Japan - Part 2

Let's continue with the delectables from Japan! The ramen below was from a shop that had a vending ticket machine outside where you pay before entering and handing them your ticket. Interesting note: I only had ramen once while in Japan, but eat it quite often in daily life. Additional note: I am starting this post talking about vending machines again, although of a different variety.



Yakitori had to happen and what you see here is grilled cheese mochi.



A bit rich, but as I look at this picture, I want to have it again. And again. We had a bunch of other stuff, but I was very drawn to the mochi (it IS one of the best food items ever and I hadn't encountered such a skewer before).

Of course, more desserts to share! Here is a wafer cookie holding red beans, green tea ice cream and... you got it, mochi!! Not entirely sure if these qualify as mochi or if I should just call them sweet, chewy rice cake things, but either way, this dessert was totally wonderful.



By the way, the red beans are remarkably good in Japan. Beans are beautiful in sweet and savory forms, end of story.

And lastly, doesn't everyone love a roll cake? Especially as pretty as this one?



That's all for Japan! Parting thoughts: when traveling and in life, not every little delicious thing is photogenic. But, getting a good photo wasn't difficult in Japan because so many of the dishes were presented beautifully.

For a few more food photos from the trip, please check my Instagram!

Japan - Part 1

Hello! Exciting travel news: I got to visit Japan!!! We stayed in the Kansai region, which is home to cities like Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. Unsurprisingly, walking around Japan felt like being in another world... one with so many vending machines! Really, I could not get over it. It must be so convenient, although I imagine a couple hundred yen here and there on your commute could add up quickly. It was a really major trip and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the sights, many of which were straight from magazines, the movies and the Japan of my mind. I basked in it all and will always treasure those moments.

Here's the first installment of food photos:


Cold soba, one of my all-time favorites, with tempura. We had a lot of meals set in front us in trays with little dishes; it was pretty delightful. Note the pink stems on the sprouts!


Such beauties at the fish market. Another all-time favorite: salmon roe!


More fish market goodies. Practically anything your sushi-lovin' heart desires.


And the fine, beautiful desserts! Perfectly balanced flavors and so light and lovely without being too sweet. I didn't get a picture, but I also LOVED the "softcream" ice cream cones there. Seriously irresistible, I'm still dreaming about them.

Stay tuned for Part 2! More food to come.

Inari Sushi

I find inari sushi irresistible. Yet, I only eat them at restaurants or buy them pre-made at the Japanese grocery store. As I'm trying to expand my cooking repertoire, I decided it was high time to cross this one off the list. And... it turns out there's not much to it if you work fast and not think at all about making your rice look pretty.

But, you do need to carve out some time to make the steamed rice, start assembling the inari, take a tiny break to wonder why you started this whole endeavor, tell yourself to stop whining and soldier on until finally you have a plate of these stuffed fried tofu pouches (pickled radish are optional, but I love them so, so much). TRULY IMPORTANT: keep re-wetting your hands because otherwise, the rice will get unmanageable.

I bought my fried tofu pouches (with sushi rice seasoning and savory sprinkles of some sort included) at the Korean grocery store, but I did throw in some roasted sesame seeds to "make it my own." For my next inari experiment, I am thinking about adding something a little extra to the rice, such as kimchi, shiitake mushrooms or even cheese (okay, that last one could be going too far, but I'm probably going to do it anyway).

Kiriko

I needed a break from the usual. So, a weekday splurge at Kiriko.


Chirashi Lunch ($18), which included salad and miso soup.



Their tamago (egg) was unlike any other version I've tried, almost like sweet bread. This lunch brightened my day and gave me a spring in my step.

Kiriko
11301 Olympic Blvd #102
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 478-7769

Wako Donkasu

Koreans love donkatsu (Japanese fried pork cutlet), and I am no exception. Most of the donkatsu I've eaten has been prepared by my mom and enjoyed in my parents' kitchen with rice, shredded cabbage and kimchi. But, out here in LA, I must fend for myself (yes, I can make it, but I loathe frying food in my apartment as the smell insists on lingering).

