Cultural appropriation: Why is food such a sensitive subject?

Earlier this week, a restaurant in New York made headlines for rather unfortunate reasons.

Lucky Lee's, a new Chinese restaurant run by a Jewish-American couple, advertised itself as providing "clean" Chinese food with healthy ingredients that wouldn't make people feel "bloated and icky the next day".

It told Eater website: "There are very few American-Chinese places as mindful about the quality of ingredients as we are."

It prompted a fierce backlash on social media from people who accused the restaurant of racist language, cultural appropriation, and a lack of understanding of Chinese food.

The restaurant's Instagram account was besieged with thousands of angry comments, including some which questioned the credentials of a white couple running a Chinese restaurant - as well as comments from defenders who accused the "online slacktivists" of being easily offended, and targeting the restaurateurs simply because of their race.

The whole debate became so polarised that ratings site Yelp placed an "unusual activity" alert on the restaurant's page after it was flooded with both positive and negative reviews, many seemingly from people who hadn't actually been to the restaurant.

Lucky Lee's has since issued a statement saying that it was not "commenting negatively on all Chinese food… Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse and comes in many different flavours (usually delicious in our opinion) and health benefits".

It added that it would "always listen and reflect accordingly" to take "cultural sensitivities" into account.

The owner, Arielle Haspel, told the New York Times: "We are so sorry. We were never trying to do something against the Chinese community. We thought we were complementing an incredibly important cuisine, in a way that would cater to people that had certain dietary requirements."

The uproar is the latest in a series of rows over food and cultural appropriation.

US celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern came under fire for saying that his restaurant Lucky Cricket would save people from the low-standard "restaurants masquerading as Chinese food that are in the Midwest". Critics accused him of being patronising towards smaller restaurants run by immigrant families, and he later issued an apology.

Meanwhile, in the UK, supermarket chain Marks and Spencer was accused of cultural appropriation after it produced a new vegan biriyani wrap, despite the Indian dish normally being served with rice and meat.

And Gordon Ramsay's new London restaurant, Lucky Cat, was criticised for selling itself as an "authentic Asian Eating House" - despite not having an Asian chef.

When did food become such a sensitive topic - and why does it provoke such strong reactions from both sides of the debate?

Food can be closely linked to identity
For many people - particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds - food can be both personal, and political.

Second and third generation immigrants often have "a sense of loss of their own culture - their attire is western, their language is western, and food is almost the last of the cultural domain that they retain a vivid memory of", Krishnendu Ray, a sociologist and professor of food studies at New York University, tells the BBC.

Many Chinese Americans have talked about their experiences growing up - for example when classmates would make fun of the food in their lunch boxes.

Luke Tsai, a food writer in the San Francisco Bay Area, says: "We grew up in the US with a sort of in-between status of our identity. Were we American? Were we Chinese? It was hard to find acceptance in a lot of mainstream culture.

He remembers being "slightly ashamed" of Chinese food when he was younger - "I didn't want to bring Chinese food for my lunch at school - I wanted a sandwich or pizza to fit in."

"People would say: 'Why are you eating that smelly thing? That's gross!'"

"But for many of us as we got older, we remembered the food our parents cooked us, and it became a great source of nostalgia for us - in a way, embracing that was embracing the Asian, immigrant side of our identity."

Many Chinese restaurants deliberately adapted their menus to serve more fried foods or thickened sauces because those were items a "mainstream white audience" were more familiar with, he adds.

"The reason that they opened those restaurants was not because they couldn't cook their 'true' Chinese food, it was because that was what they did to survive and cater to their audience.

"So to see that flipped around nowadays, and have a white restaurateur open a restaurant and say 'we're not like those Chinese American restaurants you know about, we're serving clean Chinese food… is particularly hurtful and offensive for a lot of people."

There's also a historical context to this. In the 1880s, the US passed legislation barring Chinese workers from immigrating to the US. Only a few categories were exempt - including restaurateurs - and historians say this contributed to a boom in Chinese restaurants in the US.

