Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Something interesting you might notice in Osaka... (Video)
If the embed isn't working, click the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waKjUC-wCfc
It's just like Lewis Black was talking about with starbucks, except it's REAL.
Monday, March 8, 2010
When I say Kobe, you say...?
Yakuza? Possibly, I guess that's true...
Coast? Well yeah but...
Kansai region? Oh c'mon now you're just being blatant.
BEEF?
COW?!?!?!
YES! Thank you.
I'll stop being schizophrenic here.
In the three days I was in Kobe, I had Kobe beef not once, not twice, by THREE times.
Yes, every day. I am a glutton, I realize this. Thanks to the Japanese government for the scholarship! Your money is being spent well!
Before beginning my analysis as well as description, I should recommend people not do this. Please, don't eat that much Kobe beef. It's expensive. It's bad for you. And it's madly delicious.
I'm sure we all know the idea of Kobe beef: Japanese farmers managed to breed a species of cattle with high levels of intramuscular fat. Steak, normally, is rated as you all know, and part of this rating is based on this "marbling" of fat, and the highest ranking has the deepest, best little threads and veins of fat seeping through it. These fat pathways melt under high temperature, and that's what makes steak juicy and tender and rich.
Japanese farmers essentially created a new breed of cattle which is known as "wagyu" (literally Japanese Cow, or 和牛) to build on this idea of richness and fattiness in steak being delightful. This is the largest misconception about Kobe beef, as Kobe beef is a specific TYPE of Wagyu, not an actual breed of cattle itself.
In fact the name "Kobe" beef really only comes from farming techniques associated with the Wagyu cattle raised in Kobe, Japan. Most of you know the farming techniques includes daily massages with sake and feeding the cows beer to increase the appetite and relax them.
Clearly this technique has an effect on fat content, as according to some people the ratio reaches 20%meat/80%fat (to give you an example of comparison, a McDonalds hamburger is something like 70/30) Yes, four times more fat than meat in a steak. And a reverse in comparison to most beef.
This is insane nuts. This is crazy.
Does that even sound appetizing? It should!
How many of you have had foie gras? It's like that, but... steak.
Anyways.
The ability then, to produce large quantities of this steak is of course, extremely limited. Combined with large demand for delicious top quality cow, and you have prices for something like 50 dollars a 150 gram steak (that's about a 5 ouncer), or 300 dollars to the pound.
To be truthful, there is all sorts of Wagyu beef in Japan, and in many ways it seems redundant to go all the way out to Kobe to just try steak. Let alone more than once. Especially considering the whole issue with "hyper branding" in Japan. (which I covered in a previous blog here). In fact, it's very possible that Wagyu vs Kobe have almost little to no serious distinction.
But all I know is that Kobe beef is mighty delicious. And it requires proper technique to produce good results.
Let's examine the ways I enjoyed such steak. (photobomb alert)
Day one, I went to a recommended restaurant called "SteakLand Kobe"
This also comes with salad, soup, rice, Japanese pickles (tsukemono), and smoked salmon of all things
Then the big boy. The steak.
You'll notice that the steak is... really really pink. More on that later.
They had trimmed off a piece of the fat cap surrounding this steak, which they then fried up and melted down.
This is then used to cook some beansprouts and cabbage that comes with your meal.
In my opinion.
But still, you have the option to eat it as you like, and it was cooked perfectly medium rare, the fat melted and smooth. When you chew this stuff, it turns to liquid, because so little of the beef is actually protein at all. Again... very foie gras like.
SO UMMMM THAT STEAK WAS GOOD.
Came with a yuzu sorbet and coffee at the end. The acidity is a good roundout for the richness of the meat.
Overall, very satisfying.
Day two, I cannot say the same.
I hadn't originally planned on eating steak that day (or ever for that matter), but Kobe has a cute little Chinatown area that I decided to have dinner in. They have all sorts of stalls selling Gyoza, ramen, chinese dishes, etc. One of the stalls was serving kobe beef samplings for just 500 yen. I couldn't pass up the deal.