Enter Wako Donkasu, a tucked away spot in Koreatown, where the main attraction is their pork cutlet, but with various riffs offered as well, such as steak, curry and even cheese. I find it difficult to resist combination sets at Asian restaurants, so I ordered the udon and pork katsu duo ($12.95).



The pork was juicy, but the breading wasn't as crisp as I had hoped and even falling off a little on the bottom of a couple pieces. The dipping sauce was tonkatsu sauce and ground sesame seeds. (Note: after you order, the server brings sesame seeds for you to grind up with a mortar and pestle of sorts. I wasn't sure what to do really, so I asked my server about it when she dropped off my food and she did it for me.)

The dressing on the cabbage was like the slightly sweeter version of the carrot and ginger version found in Japanese restaurants here in the U.S. I liked that it was a departure from the blob of ketchup and mayo found in so many Korean restaurants.



The udon broth was flavorful enough, but it lacked the special touch that makes addicts out of people who just came here for the katsu in the first place (I love when restaurants have that supporting cast dish or side that unexpectedly becomes habit-forming); the noodles were standard and did not stand out.

Wako Donkasu did not take the pork cutlet to new heights for me, but my meal was more than satisfactory. I'm willing to see if everything is a little better next time around.

Wako Donkasu
3377 Wilshire Blvd
Suite 112
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 381-9256

*Other location:
2904 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 387-9256

Ramen Jinya

This summer has not been the most exciting for me in terms of food, but I am quite thrilled to have a new place to blog about: Ramen Jinya. My experience with Studio City restaurants has been a mixed bag and although there have been a few high notes amid the chain-heavy neighborhood, I've largely been disappointed. Happy to report, however, that Ramen Jinya is solid and will most likely become a craving-buster haven for me, especially in the colder months (or as "cold" as it gets in Southern California).



I'm not particular about having typical breakfast items for my first meal of the day (which goes back to my childhood of Saturdays eating cold pizza while watching cartoons), so I was quite game for a weekend brekkie of ramen. I ordered the ramen/ crispy chicken/salad combo for $12.50. For the ramen, the two options are Jinya (chicken broth and chicken meatball) or tonkotsu (pork broth and chashu); it wasn't a question for me, I went with the pork and did not regret it. The broth was rich, but not overwhelming, though as is the case with all Japanese ramen, I always have to drink water with the meal and I love salt (just an FYI).



The crispy chicken had great flavor, marinated in a soy/ginger concoction, but as it was white meat, the pieces were a teensy bit dry. Still, I was in the mood for fried poultry, so I was a happy camper. I was very hungry when I walked in, so this amount of food was perfect (the salad was a basic green salad with an Asian dressing, but no pictures because they were out of focus). I enjoyed Ramen Jinya quite a lot and if people aren't already encountering waits at peak times, I have a feeling that will be the case very soon. Hmm, perhaps I've found a new breakfast joint?

Ramen Jinya
11239 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
818-980-3977

Komasa

Sushi is a constant craving, but it is only an occasional indulgence for me because of the price point. Luckily, The Roaming Belly gave me the heads up on Komasa in Little Tokyo, a place where the quality is good, but the sticker shock is minimal. And she was also nice enough to join me for dinner! Here's what we ate:


Fried softshell crab: a lip-smackingly good way to start our meal.


Albacore salad: eat your veggies even when at sushi and I love salads at Japanese restaurants. I especially enjoyed the carrots, which were lightly pickled.


Tuna, uni and salmon roe: we had another round of sushi as well, but I failed to take a picture before we dug in (a common problem of mine). The spicy tuna roll here is good stuff and with big chunks of tuna; I can't imagine going to Komasa now without ordering one (or two, in our case). Everything I tried was fresh and so reasonably priced.