Yet "American exposure to Chinese food has mostly been cheap Chinese food", and the cuisine has been associated with "a kind of disdain" due to the presumption that it is associated with "cheap ingredients and mostly untrained labour", says Prof Ray.

"Very few Americans realise or know that China probably had the most sophisticated food culture in the world at least 500 years before the French did."

Whose food is it anyway?
Some of the sharpest criticism on both sides has been around ownership.

Some negative social media comments about Lucky Lee's have focused on the fact that the owners are white - while critics have responded that it would be ridiculous to suggest that only Chinese people are allowed to cook Chinese food.

Francis Lam, host of The Splendid Table radio programme, believes that a lot of the furore around cultural appropriation and food is due to a "disconnect in the conversation".

"I think if you're a chef or restaurant owner, it's fair to say you probably put a lot of yourself into your business, and don't want to hear it when you think people are saying 'you're not allowed to do that'."

However, he thinks that for those opposed to cultural appropriation, the issue is "not about who's allowed or not allowed to do things", but rather about the manner in which things are done.

"If you are going to promote yourself as someone who cooks or sells food from a culture you didn't grow up in, I would say it's also your responsibility to make sure you're doing it in a way that truly respects the people who grew up in the culture - and the people who frankly invented some of the things you're doing."

Andy Ricker says chefs need to be respectful - but also need a thick skin

Andy Ricker, an award-winning chef and bestselling cookbook author, spent 13 years learning about Thai cuisine, familiarising himself with ingredients and the language, before starting the restaurant chain Pok Pok.

He is recognised as an expert in northern Thai cuisine - and his approach has been praised by Asian chefs and food critics. However, others have also questioned why a white chef is being seen as the authority on Thai food, rather than a Thai one.

He suggests chefs should "be aware that language is important", and try "to be as accurate and faithful as you can".

"I can't say that I'm making authentic food because I don't have any claim to that."

The most important thing for chefs like him, he says, is to "be respectful and not claim anything is yours. Don't apply labels to food - don't just add chillies, basil and peanuts to something and call it Thai, or put something in a sandwich and call it Banh Mi… you're playing to clichés which is not a good look".

He also says it's crucial for chefs to "grow a thick skin - it doesn't matter what's in your heart or how careful you are about what you say, there's going to be people who just aren't having it."

Meanwhile, Chris Shepherd cooks a range of cuisines at UB Preserv in Houston, Texas, but says highlighting and cherishing the cultures that inspired him is important to him.

Chris's dishes include "boudin siu mai" - a take on a type of Chinese dumpling

His restaurant's bills come with a listing of his favourite local restaurants, and the message "we'd love to have you back at UB Preserv, but we politely request that you visit at least one of these folks first".

He acknowledges that his restaurant attracts more funding and publicity than many small businesses, but says his goal is to "get people who wouldn't normally go" to those places, or try different cuisines, to "visit these restaurants and become part of this community".

Why is it hard to separate food and politics?
These days, there seems to be constant debate about identity politics, and an endless stream of incidents provoking outrage. It can certainly feel tempting to keep politics out of food.

But commentators argue that the food business, like any other business, is linked to power structures and privilege - and it's not a level playing field for everyone.

"If you're opening a business you're already engaging with the public, making decisions about who you're going to hire, who can afford to eat at your restaurant, what your staff is going to look like - there's hundreds of decisions you're making that will have an impact on society," Mr Tsai says.

Meanwhile, Prof Ray says that his research suggests some ethnic minority chefs may face specific barriers.

"There is a tendency to 'ghettoise' Chinese, Mexican and Indian American chefs into cooking 'their own food', whereas white chefs tend to find it easier to cross boundaries", and are seen as "artistic" when they do.

Kwame Onwuachi, 29, has been nominated for awards for his cooking

Kwame Onwuachi says in his memoir that, during a casting session, a television producer told him that US audiences would not be prepared to see a black chef like him doing fine dining.

Similarly, chef Edourdo Jordan has previously told GQ that some people found it hard to believe he was the owner of a restaurant serving French and Italian food.

Mr Ricker agrees that white chefs face some advantages when cooking in the West.