Folks, I am usually for cheap eats, but in this case, I think you frequently get what you pay for. This was not cooked well, slathered with a overbearing sauce, low end stuff. It didn't even come close to day one.
DAY THREE though, man... back on track!
After realizing I had eaten Kobe beef twice in a row, I decided to round out the trip with a 3rd attempt. Three times a charm after all. Except this time, I went to a very acclaimed restaurant named A-1 steak. Openning in Kobe quite some time ago, the restaurant is now a chain within the Kobe area serving up the goods.
This place cooks your steak, to order of course, in a different fashion, something like a combination of grilling and flambe-ing.
For 60 bucks you get soup, wine, rice, those Japanese pickles, miso soup, and STEAK.
Coast? Well yeah but...
Kansai region? Oh c'mon now you're just being blatant.
BEEF?
COW?!?!?!
YES! Thank you.
I'll stop being schizophrenic here.
In the three days I was in Kobe, I had Kobe beef not once, not twice, by THREE times.
Yes, every day. I am a glutton, I realize this. Thanks to the Japanese government for the scholarship! Your money is being spent well!
Before beginning my analysis as well as description, I should recommend people not do this. Please, don't eat that much Kobe beef. It's expensive. It's bad for you. And it's madly delicious.
I'm sure we all know the idea of Kobe beef: Japanese farmers managed to breed a species of cattle with high levels of intramuscular fat. Steak, normally, is rated as you all know, and part of this rating is based on this "marbling" of fat, and the highest ranking has the deepest, best little threads and veins of fat seeping through it. These fat pathways melt under high temperature, and that's what makes steak juicy and tender and rich.
Japanese farmers essentially created a new breed of cattle which is known as "wagyu" (literally Japanese Cow, or 和牛) to build on this idea of richness and fattiness in steak being delightful. This is the largest misconception about Kobe beef, as Kobe beef is a specific TYPE of Wagyu, not an actual breed of cattle itself.
In fact the name "Kobe" beef really only comes from farming techniques associated with the Wagyu cattle raised in Kobe, Japan. Most of you know the farming techniques includes daily massages with sake and feeding the cows beer to increase the appetite and relax them.
Clearly this technique has an effect on fat content, as according to some people the ratio reaches 20%meat/80%fat (to give you an example of comparison, a McDonalds hamburger is something like 70/30) Yes, four times more fat than meat in a steak. And a reverse in comparison to most beef.
This is insane nuts. This is crazy.
Does that even sound appetizing? It should!
How many of you have had foie gras? It's like that, but... steak.
Anyways.
The ability then, to produce large quantities of this steak is of course, extremely limited. Combined with large demand for delicious top quality cow, and you have prices for something like 50 dollars a 150 gram steak (that's about a 5 ouncer), or 300 dollars to the pound.
To be truthful, there is all sorts of Wagyu beef in Japan, and in many ways it seems redundant to go all the way out to Kobe to just try steak. Let alone more than once. Especially considering the whole issue with "hyper branding" in Japan. (which I covered in a previous blog here). In fact, it's very possible that Wagyu vs Kobe have almost little to no serious distinction.
But all I know is that Kobe beef is mighty delicious. And it requires proper technique to produce good results.
Let's examine the ways I enjoyed such steak. (photobomb alert)
Day one, I went to a recommended restaurant called "SteakLand Kobe"
For added effect they have TWO signs, and one is just a legit steak.
This restaurant cooks their steak teppanyaki, 鉄板焼き (quite literally iron plank grill, I love japanese!) style, meaning... er... on a big ol flattop in front of you. For 70 bucks, you get all the fixins. First they serve you filler
Seared scallops, shrimp (head and body, DELICIOUS) and a few root veggies
This also comes with salad, soup, rice, Japanese pickles (tsukemono), and smoked salmon of all things
Then the big boy. The steak.
