ku, Marunouchi 1-7-9
03-5222-7868

and other locations in the city

Tamai Anago in Nihonbashi 日本橋の玉ゐ あなご

Tamai 玉ゐ
Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi 2-9-9
03-3272-3227
Monday – Friday 11:00 – 14:00, 17:00 – 21:00
Weekend and holidays 11:30 – 15:00, 16:30 – 20:00
http://anago-tamai.com/ (Japanese)

Tamai, a small shop in the back streets behind Takashimaya, marked with a large blue and white kite-like banner, specializes in anago (salt water eels). The building itself has a lot of history and the interior reflects that with its simplicity. Fans of unagi, the freshwater eel, will also be keen on anago, it is tender and a bit more delicate and fatter as it lived in the cool waters of the ocean. It is served, like unagi, in a lacquer box over hot rice. Select from simmered (soft and tender) or grilled with a sweet sauce. Upgrade your order with a hone chazuke, a small bowl of rice topped with the fried bones of the anago topped with hot tea.

Tea Tasting Class at A Taste of Culture

Elizabeth Andoh holds many interesting classes at her school, A Taste of Culture. Here are some photos from the tea tasting. Andoh Sensei paired different teas with sweets and crackers. We also made "ochazuke" which is cooked rice with toppings with hot kombu and tea broth. In the large glass we are releasing the umami from the kombu and the flavors of the tea.


See the website for more information:
www.tasteofculture.com

Japanese Food Words in The Japan Times

The Japanese language is filled with rich words to describe the food. Atsu atsu for something that is very hot like a bowl of ramen, or saku saku for something crispy like tempura or tonkatsu.

Today's Japan Times has an article I wrote about these fun Japanese words, so integral for chefs, retailers, and food writers when describing food.

http://tinyurl.com/lawsnk

Andoh Sensei's Nuka Pot

Shinji and I have had great results with our nuka pickle pot. Recently we went to Elizabeth Andoh's school, A Taste of Culture, for a tea tasting. Part of our class included tasting nuka pickles. When Andoh Sensei opened up the her ceramic pot the aroma was noticeably different from ours. She had said that some of the nuka dated back to over 100 years ago. Like a sourdough, these reflect the environment and develop over time. She packed a bit of her nuka in a plastic bag for us and we took it home and added it to our pot. She also gave us some mikan peels (a mandarin-like citrus) and sansho berries (Japanese prickly ash) as well as some egg shells. We added that to our pot and the next day we could see a big change in our nuka.

In the top photo you can see in the lid of the nuka pot a cucumber and a Japanese turnip that Andoh Sensei has pulled out of the pot.

She also advised us that if our nuka becomes too loose (or filled with liquid), to put a small ochokko (small sake cup) in the middle of it and push it down to make a small valley and to let it rest and that it will fill up with the excess liquid and to disgard it.

Andoh Sensei holds different tastings, cooking classes and culinary tours through A Taste of Culture.

www.atasteofculture.com

Shinji's Bento 進児の弁当

Nukazuke Pickles ぬか漬け

The nuka pot has been producing many different types of nukazuke pickles. In this batch we have nasu (eggplant), kabu (turnip), and yamaimo (sticky mountain potato). With the eggplant to preserve the brilliant purple color you should rub the skin with myoban which keeps the color. We didn't do it this time and you can see the skin turned a bit brown.

As we start the summer, the pickle pot will get a workout.

Tofu Tasting

Tofu in Japan can be a revelation. Not the bland, odd-textured blocks found outside of Japan, but here you will find a wide array of products including creamy tofu with the rich flavor of soybeans, fried balls of tofu packed with veggies, creamy layers of yuba (soy-milk skin), and much more.

Tofu first appeared in Japan in the 12th century when it was forbidden to eat animal meat in Buddhist temples. Soy products are an integral part of shojin ryori, the vegetarian cuisine that originated in Kyoto and prohibits the inclusion of animal products. 90% of tofu is water, so it is no wonder that Kyoto, famous for its rich water sources, is famous for its tofu.

Traditionally it will be served on its own (hiyayakko) with some yakumi like myoga, grated ginger, katsuobushi and soy sauce. Yakumi translates as “medicinal flavors”, and some of these, like ginger, are said to be good for one’s health. A contemporary version of hiyayakko includes serving it with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.