"Of course in white dominant culture, white people always get away with more than other people. But I would say this too - if you're a westerner trying to cook in Thailand you're faced with a massive amount of scepticism and sometimes downright derision…. I think it's human nature for the dominant culture to pigeon hole people who're not of their culture."

It all comes down to money
These perceptions also have financial implications that affect restaurants' bottom lines.

In one study, Prof Ray found that dishes from certain cuisines were seen as more prestigious, enabling restaurants to charge more.

For example, an average meal at a Zagat-listed French or Japanese restaurant cost about $30 more than an average meal at a Zagat-listed Chinese or Southern restaurant in 2015, his research found.

Chef Jonathan Wu encountered this when he opened a high-end Chinese restaurant, Fung Tu, in New York.

The restaurant received excellent reviews, with Bloomberg calling the food "genius", and the New York Times giving it a two-star, "very good" review.

One of the dishes at Fung Tu - egg whites poached in a broth with Toona sinesis leaves

But Mr Wu says he received a lot of "blowback" for its prices, with complaints that the restaurant was "too expensive for what it is".

Fung Tu closed down in 2017, and was reopened as Nom Wah Tu, a dim sum restaurant with lower prices.

Mr Wu says there is still an "expectation that Chinese food is cheap".

He compares how hand-made Chinese dumplings are sometimes sold for "five for a dollar", whereas a high-end plate of ravioli can sell for "$45 a plate".

"If you tried that for a plate of dumplings, people would freak out."

Which would you pay more for?

Are things changing?
In a way, the whole cultural appropriation debate is also "a symptom of a very visible, assertive, middle and professional class" of people from ethnic minorities in the US, says Prof Ray.

And US perceptions of Chinese food could be radically different in 20 years' time, due to China's economic rise, and a growing Chinese middle class presence in US cities.

Prof Ray says a similar process happened from the 1980s with Japanese food, as the culture became associated with affluent immigrant groups or businessmen.

In the meantime, the cultural appropriation debate is likely to continue - but not everyone thinks that's a bad thing.

"We're experiencing growing pains in this whole conversation, but the bigger picture is that it's amazing to see how the American palate has widened, and there is a greater market acceptance of different stories and backgrounds," says Mr Lam.

"These conversations can seem frustrating and tiresome, but you have to have them."

Mr Ricker agrees. "There's a lot of angst, anger and defensiveness out there, [but] it's important that people understand the sensitivity around food and culture, because they're very powerful things. I don't think it's comfortable for anybody, but it's certainly necessary."

(Source: BBC)

The truth about wasabi

Have you ever eaten wasabi?

If you answered “yes” to that question, you are likely mistaken. Most sushi eaters—even in Japan—are actually being served a mixture of ground horseradish and green food coloring, splashed with a hint of Chinese mustard. Worldwide, experts believe that this imposter combination masquerades as wasabi about 99 percent of the time.

The reason boils down to supply and demand. Authentic wasabi, known as Wasabia japonica, is the most expensive crop in the world to grow. The temperamental semiaquatic herb, native to the mountain streams of central Japan, is notoriously difficult to cultivate. Once planted, it takes several years to harvest; even then, it doesn’t germinate unless conditions are perfect. Grated wasabi root loses its flavor within 15 minutes.

The Japanese have grown wasabi for more than four centuries. The 75-year-old Shigeo Iida, the eighth-generation owner of his family’s wasabi farm in Japan, takes pride in his tradition, which is profiled in Edwin Lee’s short documentary Wasabia Japonica, co-produced by Japan Curator. “Real wasabi, like the ones we grow, has a unique, fragrant taste that first hits the nose,” Iida says in the film. “The sweetness comes next, followed finally by spiciness.”

The film details Iida’s method of sustainable farming, known in Japan as tatamiishi. “It’s one of the most intricate organic farming systems,” Lee told me. Tatamiishi farms like Iida’s are built on sloped hillsides near rivers, harnessing the power of nature. Despite the plant’s finicky nature, Iida doesn’t use chemicals or fertilizers.

“In this day and age, where mass farming and manufacturing are dominant, it's refreshing to see a farming method that eschews modern technology,” Lee told me. “Tatamiishi farming results in some of the best wasabi in the world.”