This is not all mine, there was a guy sitting next to me
You'll notice that the steak is... really really pink. More on that later.
They had trimmed off a piece of the fat cap surrounding this steak, which they then fried up and melted down.
Mmmmm... beef fat.
This is then used to cook some beansprouts and cabbage that comes with your meal.
God... that is evil
You can see the juice just running off the beef, pooling onto the plate. All delicious cow. Also notice the glossy threads of fat through the muscle tissue. This is some rich stuff.
I kind of liked how they cut the steak for me... though honestly the pieces were still not bite sized.
You can't see it, but it was served with garlic chips and a dipping sauce.
To me, this idea of pairing up too much with the food itself, which is so rich and flavorful, is unfortunate. Simple is best when you have essentially one of the finest ingredients in the world at your disposal, let it shine.
In my opinion.
But still, you have the option to eat it as you like, and it was cooked perfectly medium rare, the fat melted and smooth. When you chew this stuff, it turns to liquid, because so little of the beef is actually protein at all. Again... very foie gras like.
SO UMMMM THAT STEAK WAS GOOD.
Came with a yuzu sorbet and coffee at the end. The acidity is a good roundout for the richness of the meat.
Overall, very satisfying.
Day two, I cannot say the same.
I hadn't originally planned on eating steak that day (or ever for that matter), but Kobe has a cute little Chinatown area that I decided to have dinner in. They have all sorts of stalls selling Gyoza, ramen, chinese dishes, etc. One of the stalls was serving kobe beef samplings for just 500 yen. I couldn't pass up the deal.
Folks, I am usually for cheap eats, but in this case, I think you frequently get what you pay for. This was not cooked well, slathered with a overbearing sauce, low end stuff. It didn't even come close to day one.
DAY THREE though, man... back on track!
After realizing I had eaten Kobe beef twice in a row, I decided to round out the trip with a 3rd attempt. Three times a charm after all. Except this time, I went to a very acclaimed restaurant named A-1 steak. Openning in Kobe quite some time ago, the restaurant is now a chain within the Kobe area serving up the goods.
This place cooks your steak, to order of course, in a different fashion, something like a combination of grilling and flambe-ing.
For 60 bucks you get soup, wine, rice, those Japanese pickles, miso soup, and STEAK.
Setting the steak aflame!
The platter he sets ablaze with brandy is really steak covered in delicious, caramelized vegetables, served on cast iron heated plates that actually continue to cook it, rendering more of that OH SO necessary fat.
Glistening, omygoodness
Also clearly lovely. Both very delicious, day one and day 3.
But one thing I MUST point out with Kobe beef.
It's not... beefy.
Like when we think of steak, we think of that deep iron tasting rich meat, high notes beefy smell, deep broody, musky flavor. Kobe beef has the richness, but the actual deep dark flavor is missing, in fact, kobe beef's over all flavor profile is extremely sublime and subtle. It's delicious, but it's hard to compare it to normal cattle.
Combining this fact with the actual color of the meat, which as I mentioned is very light pink, and originally, farmers found that people WEREN'T buying the stuff in America, because the concept of what is "beef" is so different in the states from this Wagyu profile. So Wagyu now are actually bred with Angus cattle to produce somewhat of a hybrid in America, darker flesh and more meaty flavor, but a cut from the amount of fat marbling.
Anyways, this entry is massive so...
Um....
Kobe beef is delicious. Wagyu beef is delicious. Beef is delicious. If you love food, you should try it. You can even find some places that make it amazingly, without spending hundreds of dollars a person.
Now, I have adventures to seek out.
Up up and awayyy!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Nara In Reflection
Nara is something I think everyone needs to see when they come to Japan.
And I don't say this purely on the basis of Nara's fame: it's huge sprawling historical landmarks. Though I think anyone studying Japanese deserves to see the history of this fascinating culture, most of which seems buried beneath the modern thriving technological mass world. Tokyo towers over the feeble, old, shrines and temples of the historical world.