We recently did a tofu tasting of two shops in our neighborhood. It was so interesting to see that the taste could be so different.

Tofu is also great for cooling down the body, so as we head into the hot and humid summer, we will be eating more tofu.

Yagenbori Shichimi in Asakusa 浅草のやげん堀

This great article in today's The Japan Times covers the history of Yagenbori in Asakusa, a shop that has been selling shichimi tougarashi (seven spice) for over 400 years.　

search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/ek20090618wh.html

Pekochan-yaki in Kagurazaka 神楽坂のペコちゃん

When I worked at Takashimaya in Nihonbashi (2003-2005), customers loved to hear things like "koko dake" (only here) or "ima dake" (only now). It was always easier to sell a bottle of sake that was "koko dake" or "ima dake".

Fujiya, a confectionary giant in Japan, with over 1000 shops, has the adorable Pekochan as their mascot. Pekochan is a pig-tailed little girl whose tongue is just sticking out of her mouth. The Kagurazaka shop for Fujiya, is the only place in the country making Pekochan-yaki, (koko dake) small cakes stuffed with a variety of sweets like azuki paste, chocolate, or custard filling. There are always a few monthly flavors (ima dake). This month, the flavors are mattcha an (Kyoto's Uji mattcha green tea paste) and mango cream.

Kagurazaka is a great neighborhood to walk and graze and Pekochan-yaki is one of the sweets not to be missed. These are hot cakes, grilled until crispy, and soft on the inside.

http://syoutengai-web.net/fujiya/

Fujiya 不二家
Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka 1-12
03-3269-1526

Ocha to Gohanya in Sendagi 千駄木のお茶とごはんや

This great ma and pa shop was introduced to me by Junko Nakahama on our tour of Yanesen. "Ocha to Gohanya" is near the shoutengai (shopping arcade) in Sendagi and is a great spot for lunch or dinner. Here is the tempura teishoku, which really was too much food, but delicious and comforting after our long walk through the area. The tempura included anago, sweet potatoes, eggplant, carrots, and more.

Ocha to Gohanya
Bunkyo-ku, Sendagi 3-42-8
03-5814-8131
11:30 - 14:00, 17:00 - 20:30
closed Sundays

If you are in Tokyo this week...

There are some great food events going on at some of the department stores around town.

Mitsukoshi in Nihonbashi is doing a Yamagata Fair on the 7th floor of their main building. Soba, Yonezawa gyu, and konnyaku are great.

Tobu in Ikebukuro is doing a Niigata Fair on the 10th floor. Nihonshu, rice, and seafood are highlights.

Takashimaya in Shinjuku has an interesting event featuring universities around the country involved in food research. Most curious is you can try Kinki maguro, the tuna that is raised from the egg. I believe there are only two fisheries doing this in the world, both in Japan. I didn't have time to try their donburi, but spoke with one of their reps. He said it is as good as wild caught tuna (what else is he going to say?).

www.mitsukoshi.co.jp/store/1010/yamagata/
www.tobu-dept.jp/ikebukuro/event/event.php?kaijyo_kbn=1&sj_no=3088

Umami Seminar 旨味セミナー

Umami is a word that all Japanese are familiar with. But non-Japanese seem to be fascinated with what is a very natural part of eating in Japan. To help demystify some of this were two revered chefs, Chef Tokuoka of Kitcho and Chef Murata of Kiknoi (both in Kyoto) at a press conference held at the Foreign Correspondent's Club of Japan in Tokyo.

Naturally, much of the discussion was based on kombu, a key ingredient for making dashi, and rich with natural umami.

The cold, mineral rich waters surrounding Hokkaido, provides 95% of the country’s konbu. There are over 40 types of konbu the five most popular types follows. The name often reflects where it is harvested. Similar to wine, konbu can be ranked and it can be wild or farmed.

Rishiri konbu 利尻昆布 near Rishiri island. This is an aromatic konbu, gives a clear broth that is popular with chefs in Kyoto. It is considered a top class kombu that is often used in kaiseki.