Lee believes that many people would be surprised if they were afforded the chance to try real wasabi. “Like me,” he said, “it'll be difficult to go back to the fake stuff.”

(Source: The Atlantic)

Sushi lover's entire body left riddled with WORMS after eating contaminated sashimi

It is the most expensive - and many would argue delicious - part of a sushi menu.

But one man's love of sashimi nearly killed him after it led to his body becoming riddled with tapeworm.

The Chinese man had gone to his doctor complaining of stomach ache and itchy skin.

To his horror, scans revealed his entire body had been infected with tapeworm after eating too much sashimi - raw slices of fish.

Doctors believe some of the uncooked Japanese delicacy of raw meat or fish must have become contaminated.

He was treated at the Guangzhou No. 8 People's Hospital in Guangdong Province, in eastern China.

Research has shown that eating raw or undercooked fish can lead to a variety of parasitic infections.

One man's love of sashimi nearly killed him after it led to his body becoming riddled with tapeworm

Tapeworm infections occur after ingesting the larvae of diphyllobothrium, found in freshwater fish such as salmon, although marinated and smoked fish can also transmit the worm.

While cases have increased in poorer areas due to improved sanitation, cases have increased in more developed countries,.

This is most likely due to the soaring popularity of sushi, say doctors writing in the journal Canadian Family Physician.

Study author Nancy Craig wrote: 'The widespread popularity of Japanese sushi and sashimi (slices of raw fish) is a contributor.

'But other popular dishes might also be implicated, such as raw salted or marinated fillets - which originate from Baltic and Scandinavian countries - carpaccio - very thin slices of raw fish common in Italy, raw salmon and ceviche - lightly marinated fish.'

Dr Yin, of Guangzhou No. 8 People’s Hospital, told the website that'smags.com that eating uncooked food contaminated with tapeworms' eggs could eventually cause cysticercosis, when the adult worms enters a person’s blood stream.

This type of infection is life-threatening once it reaches the brain.

HORRIFYING INFECTION THAT CAN GO UNNOTICED FOR MONTHS
Humans contract tapeworm infections from sushi by eating raw fish that has been infected with the worm in its larvae stage.

When fish eat tapeworm eggs, the hatching larvae attach themselves to the intestinal wall of the fish and the worms infect the fish flesh.

Because sushi is not cooked, the larvae can in turn transfer into the flesh of any human that eats the fish.

Once a human is infected, a tapeworm will grow inside the intestine to a length of up to 15metres over a period of weeks. It can survive for years and go undetected for weeks or months, in turn releasing its own eggs that infect other parts of the human body.

Symptoms include fatigue, constipation and abdominal discomfort - which can be so mild the victim may not notice anything is wrong.

If larvae begin to migrate to other parts of the body they can start to eat away at the liver, eyes, heart or brain and cause life-threatening conditions.

(Source: Daily Mail)

How the sushi boom is fuelling tapeworm infections

As eating raw fish has become more popular, gruesome tapeworm tales have emerged. But how worried should sashimi lovers be – and how else might we become infected?

The good news, said A&E doctor Kenny Bahn, was that the patient who had turned up at the emergency department was not dying. That is about the only happy element of the story Bahn, who works at a hospital in California, went on to tell on This Won’t Hurt a Bit, a medical podcast, about a man who arrived at hospital carrying a plastic bag. Inside the bag, wrapped around the cardboard tube of a toilet roll, was a 1.7-metre (5ft 6in) tapeworm. Bahn measured it once he had unravelled it on the hospital floor.

The patient had complained of abdominal pain. During a bout of bloody diarrhoea, reports Bahn, “he says: ‘I look down and I look like there’s a piece of intestine hanging out of me.’ What’s racing through his mind is he thinks he’s dying … He grabs it and he pulls on it and it keeps coming out. ‘What is this long piece of entrail?’ And he picks it up and looks at it and what does it do?” There is a dramatic pause to enhance the horror. “It starts moving.”