To be fair, Kyoto is surely visited just as much if not more than Tokyo by tourists, and it has more temples than one can count, but many of these temples are still inlaid in city, concrete piling up over them. It makes the experience impersonal, distant, and to me at least, some of the cohesiveness is greatly reduced. When you're in a beautiful temple and you see a office building pop up over the gate, it makes things odd.
No, I say people need to see Nara because the town just feels... personal.
I think with any trend of a city growing, the people become distant, seperate, individual. Tokyo is a great example of this because of so many people coming from other places to work. Groups disolve into individuals living life.
Nara is as much a place of tourism for Japanese culture as it is a real town, with real communities of individuals living life. And this sense of people actually living life is easily accessible, because the so called touristy areas are just... in housing and life. Across the street from Houryuuji temple, ie. the oldest temple in Japan, built in the 600s, are people's houses! Can you imagine living next to something that's 1300-1400 years old? And actually living there? Like... living!
I suppose my fascination with Japan lies mostly in how I am always distant from the real lives of individuals due to my foreigner status. But when I take a walk down the streets of Nara, I feel that sense of realism, like I have fallen into a very real world filled with interacting groups of people. It's not just a city with people coming in to work, and then leaving. It's not just a place were people go to see stuff. These roles exist too, yes, but in truth Nara is a town where people just do what we're supposed to, they live.
This combination of living among something extremely important is fascinating to me, and personal, and moving.
And even a point of tourism, this place has really cool stuff! Nara is legitimately beautiful. Parks, trees, nature is everywhere, the temples are magnificent, and the architecture of even peoples houses is reminiscent of something old and sacred.
I can't help but be amazing by the intense beauty of this town.
And the food! The food was amazing! Little mom and pop shops that have been open for 40 years. The town just feels PERSONAL.
Two examples of amazing food come to mind. All in one day mind you.
For 10 dollars. Just... insane.
Along with that.
THE BEST produce I HAVE EVER TASTED IN MY LIFE. I had the pleasure of walking by a local farm and purchased some strawberries. They were all about the size of your thumb, and they MELT in your mouth, fragrant and ungodly sweet, hints of rose and mint behind the EXPLOSION of strawberry. Just insane! INSANE! And across the street, a temple from the 700s. Like... wtf?
Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka, how come Nara just owned you on the trip in terms of food?
It's just an incredible place.
I'm sure I am not fully getting my emotions across through this blog, so I'll just say this. Nara was amazing. It has been hands down one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
And I don't say this purely on the basis of Nara's fame: it's huge sprawling historical landmarks. Though I think anyone studying Japanese deserves to see the history of this fascinating culture, most of which seems buried beneath the modern thriving technological mass world. Tokyo towers over the feeble, old, shrines and temples of the historical world.
To be fair, Kyoto is surely visited just as much if not more than Tokyo by tourists, and it has more temples than one can count, but many of these temples are still inlaid in city, concrete piling up over them. It makes the experience impersonal, distant, and to me at least, some of the cohesiveness is greatly reduced. When you're in a beautiful temple and you see a office building pop up over the gate, it makes things odd.
No, I say people need to see Nara because the town just feels... personal.
I think with any trend of a city growing, the people become distant, seperate, individual. Tokyo is a great example of this because of so many people coming from other places to work. Groups disolve into individuals living life.
Nara is as much a place of tourism for Japanese culture as it is a real town, with real communities of individuals living life. And this sense of people actually living life is easily accessible, because the so called touristy areas are just... in housing and life. Across the street from Houryuuji temple, ie. the oldest temple in Japan, built in the 600s, are people's houses! Can you imagine living next to something that's 1300-1400 years old? And actually living there? Like... living!