Our total bill (with tax and tip) came to $60! The only slight downside is that the restaurant is tiny, so you will most likely have to wait, but you are free to roam about because they take your cellphone number down and call when your table's ready. We went on a weeknight, so it only took about 15 minutes to get the call. Plan accordingly; if you're really hungry, going on a Saturday night is not a good idea.

I am Komasa's newest convert. A huge thank you to The Roaming Belly for showing me the light!

Komasa
351 East 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-1792
*Parking validated at Japanese Village Plaza structure, entrance on Central Ave (you pay upfront and get your money back with 2 hr validation)

Kaido

Mid-priced Japanese restaurants are grand, aren't they? One such place I've added to my mental black book is Kaido located in Santa Monica in (what else?) a small strip mall.


A girl's gotta unwind.


Complimentary edamame.


Seafood bacon salad ($10): mixed greens, bacon, crab, scallops, shrimp, avocado, asparagus and tomatoes with a bit of the "house" dressing of Japanese restaurants past, present and, most likely, future.


Tempura shiitake stuffed with "crab" and spicy tuna ($9): I believe this crab was the fake stuff, which was surprising since the salad came with the real McCoy. A good idea in theory, or so I thought, but in reality, it didn't work.


Fried oysters with tonkatsu sauce ($7): loved the crispy exterior, but they lacked briny oyster essence. I know that fried versions usually don't have as much flavor as raw oysters, but there is usually some hint of the ocean. Not the case here.


Eel and cucumber roll ($7): I like rolls. I also like old school purist sushi. The two co-exist happily in my food hemisphere.

I was hiding out from rush hour this time, but I've also stopped by at lunch when they've got some great deals. If you're in the neighborhood, I recommend it as a lowkey spot for those times when you need to satisfy a craving, but don't feel like spending a ton.

Kaido
2834 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404-2410
(310) 828-7582

Haruki

Haruki is a bustling place that seems to draw in lots of wine-drinking, edamame-eating young people. At first glance, it doesn't seem like fantastic sushi should be coming out of the kitchen. But, believe you me, we had a dizzying and memorable meal with very fresh, shockingly reasonably priced sushi. A few items we ordered:


Thin slices of sea bass: we wanted to try something different in the appetizer department. Tasted clean and light. Originally we ordered fluke, but they were out!


Chirashi: more substantial than expected; we ordered 2 and had to wrap up the second one. And to think we had initially thought about ordering 3.


Uni: yes. I just say yes.

I'm heading back to Providence in the spring and hope to be able to stop by again. We ate ourselves silly and it was yet another Providence highlight to add to the list.

Haruki
172 Wayland Ave.
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 223-0332

Izayoi

I always note places I want to try in Little Tokyo, but rarely get myself down there. But last weekend, I had a limited amount of time to find a restaurant we could grab a quick bite at. I had heard about Izayoi before and wanted to give it a whirl; more importantly, they took reservations (which we ended up being late for, but rushed in right in the nick of time).

As an izakaya (think Japanese drinking food/tapas), Izayoi has a lot of items on its menu and since we were rushed for time, we ordered a slew of things in a blur. We managed to hit just the right number of dishes for a filling dinner. What we had:

Chawan mushi (savory steamed egg that was good, but probably not the best version out there)

Japanese fried chicken (well seasoned, but I would've preferred smaller pieces)

Seafood cream croquette (very good, croquettes deserve their own national day)

Inside shot

Shrimp dumpling (substantial and tasty, Charles went gaga over this dish)

Seaweed salad (a teensy bit of seaweed, so not the kind what we were expecting at all)


We also had a couple dishes I forgot to photograph: a California roll (nothing to write home about, I ordered it to ensure we had enough food) and buta no kakuni (braised pork belly, very tender and rich in flavor). Overall, I really enjoyed our meal here and the vibe was relaxed, but the service was quick and friendly. I can't wait to come back and make my way through more of their extensive menu!

Izayoi
132 S Central Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-9554