Bahn said that the tapeworm had probably come from the patient’s daily intake of salmon sashimi. “He told me he was freaked out, but I guess when you think you’re dying because your entrails are shooting out your bottom and you find out it’s not you, but something else, that’s probably a good thing.”

The story has attracted attention all over the world, as these things tend to do, says Peter Olson, a tapeworm expert and a researcher at the Natural History Museum’s life sciences department, “because they’re gross”. The worm, he says, was “almost certainly something called the broad fish tapeworm ... salmon is one of the main ways you would pick it up, if you don’t cook the meat.” The life of the broad fish tapeworm involves more than one host. “A typical life cycle might include a bear that feeds on salmon, then defecates back into the river. The larvae would be passed into the environment and, in the case of an aquatic life cycle like this, it would be eaten by something like a copepod, a little crustacean. When that copepod is eaten by a fish, it would transform into a larval tapeworm and that’s what is being transmitted to a human in this case. That would go to the intestine and grow into this giant worm.”

The tapeworm is a monstrous and impressive creation. It has a segmented body, with male and female reproductive organs in each segment, so it is capable of self-fertilisation. It does not have a head as such – its “head” is only useful for holding on to its host’s gut, rather than for “eating” (it absorbs nutrients through its skin). In many cases, you would not know you were infected. You might spot bits of tapeworm segment in your stool – small, pale, rice-like bits – or experience stomach pain or vomiting.

The transmission of tapeworm larvae is a much greater problem in regions such as Central America, where hygiene standards are poorer. Photograph: Science Picture Co/Getty Images

Of the more than 10,000 known species of tapeworm, only a small number can infect humans. The type of tapeworm you might pick up from sushi or undercooked fish is deeply unpleasant, but relatively harmless – although it may cause gastric symptoms and allergic reactions. In rare cases, it can obstruct the intestine (a worm can reach a length of 15 metres or even 25 metres, according to one scientific paper). It is fairly easily treated with the type of worming tablets given to pets.

In those cases, Olson says chillingly, the human is the “final host”. But it is when we are the “intermediate host” that tapeworms can cause significant damage. “The problem is that the larvae don’t grow in the intestine, they move to other parts of the body and in particular to the central nervous system,” says Olson. They can cause cysts in the body, such as in the brain, causing seizures and headaches. In some cases, they can be fatal.

The transmission is far more likely to come from faecal contamination, rather than eating undercooked meat, he says. “It’s a huge problem in places such as Central America, where there is a large pork industry and amount of pig farming; the worse the sanitation conditions, the more likely there is to be transmission,” says Olsen. Tapeworm infection is thought to be a cause of up to one-third of cases of epilepsy in the region.

The fox tapeworm, transmitted from fox faeces, is another variety of damaging parasite. However, although it can be found in Europe, it is not found in the UK. People can get it by ingesting it unwittingly. “A child, therefore, might be more likely to end up with those sorts of things.” Could you pick it up from pets? “Again, only through faecal contamination.” Olson recalls a case where a man was thought to have been infected with a parasite by a dog. However, he had HIV and his immune system was weakened. The tapeworm infection “wouldn’t have survived in him if he wasn’t immunocompromised. In most cases, we don’t share the same parasites [as a dog]. But the dog can bring faecal contamination in from the outside.”

 The World Health Organization has added tapeworm infections to its list of major neglected tropical diseases

Another horrible case involved a patient who had HIV and was thought to have cancer. However, biopsies from tumours found that they were not human cancer cells, but cells from a cancerous tapeworm (he died before he could be treated). He had been infected with Hymenolepsis nana, a common tapeworm thought to affect up to 75 million people at any one time. An infection with this parasite is easily treated, but this case highlights the severe problems it can cause, particularly in areas of the developing world where there are high rates of HIV.

These are among the cases that have affected many of the world’s poorest people. Such illnesses could be eradicated with investment in sanitation, education and drug administration – the World Health Organization has added tapeworm infections to its list of major neglected tropical diseases. These are not the rare, horrific-but-fascinating stories of California sushi-eaters becoming host to a parasitic worm.