I suppose my fascination with Japan lies mostly in how I am always distant from the real lives of individuals due to my foreigner status. But when I take a walk down the streets of Nara, I feel that sense of realism, like I have fallen into a very real world filled with interacting groups of people. It's not just a city with people coming in to work, and then leaving. It's not just a place were people go to see stuff. These roles exist too, yes, but in truth Nara is a town where people just do what we're supposed to, they live.
This combination of living among something extremely important is fascinating to me, and personal, and moving.
And even a point of tourism, this place has really cool stuff! Nara is legitimately beautiful. Parks, trees, nature is everywhere, the temples are magnificent, and the architecture of even peoples houses is reminiscent of something old and sacred.
I can't help but be amazing by the intense beauty of this town.
And the food! The food was amazing! Little mom and pop shops that have been open for 40 years. The town just feels PERSONAL.
Two examples of amazing food come to mind. All in one day mind you.
Roost Cafe, about 20 minutes from Houryuuji.
Roost is an amazing cafe that takes old world Japanese cuisine and applies new world twists to it. The interior is ironically decorated with African items (I still don't get this part), but the food is very Japanese. For 10 dollars you get this:
Beautiful
Extremely well presented, 6 little tiny dishes of Okazu (お菜), or side dishes on the left, tofu, potatoes, wakame, stewed onions, among others, and to the right, a salad of tomatoes, garlic, and lettuce, with lightly breaded and fried salmon, with roasted tomato mayonnaise. And rice. And miso soup. And amazing coffee.
For 10 dollars. Just... insane.
Along with that.
THE BEST produce I HAVE EVER TASTED IN MY LIFE. I had the pleasure of walking by a local farm and purchased some strawberries. They were all about the size of your thumb, and they MELT in your mouth, fragrant and ungodly sweet, hints of rose and mint behind the EXPLOSION of strawberry. Just insane! INSANE! And across the street, a temple from the 700s. Like... wtf?
Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka, how come Nara just owned you on the trip in terms of food?
It's just an incredible place.
I'm sure I am not fully getting my emotions across through this blog, so I'll just say this. Nara was amazing. It has been hands down one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Osaka in Reflection
Y'know, I came into Osaka expecting one or two things.
A. It would be a crazy, completely different world, a heaven on earth divided from the usual stereotypical Japan, where originality and creativity blossom and thrive.
OR
B. Another big 'ol city with dudes who really really hate foreigners.
And it turned out that it was... erm... neither really. And kind of both at the same time.
Certainly one aspect is true: Osaka is not foreigner friendly. Very rarely are signs in English, nor menus, or staff. (this isn't really a problem to me, but I can imagine for non Japanese speakers this is easily the biggest turnoff of them all). They try... but... y'know... it's not really Tokyo in terms of foreign tourism. Though it's the second largest city in Japan, when more statistically comparing it to Tokyo there is no question in terms of size, Tokyo has around 17 million people, Osaka only 2.1 (3 if you count commuters). This discrepancy is obvious from the get go, as naturally then, for many foreign tourists, Osaka seems to be tossed aside.
This is a shame though, because Osaka was actually very fascinating in its own regard. And I hate to continuously compare it to Tokyo (since I'm sure I will), but both are expansive cities on the coast of Japan that have created an epicenter of culture, food, business and trade, and even personal dialects. I remember reading about the "centers" theory of Japanese culture: how Japan comprised of two center cities that created everything media and socially, spreading it to the rest, and Osaka and Tokyo are those two cities.
To me, the similarity yet clear distinction is rather remarkable.
One of the first I noticed, and I'm sure I'm not the first to point this out, but people in Osaka, when standing in an escalator, stand on the OPPOSITE side of that of Tokyoites or Sapporians. (lulz sapporians thatisntawordmike shutup!). In other words, while letting the people in a rush pass, people in Osaka stand on a different side than people in Tokyo.
Well... that's just... weird really...
Stuff is just tweaked a little bit to be different. And lovely. And interesting.
