Sigh

Sometimes...people move on. Sometimes...it sucks. Sometimes it is a blessing in disguise. Sometimes...you just don't know if it sucks or is a blessing. What I do know...it's time to cook. I need some time to not think about anything but the moment. So - what should I make? 

Japanese Comfort Food

Dish: Seafood Bento

Restaurant: Saboten

Location: Fukuyama, Japan

Price: 799 Yen

Description: Shrimp, squid, a crab/potato square, white rice, cabbage, egg, and ginger

Fun facts: This bento is one of the view things on the menu without pork. Getting a take away lunch does not include dressing for the cabbage salad. If you choose to eat inside the restaurant, there are menus available in English.

This was not a healthy lunch, but it was exquisite. I might even describe this as comfort food. My favorite part of this meal was the combination of seafood, seaweed dusted white rice, and soda. Sometimes a Coke provides the perfect reminder of home. 

Can naan fix everything?

Dish: Curry of the day

Restaurant: Sangam

Location: Fukuyama, Japan

Price: 800 Yen

Description: This was the lunch special. It consisted of chicken and pumpkin curry, naan, and and a a delicious cup of hot chai. 

Fun facts: The lunch special includes all you can eat naan. The menu is in Japanese and English. The staff, in addition to their native language (please excuse my ignorance), speaks Japanese and English. 

I love the vibe of this restaurant. As I walk through the door, I feel as if I am stepping into another world. A world that is not Japan. I understand that this may sound a little absurd, but sometimes having a break from the constant influx of Japanese culture is great. It was my decision to come to Japan and to extend my contract and I have no regrets. It's just that not having a break from a culture that is so different than mine is intense. Culture shock does not go away. 


Anyway, back to the restaurant...I love the curry selection and the various types of naan. My favorite thing on the menu thus far has been the Chicken Tandoori Salad. The tangy dressing that has been drizzled across the top provides a nice contrast to the slightly sweet chicken. The menu is large and I cannot wait to see what's next.

Oden anyone?

Inari, Oden, and Espresso

A closer look at one piece of my oden.

Dish: Oden, Inari, and canned Espresso

Restaurant: 7-11 (Not so much of a restaurant.)

Location: Fukuyama, Japan

Price: 451 Yen

Description: The inari (Fried tofu pocket stuffed with rice and sometimes carrots and mushrooms) was a nice start. The outside is sweet and the inside was a touch salty. The oden was filling. The oden consisted of fried tofu, one hard-boiled egg, and another piece of fried tofu that contained carrots and mushrooms. The oden was nice and hot and perfect for today's cold weather. The tofu was tofu - not much flavor without the Japanese mustard. The hard-boiled egg was tasty, but a little rubbery. The other piece of tofu with vegetables was ok, but I do not think I would get it again. Adding the Karashi (Japanese mustard) took it up a notch. The mustard packs quite a punch as it contains wasabi. The canned espresso was not sweetened, but it was hot. 

Fun facts: Oden is a dish found during winter in Japan. It's in most convenience stores and you can usually help yourself. You can choose from tofu, hard-boiled egg, daikon (think really big radish), konnyaku (a traditional Japanese health food made from a kind of potato), or even fish cakes. All of these things are placed in a soy flavored broth and usually served with Karashi (Japanese mustard). There are many oden variations depending on your location in Japan.  I have heard that 7-11 has the best oden, but I have yet to make that conclusion.

This was a nice lunch. I wanted something warm, healthy, and filling. I felt comfortably full, but was disappointed when I was hungry 3 hours later. Maybe I should have had one more piece of tofu? Actually selecting the items from the oden pot was a little intimidating.There were many selections and I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting. It was not expensive and perfect for a cold day. I did struggle with my chopsticks and the hard-boiled egg. I actually dropped the egg in the oden broth and made a bit of a mess, but also provided a laugh for everyone in my office. 

A Little Taste of the Holidays

Dish: Cafe au Lait, a cupcake of sorts, and a donut

Restaurant: Mister Donut

Location: Fukuyama, Japan

Price: 529 Yen

Description: The cafe au lait is splendid. The cupcake of sorts was a little too sweet, but the decoration on top was enticing. It included some little silver balls that made me think of Christmas ornaments. The donut was also a holiday special. It was rather chewy.

Fun facts: Mister Donut has a donut with seaweed on top. 

This was my breakfast today. Although it was not healthy, it was what I needed. As I looked at all my donut choices...I saw these two holiday sweets. They reminded me of Christmas. I sat with my friend Spencer and talked about life. I finally had the chance to see pictures of his trip to China and they were amazing. It was a great way to start my Monday. Can I have some more coffee please?

Taco Rice

Dish: Taco Rice

Restaurant: Cozy Cafe

Location: Fukuyama, Japan

Price: 900 Yen

Description: The base of this dish is usually white or brown rice. Placed on top of that is a ground beef mixture flavored with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. The next layer is a little melted cheese. A mixture of lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado are tossed with a light vinaigrette dressing. To finish off the dish - a dollop of sour cream and salsa. Sometimes there are some toasted tortilla chips used as garnish.

Fun facts: Taco rice is a Japanese dish common to Okinawa. 

This dish is delightful. It's salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. The first time I ate this dish was at a different restaurant. It was actually an Okinawan restaurant near the train station in Fukuyama. It was with two great friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. We sat on the floor and enjoyed the heat from a space heater of sorts. We ate taco rice, drank a beer, and talked about many things including what we were thankful for. This was not the typical Thanksgiving because there was no turkey, but I was happy to get my first taste of Taco Rice. 

The Meaning of Food

Food. What does it mean to you? To me…it’s an addiction. I love to cook and I love to eat. I love the euphoria I feel when I taste something new and exquisite or when some random recipe takes an unexpected turn and comes out even better than anticipated. I love to go to restaurants and search the menu for something new; it’s an adventure. This blog is a way to remember and share my pursuits of bliss.