Rausu konbu 羅臼昆布 is a very thick kombu with a nebari (stickiness) to it and a very rich flavor. It has a slight sweetness to it, a deep flavor, and is a top class kombu. This is the kombu that is used to make other kombu products like tororo, oboro, and pickles called matsumaezuke.

Ma konbu 真昆布 is thick and is rich in umami, slightly sweet, with an elegant flavor. This is popular in the Osaka area. It is considered a top class konbu.

Hidaka konbu 日高昆布 is from the Hidaka region. This produces a clear colored dashi (not too muddy). Hidaka is famous for simmering quickly, and is therefore a popular variety for busy home cooks. It is reasonably priced and can be used for oden, Tsukudani, and other kombu dishes.

Naga konbu 長昆布 is a very long kombu (over 10 m), and its name is from nagai for long. Naga konbu is used dishes like oden and Tsukudani. This is not farmed, but only wild and is very affordable.

Tours of Yanesen with Junko

My friend, Junko Nakahama, does tours of the Yanesen area (Yanaka, Sendagi, and Nezu) on Saturday mornings. Our tour opened my eyes up to this great area filled with shops, temples, and the feel of old Tokyo. Below is the website to her tours. A great way to start a weekend. Junko speaks English and is very knowledgeable about the many food shops in the area.

sites.google.com/a/yanesen.org/omiyage/Home

Menchikatsu Suzuki すずきのメンチカツ

The Yanase area just north of Ueno station is filled with small shops and is a great area to walk around and graze on food. Suzuki is famous for their menchikatsu, which was featured on a popular food magazine, Dancyu. Menchkatsu are ground meat, mixed with onions, eggs, and breadcrumbs, almost like meatloaf. This is then coated with panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and deep-fried. The outside is crispy and the inside is juicy. Suzuki is along a shotengai, shopping arcade, filled with small vendors making great food.

Suzuki also makes croquettes,kara-age (Japanese boneless fried chicken), and more. In front of the shop are several photos of famous t.v. stars who have come to Suzuki to cover their menchikatsu on t.v. programs.

Suzuki
Arakawa-ku, Nishi-Nippori 3-15-5
03-3821-4526

www.yanakaginza.com/koten/suzuki/index.html (in Japanese)

Imahan in Ningyocho 人形町の今半

Imahan is a restaurant and retail shop specializing in wagyu. The restaurant's signature dish is sukiyaki. At the retail shop thin slices of marbled wagyu are cut for sukiyaki, shabu shabu, and for steaks. This shop is in Ningyocho. There is also a restaurant in Asakusa as well as an eat-in counter and retail shop in Takashimaya Nihonbashi.

Imahan
Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi Ningyocho 2-9-12
03-3666-7006
www.imahan.com

Kintame Pickle Shop in Ningyocho 人形町の近為

Japanese pickles are one of the many delights of the cuisine. Kintame is a Kyoto based pickle shop with a few outlets in Tokyo. This quaint shop in Ningyocho sells pickles to go.

Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi Ningyocho 2-5-2
03-3639-9439
www.kintame.co.jp

In Monzennakacho and in Daimaru at Tokyo Station they have restaurants. Ask for the "bubu chazuke" so you can have over a dozen types of pickles that includes a grilled fish, salmon or black cod marinated in sake kasu lees. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the whole city.

Tokyo's Top Soba Shops 東京の蕎麦屋

Soba, the thin buckwheat noodles, eaten both hot or cold are great all year long. Here are some of my favorite soba shops in Tokyo. This article is in the current issue of Metropolis magazine.

http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/recent/localflavors.asp

Hotaru Ika Firefly Squid 蛍いか

Hotaru ika are small bitesize firefly squid. If you catch them in the night time, they light up like fireflies. These small squid are often served in a sweet soy sauce and can be eaten raw, or if boiled, they can be served with a vinegar, sweet miso (sumiso).

Yaki Gyoza 焼き餃子

My cousin Mika made this great plate of yaki gyoza, pan fried gyoza dumplings. Gyoza a small dumplings filled with ground pork, nira (garlic chives), cabbage and seasonings. To get the "wings" or crispy bits, add some katakuriko (or cornstarch) mixed with water to the pan after they have grilled. Continue cooking until crispy.