Full Moon near Shinjuku Crossing
I adore Tokyo and will miss this vibrant, world-class city until I am lucky enough to visit again. Tomorrow we’re moving on to Korea, but Continue reading
Goodbye, Japan
japan
Tokyo National Museum
Situated in the heart of the cultural district of Ueno, Tokyo National Museum is a treasure chest of ancient and modern Japanese art. Even as one of the largest art collections in the world, Tokyo National Museum is much more approachable than, say, the Louvre. We didn’t Continue reading
Bento Lunches in Tokyo
Fifteen items in a delightful Bento Box
Conference lunches in the United States can be rather lackluster affairs. Anyone who has attended a work-related conference in the US is familiar with the Continue reading
Uobie Sushi
If you’ve been reading Crowded Earth Kitchen for a while, you may remember our enchantment with Uobie Sushi. We quite fell in love with the place two years ago and, upon planning our most recent return Continue reading
Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ)
Garlic Beef
Tonight after a stroll through the charming Edo district, we hopped on a train for the excitement of Akihabara’s Electric Town. World famous for all things anime, Akihabara’s Electric Town also boasts a pretty great restaurant scene… those amped up gamers need to eat sometimes, too! We went searching for Yakiniku, do-it-yourself Japanese BBQ. After a few dead ends and a brief scavenger hunt leading to a small elevator and a narrow, 8th floor hallway with chairs for waiting, we found Continue reading
Tokyo Dining: Never Enough Noodles!
Noodles in broth with thin sliced green onion and a poached egg
Seriously, friends. If you like noodles, you’ll love Tokyo. In addition to the ramen and tsukemen dishes previously featured here on Crowded Earth Kitchen, there exists a seemingly endless variety of noodle bowls. Hooray!
We’re Continue reading
Tsukemen (Japanese Dipping Noodles)
Who says you can’t play with your food? Tsukemen is not only delicious for adventurous diners, it’s a guaranteed kid pleaser and appropriate for serving to finicky friends. If you enjoy sampling dishes from around the world but are also cooking for reluctant diners, Tsukemen is a must-try.
Tsumemen is basically Continue reading
Japanese-Inspired Banana Spongecake
Japanese desserts tend to be a bit lighter and less sugary than Western desserts. Also, bananas and banana-flavored treats are very popular in Japan. This banana spongecake is inspired by desserts we enjoyed throughout Tokyo. Enjoy!
Ingredients (Serves 8)
1 very ripe banana
2 eggs Continue reading
National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo Japan
A visit to the Ueno cultural district in Tokyo, Japan would not be complete without a few hours devoted to exploring the National Museum of Nature and Science. Check out a sampling of the museum’s treasures below:
Yayoi Period Human Bones
(Shown above: Yayoi Period human bones)
(Shown above: Crustaceans, Bivalves, and a cross-section of an ancient tree)
Admission is quite a value at 600 yen (approximately $5.30), which is significantly less than the cost of admission at many comparable museums around the world. The museum is open six days a week (closed on Mondays) year ’round. Be sure to check the website before visiting, in case of closure due to a Japanese holiday.
(Shown above:
A sampling of the museum’s impressive collection of telescopes and microscopes)
Beautiful terrestrial and celestial globes made, unbelievably, from paper mache
The world is small. Have big fun!
Ueno Market
Japanese Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and other grilled treats
Hopping off the JR train line at Ueno Station is recommended for any visitor to Tokyo, Japan. Ueno offers a concentration of world class museums and ancient Buddhist temples, many of which are accessible along the walking paths of beautiful Ueno Park. Today we explored an open air market in Ueno Park, and we were not disappointed!
Japanese kindergarteners, looking spiffy in their school uniforms, were visiting Ueno Park on a field trip. So adorable! So well behaved! They melted my heart with their shy smiles.
Aren’t these grilled fish interesting? At 600 yen (approximately $5.30) they were a fair price, especially considering that Ueno Park hosts many tourists.
Non-food wares were expensive, but still fun to peruse. Aren’t these bonsai trees beautiful?
Dango, a traditional sweet treat made from crushed rice, was delicious. At only 100 yen (approximately $0.89) for five bites, this was a very economical snack. It reminds me a bit of the Korean Garaetteok we made here at Crowded Earth Kitchen a while ago, with the addition of a delicious soy-based glaze.
Next time, we’ll feature photos from the fantastic Tokyo National Museum, also located in Ueno. Our world is small… have big fun!
Sushi Tokyo Ten
(Shown above: Shrimp with Salmon Roe, Akami and Toro Tunas, and Rock Lobster)
Just outside of the busiest train station in the world sits Sushi Tokyo Ten. Simply entering the restaurant is a sensory experience, as a single step over the curtained threshold removes a diner from the chaos of Shinjuku Station and offers a calm and quiet, warmly lit enclave.