However, doctors have warned that contracting diseases in this way is a risk of which we should become more aware. A case report in the British Medical Journal last March told of a 32-year-old man in Portugal who was admitted to hospital with severe abdominal pain; an endoscopy revealed a parasitic worm was attached to his gut wall and it was removed. It is thought he ingested the parasite while eating sushi. “Owing to changes in food habits, anisakiasis [disease caused by worms from fish, causing symptoms such as pain, vomiting and diarrhoea] is a growing disease in western countries, which should be suspected in patients with a history of ingestion of raw or uncooked fish,” wrote the researchers.

In the UK, EU food hygiene legislation requires fish that is to be eaten raw or cooked lightly be frozen first (although some farmed fish is exempt), since cooking fully or freezing kills any parasites. Tapeworms from fish probably cause more economic damage, says Olson, than human damage. “If you have contaminated meat, you can’t sell it. If you’re farming salmon and lots end up with the parasite, you’ve got a lot of meat you can’t sell. In terms of humans getting this parasite, it’s not a killer. It’s just a gruesome thought.”

(Source: The Guardian)

14 must-eat dishes in Japan that aren’t Sushi

If you’ve ever seen a masterful sushi chef at work, it’s a beautiful sight—the way he slices through each piece of fish with exacting precision before he molds the glistening strip of seafood to a ball of vinegared rice. Concentrated and quiet, it’s like he’s putting on a performance. And as beautiful as it is, perhaps you’re not a fan of the raw delicacy (the texture, the fishiness—it’s okay, we get it), or maybe you can’t imagine having it day in and day out on, say, a weeklong trip to Japan. Fret not because while raw fish may be the star of Japanese cuisine, there is so much more that’s ready to be devoured. Here, a look at 14 must-eat dishes that aren’t nigiri or sashimi.

Udon

A thick white noodle made of wheat flour, udon can either be served cold with a dipping sauce, stir-fried, or, most frequently, in a hot, mild broth made of mirin, dashi, and soy sauce. Accompaniments range from sweetened deep-fried tofu (kitsune udon) to tempura shrimp and vegetables. One of the best bowls can be found at Yamamotomenzou in Kyoto, where the silky smooth noodles are handmade and have the perfect amount of chewiness to them. Make sure to finish off your meal with their homemade almond jelly—it won’t disappoint.

Sukiyaki

Tender, thin slices of beef cooked in sugar and soy sauce with vegetables in an iron pot, kansai-style sukiyaki is addictive, and so, so scrumptious. Remove your shoes and take a seat on the tatami floor at Iroha Kitamise in Kyoto and prepare yourself for a delightful meal.

Oden

Boiled eggs, daikon, fishcakes, shirataki (noodles made from konnyaku), and different sorts of tofu are stewed in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth to create this ultimate Japanese winter comfort food. Pick and choose which ingredients you want, add a few ladles of soup, and enjoy. You can find it in markets, but convenience stores like Lawson and 7-Eleven have some pretty impressive oden as well.

Tonkatsu

Whether you choose to eat it with Japanese curry, over a bowl of rice with egg and vegetables katsudon-style, or just by itself, tonkatsu will change your mind about fried pork cutlet. In Tokyo, highly lauded Maisen lets you choose from a variety of hog breed and different cuts of meat, including kurobuta, the holy grail of pork, but Tonki, which takes a homier approach, is right up there with them on the list of where to order this panko-breaded delight.

Hitsumabushi

Similar to unadon, hitsumabushi is a specialty of Nagoya, Japan, where the eel laid over a bowl of rice is divided into four sections. First, you eat the unagi as it is, then you add the seasonings provided (such as seaweed, scallions, and wasabi), which is followed by combining it with dashi broth chazuke-style before you devour the last portion whichever way you most preferred it. Atsuta Houraiken has three locations where you can enjoy a set of beautifully grilled eel.

