Do You Know Japanese food? (PHOTO HEAVY)
Last edited Fri Mar 21, 2014, 07:03 AM - Edit history (4)
I have a friend from Ohio who knows very little about Japanese food, and has never been to a Japanese Restaurant. So I thought I would provide for her a little guide to what one can find and try in a Japanese Restaurant. Many of You may know most or all of these, and even more I never listed. You are welcome to share those as well, but Lets start with some things found on a menu!!
Miso Soup
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi" into which softened miso paste is mixed. Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference.
Natto over Rice
Nattō is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis. It is popular especially as a breakfast food. Nattō may be an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and slimy texture.
Curry Rice
Curry is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It is commonly served in three main forms: curry rice, kare udon and kare-pan. Curry rice is most commonly referred to simply as 'curry'.
Sunomono/Namasu
Namasu is a Japanese dish consisting of thinly sliced uncooked (nama) vegetables and seafood, marinated in rice vinegar (su) for several hours, pickling them slightly. Namasu was brought to Japan from China during the Nara period (710-794).Namasu may also be called namasu-kiri (kiri means "sliced"
.
Gomaae
Goma-ae, sometimes also spelled Gomaae or Gomae is a Japanese side dish. It is made with vegetables and sesame dressing.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki meaning "grilled" or "cooked".
Takoyaki
Takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.
Edamame
Edamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in the cuisine of China, Japan, Indonesia and Hawaii. The pods are boiled or steamed and served with salt.
Sashimi
a Japanese dish of bite-sized pieces of raw fish eaten with soy sauce and wasabi paste. Sliced Ginger accompanies each dish.
Sushi Roll
Makizushi "rolled sushi", norimaki, "Nori roll" or makimono, "variety of rolls" is a cylindrical piece, formed with the help of a bamboo mat known as a makisu. Makizushi is generally wrapped in nori (seaweed), but is occasionally wrapped in a thin omelette, soy paper, and served with Soy Sauce, Wasabi and Sliced Ginger. There many kinds of sushi rolls.
Yakitori
a Japanese dish of chicken pieces grilled on a skewer.
Gyoza
a Japanese dish consisting of wonton wrappers stuffed with pork (or Chicken) and cabbage.
Tempura
a Japanese dish of fish, shellfish, or vegetables, fried in rice batter.
Agedashi Tofu
Agedashi tofu is a Japanese way to serve hot tofu. Silken firm tofu, cut into cubes, is lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and then deep fried until golden brown.
Uni Nigiri
Uni Nigiri is Sea urchin on top of sushi rice, wrapped in a sea weed paper known as Nori
Ikura Nigiri
Ikura Nigiri is Salmon roe, on sushi rice, wrapped in a nori.It will be served with dish of soy sauce, sliced ginger, and wasabi.
Tobiko Nigiri
Tobiko is the Japanese word for the flying fish roe over sushi rice, wrapped in Nori.It will be served with dish of soy sauce, sliced ginger, and wasabi.
Hamachi Kama
Hamachi Kama is the collar of yellowtail fish (Hamachi). It is the most fatty and juicy part of the fish and there are two in each yellowtail (one per side). Usually it is grilled/broiled until the skin is crisp and the inside is just cooked through.
Ramen
Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed, kamaboko, and green onions.
Udon
Udon is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine. Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru, which is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
Soba
Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It is synonymous with a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, and in Japan can refer to any thin noodle. Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup.
Unagi Don
Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, especially the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica. Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. It is not to be confused with saltwater eel, which is known as anago in Japanese. This is cooked eel over rice.
Salmon Teriyaki
Teriyaki:a Japanese dish consisting of fish or meat marinated in soy sauce and grilled.
Bento Box
Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.
Katsudon
Katsudon is a popular Japanese food, a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, egg, and condiments. The dish takes its name from the Japanese words tonkatsu and donburi.
Tonkatau
Tonkatsu, is a Japanese food which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. There are two main types, hire and rosu. It is often served with shredded cabbage. Tonkatsu originated in Japan in the 19th century
Ankimo
Ankimo is a Japanese dish made with monkfish liver. The liver is first rubbed with salt, then rinsed with sake. Then its veins are picked out and the liver is rolled into a cylinder and steamed.
Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish, of the soup or stew type, prepared and served in the nabemono (Japanese hot pot) style.
It consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Before being eaten, the ingredients are usually dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs.
Green Tea Ice Cream
Green Tea Ice Cream or matcha ice is a Japanese ice cream flavour. This flavour is extremely popular in Japan and other parts of East Asia. Green tea ice cream is also sold in monaka form
Mochi Ice Cream
Mochi ice cream is a Japanese confection made from mochi with an ice cream filling. Mochi ice cream is now an internationally recognized food, popular in North America, Europe, and Africa.
dango
Dango is a Japanese dumpling and sweets made from mochiko, related to mochi. It is often served with green tea. Dango is eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons. Three to four dango are often served on a skewer.
Taiyaki
Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. Other common fillings may be custard, chocolate, cheese, or sweet potato.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I missed out on Sushi Zen's in-season special with fugu, but it's definitely pretty easily had here in NYC. The chefs have to be licensed in/by Japan IIRC, but it's neither illegal nor even terribly rare.
It is, however, $15 a piece for nigiri-sushi...and I hear it isn't even that good. Sort of a stringy, chewy, blah white fish. I still intend to try it sometime, but one or two pieces with a balance of toro and mackerel 
For those who want to try it, good luck. 
Thanks for the informative post! 
Looks yummy!
One of my favorite teas is a cold Japanese tea called Mugicha. Its a barely tea, and served in the summer time. Its amazing how good it is, when its really hot. Best Ice tea I have ever had.
For my daughter. Sadly, I can't drink tea of any kind anymore. 
A platter of gyoza and tempura, with udon soup, sounds fantastic right now.
今日、ちらし寿司を食べたい。
The wheel-like things are slices of lotus root ("renkon" , and the thin yellow things are pieces of omelet. There also appear to be asparagus spears, although those are definitely optional. There are probably chopped up bits of tsukemono pickles mixed in there as well, and underneath that all is rice that has been flavored with a sweet vinegar sauce.
There are many varieties of chirashi-zushi:
http://www.mizkan.co.jp/k-plus/sushi/chirashizushi/
They are neither popular nor common.
How about uma, unesu, onomi, and oniku.
Lets go there! 
My bad.
I would post a menu from Denny's or White Castle... try
coming to Nihonmachi in San Francisco some time.
Why would I go to somewhere I go EVERY WEEK.
Japanese restaurants at Japan town and throughout the city.
May I suggest if you want to complain about my food thread, you can always start your own.
Guy who took me to the monjayaki place said it looks like a plate of VOMIT, but oh so tasty. Seriously YUMMY
wonderful description. 
Try it sometime, you'll like it.
kind of odd, since pork is quite popular there, especially among Chinese and Hawaiians.
from San Jose!I have never been to your Japantown, I heard its small but I would love to see it one day!
Hot natto beans, over rice with runny eggs is fantastic. I did make the mistake one time of microwaving the Natto.. not a good idea if you don't want your house to stink, but... the best method is to remove them from the freezer and put them in the fridge and let them thaw out. Once you add them to hot steaming rice..and add the egg on top...(plus the sauce packet that comes with it.) You have a meal fit for an Emperor!