Sushi Tokyo Ten is a culinary adventure, perhaps especially for folks who think they know sushi. The reigning principle here is omakase, which translates as “I will leave it to you.” Over the course of two hours, skilled chefs prepare 20 different small plates for each dinner guest. Each plate is prettier than the last! At the end of the experience, diners leave sated and relaxed.
If you find yourself in Tokyo, I recommend spending an evening at Sushi Tokyo Ten.
Tokyo Train Station Bears
Hello again, fellow foodies and travelers. We’ve been busy exploring Korea and Japan! Throughout our most recent travels, we’ve logged many hours on trains. This means we’ve also logged many hours in train stations, which can be pretty cool places to explore! One evening, we channeled our inner five year-old and enjoyed a snack of these delightful, chocolate filled bears.
A bit like bite-sized, filled pancakes, these little bears are also available in caramel and custard flavors. A 14-count bag of these charming treats cost 580 Yen, or approximately $5.15. If the long line at the counter was any indication, we weren’t the only train travelers enchanted with these roly poly little pandas.
Stay tuned for more fun from Japan and Korea over the next few weeks here at Crowded Earth Kitchen.
Cookbook Giveaway!
The Global Recipe Project Cookbook
Contest Ends May 30th
8″ x 10″ (20.32 x 25.4 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
136 pages
Black & White on Cream paper
136 pages
CEK Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-0998191607
ISBN-10: 0998191604
BISAC: Cooking / Regional & Ethnic / General
ISBN-13: 978-0998191607
ISBN-10: 0998191604
BISAC: Cooking / Regional & Ethnic / General
Review: Sushi GO!
Bayview Bacon Sushi Burrito – Delish!
A new dining adventure awaits you on the Northeast corner of South Kinnickinnic Avenue and East Oklahoma Avenue in Bay View… Sushi GO!
For all of the dining options in Bay View – and there’s stiff competition here, my friends – sushi restaurants are still uncommon. There’s room in the local dining scene for a casually trendy place to meet friends for sushi and wine, and the proprietors of Sushi GO! are working enthusiastically to fill that space.
California Roll (8 generous pieces per order)
You can, of course, find the usual suspects on the menu – ginger salad and miso soup, California rolls, veggie rolls, etc. If you’re an American sushi joint traditionalist, you’ll find these familiar comforts exceptionally well prepared. The ginger salad is lightly tossed with a flavorful dressing – no big glop of orangey-pink dressing here. The miso soup appears to be made with pressed tofu, and is quite enjoyable.
The real stars of the Sushi GO! menu are the sushi burritos. I’ll confess to being a former sushi burrito skeptic, because I was (wrongly) envisioning the football sized monstrosities at actual burrito chains. Well, get that out of your head. The sushi burritos at Sushi GO! are just the right size to be satisfying without being excessive, are made with well prepared rice and sheets of nori, and are filled with delectable combinations of ingredients.
Try the Bayview Bacon Sushi Burrito! As the menu says, this gem is filled with “Crab Salad, avocado, cucumber, bacon fat caramelized onions, [and] bacon.” The crab salad is excellent, and the bacon is a fabulous thick cut variety favored by connoisseurs. The Bayview Bacon Sushi Burrito is ah-mazing, and let me interrupt before anyone gets precious about “traditional” sushi ingredients. While exploring sushi offerings in every district of Tokyo, I saw Japanese diners relishing everything from fried eggs to miniature hamburger patties on their sushi. Anything goes. Anything. Bacon? Yes, please!
Spicy Tuna Roll (8 pieces per order)
Amanda, one of the proprietors, was friendly and welcoming. She walked me through the menu, and even offered a generous sample of their Spicy Tuna Roll made with honey sriracha aioli (delish!). I visited at lunchtime with pint-sized diners, and she made them feel welcome.
Pint-size Sushi Aficionado with a California Roll
I can’t wait to return soon during evening hours for sushi and sake.
Gochisosama Deshita!
“It was quite a feast!”
Planning a visit? Check out SushiGoMKE.com or stop by at 2110 E Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Snacking Tokyo-Style: Plum Onigiri
Are you looking for an easy way to jazz up your weekday lunch?
All over Tokyo, food courts and convenience stores sell triangles of sticky rice filled with all sorts of wonderful goodies. Called onigiri, these snacks fit easily in the palm of your hand, are quite filling, and are very affordable – many cost the equivalent of $1 or less. Our whole family enjoyed sampling onigiri filled with pickles, plums, smoked salmon, and even hard boiled eggs. Our favorite were the plum-filled snacks, which we are creating today.
Onigiri mold
You can Continue reading
