Furuya Koganean: Beautiful Daifuku

Quickly breezing through the depachika, I literally did a “rewind” when I passed these gorgeous daifuku from Furuya Koganean.  How could I resist??  And then the second problem… how could I choose??  I finally decided on three daifuku and one cake.

Taro Daifuku: Bean paste wrapped in marron and taro, dusted with a taro powder

Persimmon Daifuku: Persimmon mixed with soft mochi dough

Yuzu Daifuku: Bean paste center wrapped in yuzu soft mochi dough and coconut

Sweet Potato Cake with Adzuki Beans

The adorable display that attracted me! Each daifuku was around 200 yen each.

Their website is filled with pretty and delicate goodies.  If you want a perfect pairing, enjoy these cute daifuku and cakes accompanied by tea.  Being established in 1936, they’ve had some time to get it right!

Busting Myths about Japan: Sushi

“Do you eat sushi every day??”

Whenever I visit home, I field this question at least once.  I don’t blame them though.  It wasn’t until I moved to Japan that I discovered all the different Japanese food options.  Somehow, sushi is the one option that has really become popular and common in the States (although I’m still surprised how many of my coworkers and friends wouldn’t eat raw fish or only stick with the basics: salmon, cooked shrimp, and California rolls).

So here’s the 411.  Most Japanese don’t eat sushi everyday.  In fact, most don’t eat sushi that often.  Think of it like a steak in the States.  Some people eat it all the time while for most, it’s a “sometime food”.  You can eat it at home, but the really good and sophisticated ones are usually eaten at restaurants.  More commonly at home, sashimi is added to salad, rice bowls, or as an appetizer or side (kind of like adding flank steak to your salad or pasta).

“Sushi is so expensive.”

There are definitely many expensive sushi restaurants in Tokyo, but there are also many reasonably-priced ones!  When we’re feeling casual, we head to kaiten sushi (rotating sushi).  I like the one in Tokyo Midtown called Hakodate Marukatsu Suisan.  Their selection is always fresh and they remove sushi that stays on the conveyor belt for too long.  For two people, our bill is usually about 4,000 yen including beer.  Also, Midori Sushi in Shibuya’s Mark City has high quality sushi for very reasonable prices.  There is always a long line, but it’s worth the wait!  A little bit more expensive, but still on the reasonable end is the Tsukiji-Sushiko chain, which features fish that are in season but also includes all of the tried and true staples.

 

Yoku Moku – The “Go To” Omiyage

If you’ve visited Tokyo, it’s very likely that you’ve come across Yoku Moku, a French-inspired Japanese cookie company.  Their cookies are extremely rich and delicate, using fresh butter and the “perfect balance” of cookie dough and chocolate.

Their assorted tin boxes are incredibly popular omiyage when traveling abroad since they are delicious, relatively reasonably priced, and packaged nicely.  It also helps that there are locations selling these treats in the airports!

Although the packaging isn’t as sophisticated or well-styled as other companies in Japan, I think it still beats a lot of packaging in the States.  I bought half a suitcase of Yoku Moku for everyone back home (many upon request!).  In the US, a few Yoku Moku items are sold at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

Santouka Tonkotsu Ramen

My first obsession with Japanese food began in LA, where my friends introduced me to Santouka Ramen.  Santouka originated in Hokkaido in 1988.  Since then, it has expanded to multiple locations across Japan, the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.  When I moved to Tokyo, trying this tonkotsu-based (pronounced: tohn-ko-tsoo; meaning: pork) ramen closer to its origins was first on my to-do list. The shio (pronounced: she-oh; meaning: salt) ramen is their original, but my favorite is their Tokusen Toroniku Ramen.

– Bar seating downstairs at Shibuya location –

– Toppings are served separately for Tokusen Toroniku Ramen –

– Ramen after toppings are added (sorry for the blur – I was too anxious to eat!) –

The difference between Tokusen Toroniku Ramen and other ramen on the menu is that it uses slowly-simmered pork cheek rather than regular cha-shu.  This part of pork is hard to find.  It’s tender and fatty and melts in your mouth!  Pork alone, the LA branches can’t compare to Japan.  In Japan, the fat is so well-blended into the ‘meaty’ part of the pork whereas in LA, there are chunks of fat.  I’ve heard that most of the franchises outside of Japan don’t live up to the same quality so make sure to visit if you’re in Japan!

Santouka. Multiple Locations.

Daifuku – Mochi with More!

If you’re planning to visit Tokyo, you’re bound to come across a display of daifuku.  Daifuku (pronounced: die-foo-koo) is mochi filled with anko or fruits.  Anko (pronounced: ahn-koe) is Japanese for sweet azuki bean paste – aka red bean.  Daifuku is typically covered in a light layer of corn or potato starch to prevent them from sticking to each other as mochi is sticky stuff!

Daifuku from a vendor in Tokyu Food Show in Shibuya

Many of the vendors display their daifuku in large wooden boxes with transparent plastic covers in the department stores of Tokyo.  Although the presentation is simple, it’s very elegant and always gives me that “oh! I’m in Japan!” feeling.

Daifuku filled with anko

My favorite is ichigo daifuku, which is mochi filled with anko and a whole ripened strawberry.  Since it’s not in season now, I opted for my second seasonal favorite – daifuku with a marron center.

Daifuku with a marron center

My husband chose to go with daifuku filled with only anko.

My husband's daifuku

I always receive omiyage requests from my family in Canada for daifuku.  I’ve tried many shops, but almost all daifuku don’t use any preservatives and thus expire within 1-2 days.  This could be a good omiyage for very short-distance trips, but for traveling to the land far far away, these little suckers unfortunately won’t survive.