As you probably know from looking at my previous blogsite (big in japan), I'm obsessed with izakaya, or Japanese pubs. I found a review of this book on the Tokyo Metropolis website, an English online magazine which covers all aspects of Japanese culture. I've added the link to this blogsite as well. A new edition of Metropolis comes out every Friday, and I used to check it every week when we were still in Japan for concert listings, bar and restaurant reviews, and movie/CD/book reviews. Anywho, this book, "izakaya", just came out by a guy named Mark Robinson, an editor and journalist who has lived in Tokyo since the late 80s. This is the first book I've come across that is solely about Japanese izakaya culture. Robinson reviews eight of his favorite izakaya and includes recipes for signature dishes from each of them that you can recreate at home (hopefully). It's great because it's not just your standard cookbook; the author goes into great lengths about the history of each izakaya, the owners/chefs, decor, atmosphere, etc. The establishments he discusses range from your very basic neighborhood mom-and-pop joint where the older salarymen hang out up to the more fashionable, upscale places frequented by the younger hipsters. All in all, the word "pub" doesn't do the description of izakaya justice. They are so much more than that. They are the real vital venue of everyday Japanese life, where one can go to after work and unwind with basic Japanese comfort food and a couple drinks; where friends/couples/families can get together in a friendly, cozy setting and enjoy each others company for a quick bite to eat or an entire evening of drunken debauchery. For izakaya newcomers, the best comparison would be Spanish tapas restaurants, where people can gather for any length of time (unlike here in the U.S. where everything is "eat it and beat it" - e.g. Chili's, TGIFs, Applebees, etc. - you get the idea). As a big fan of izakaya, I'll really treasure this book, but I think it's also a good introduction for someone who is interested in Japanese cuisine beyond sushi and the standard Japanese steakhouses (which really don't exist in Japan - Gasp!! They're an American creation!). I think the American preconception of Japanese cuisine is only of meticulously plated sushi which looks more like modern art than food - which is probably why most people feel that Japanese food can't possibly be delicious or affordable. To the contrary, izakaya food is rather inexpensive (dishes which feed 2-4 people typically run ¥300-¥600 - my biggest izakaya bills usually included several rounds of drinks!) and features very basic, nutritious ingredients, focusing mainly on seafood and vegetables. I now have my arsenal. The next time somebody asks me to describe standard Japanese cooking I'll just hand them this book!
1 comment:
I'll have to check out that book for sure. You're right about the japanese restaurants stateside. Even those run by actual japanese seem to have conformed to the american version where you act like an idiot and catch pieces of food in your mouth. It's a shame really. I miss the rolling sushi bars, also. I remember once I was reaching for maguro and got my hand stuck in nato. It took forever to get that smell off, and now my nieces over there love it.
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