Ramen

This noodle soup dish is probably just as popular as sushi these days. Typically served in a meat-based broth and garnished with scallions, seaweed, beansprouts, fatty pork chashu, and a soft-boiled, soy sauce–marinated egg, it’s exactly what you want on a cold winter day. There’s of course the popular chain Ichiran, the world’s first Michelin-rated ramen joint in Tokyo that spoons out a dollop of crushed black truffle into your bowl; Shingen Ramen in Sapporo for a miso-based broth that Hokkaido prefecture is known for; Ginza Kagari in Tokyo, which specializes in a rich chicken-based stock; and Ramen Sen no Kaze, tucked away in an alley behind a shopping arcade in Kyoto that makes a full-bodied, creamy tonkotsu soup so good it’ll touch your soul.

Tempura

Not all fried food is created equally. When it comes to tempura, the key to a successful dish is a batter so light that it creates an incredibly fluffy, but crunchy coating around the seafood or vegetables being briefly submerged into hot oil. Dip the golden bites into tentsuyu with grated daikon or sprinkle a little matcha salt for some added flavor. If you’re in Tokyo, pay a visit to Kondo for the full experience, where chefs fry everything in front of you, served directly from pot to plate.

Hittsumi-jiru

A dish representative of Iwate prefecture, the star of hittsumi-jiru is the pieces of dough that have been pinched into wide, uneven strips of uniquely chewy goodness. At Morioka Mikoda Asaichi, a morning market dedicated to selling fresh produce, you’ll find a tiny stall where husband and wife dole out bowls of this hearty noodle soup filled with scallions, tofu, mushrooms, and shredded carrots and burdock root. It’s exactly what you’ll need to battle the cold morning air.

Yakitori

If you can skewer it, then you can make yakitori out of it. Not all grilled meat is created equal, however. Tokyo’s Toriyoshi is a high-end version of this late-night izakaya favorite. The menu focuses on a variety of fowl (and its parts) and seasonal vegetables. It's cooked directly over charcoal, and you can’t go wrong with duck, okra, quail eggs, or even the liver with an egg yolk attached to the end. The chawanmushi, an egg custard with seafood and vegetables mixed in, is also another must-order item here—delicate and silky, it’s the perfect accompaniment to your meal.

Okonomiyaki and takoyaki

Both specialties of Osaka, okonomiyaki and takoyaki are savory flour-based foods that are somewhat similar. The fomer is pancake-like and prepared on a griddle, filled with ingredients like octopus, squid, pork, and cabbage, and topped with a sweet sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, seaweed powder, and bonito flakes, while the latter is about the size of a golf ball, typically stuffed with octopus, and has the same toppings as its flat counterpart. For okonomiyaki, Chibo and Ajinoya have some of the best in town whereas takoyaki is more of a street food and stalls are ubiquitous, however Wanaka’s are particularly tasty.

Onigiri

Rice balls molded into a triangular shape and wrapped in seaweed, they’re somehow so simple yet so delicious. Eat them plain or filled with ingredients like umeboshi (pickled plum), ikura (salmon roe), karaage (fried chicken), kakuni (braised pork), and shiozake (flakes of salted salmon), they’re the perfect snack when you’re on the go. To find onigiri, head to a convenience store or to the basement level of a department store or major train station, where a wonderland of food awaits you.

Matsusaka beef

Despite it being more expensive and receiving accolades greater than Kobe, Matsusaka is relatively unknown to many. The cattle must be of kuroge washu (Japanese Black) breed and be a female virgin cow that lives in the Matsusaka region. With a high fat content and beautiful marbling, the meat is so tender that it just melts in your mouth. If you can’t make it to Mie prefecture to relish the high-grade beef in its namesake city, make a reservation at Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M, Hozenji Yokocho in Osaka, where you can grill each morsel over a gridiron yourself. Whether you decide to order a preset course or à la carte from the 12 different cuts available to you, just don’t forget the garlic rice as a side.

Warabimochi

We couldn’t forget dessert now, could we? Unlike what you typically imagine when you think of mochi, warabimochi is jellylike rather than dense and chewy. Made from bracken starch, the confection is first covered in kinako (roasted soybean flour) before being dipped into kuromitsu (black sugar syrup). Gion Tokuya in Kyoto has some of the best warabimochi, and also has green tea–flavored kuzumochi—served with green tea kinako and azuki (sweet red bean) paste—if you want to mix and match.

(Source: Vogue)