Food also comes to mind as rather different, in a delightful way of course. Okonomiyaki has a different texture and method (for more info check out my friend's blog here). Street foods are idealized and heightened to gourmet status in restaurants. (Like imagine a hotdog being sold at a 4 star). And it's clearly 100% delicious.
The city is busy, but not... as... busy.
And, well, culture seems far more deep rooted. Osaka has 1300 year old temples after all. Amongst the concrete jungle inlaid are small temples, awkward in their composition as they are dwarfed by the surrounding buildings. but remarkably gem like. Tokyo, unfortunately due to WW2, doesn't have this feel. It's all just... new.
And yet... much like Tokyo, it seems so, impersonal. I just feel like everyone is coming to Osaka city for a "little bit". Then they leave. (Which is true, the population multiplies by 50% during the day). It distances it, makes it seem mirage like, the realism of such a place is distant.
But it's just... different. It's still Japan, still familiar in its own right, but it's just not quite the Japan that people stereotype. And I enjoy that.
I always like knowing that culture is more complex than we've made it out to be.
Nara next!
A. It would be a crazy, completely different world, a heaven on earth divided from the usual stereotypical Japan, where originality and creativity blossom and thrive.
OR
B. Another big 'ol city with dudes who really really hate foreigners.
And it turned out that it was... erm... neither really. And kind of both at the same time.
Certainly one aspect is true: Osaka is not foreigner friendly. Very rarely are signs in English, nor menus, or staff. (this isn't really a problem to me, but I can imagine for non Japanese speakers this is easily the biggest turnoff of them all). They try... but... y'know... it's not really Tokyo in terms of foreign tourism. Though it's the second largest city in Japan, when more statistically comparing it to Tokyo there is no question in terms of size, Tokyo has around 17 million people, Osaka only 2.1 (3 if you count commuters). This discrepancy is obvious from the get go, as naturally then, for many foreign tourists, Osaka seems to be tossed aside.
This is a shame though, because Osaka was actually very fascinating in its own regard. And I hate to continuously compare it to Tokyo (since I'm sure I will), but both are expansive cities on the coast of Japan that have created an epicenter of culture, food, business and trade, and even personal dialects. I remember reading about the "centers" theory of Japanese culture: how Japan comprised of two center cities that created everything media and socially, spreading it to the rest, and Osaka and Tokyo are those two cities.
To me, the similarity yet clear distinction is rather remarkable.
One of the first I noticed, and I'm sure I'm not the first to point this out, but people in Osaka, when standing in an escalator, stand on the OPPOSITE side of that of Tokyoites or Sapporians. (lulz sapporians thatisntawordmike shutup!). In other words, while letting the people in a rush pass, people in Osaka stand on a different side than people in Tokyo.
Well... that's just... weird really...
Stuff is just tweaked a little bit to be different. And lovely. And interesting.
Food also comes to mind as rather different, in a delightful way of course. Okonomiyaki has a different texture and method (for more info check out my friend's blog here). Street foods are idealized and heightened to gourmet status in restaurants. (Like imagine a hotdog being sold at a 4 star). And it's clearly 100% delicious.
The city is busy, but not... as... busy.
And, well, culture seems far more deep rooted. Osaka has 1300 year old temples after all. Amongst the concrete jungle inlaid are small temples, awkward in their composition as they are dwarfed by the surrounding buildings. but remarkably gem like. Tokyo, unfortunately due to WW2, doesn't have this feel. It's all just... new.
And yet... much like Tokyo, it seems so, impersonal. I just feel like everyone is coming to Osaka city for a "little bit". Then they leave. (Which is true, the population multiplies by 50% during the day). It distances it, makes it seem mirage like, the realism of such a place is distant.
But it's just... different. It's still Japan, still familiar in its own right, but it's just not quite the Japan that people stereotype. And I enjoy that.
I always like knowing that culture is more complex than we've made it out to be.
Nara next!
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