Another blog entry at 2 am..... On Jap Food!!!

Of late, I have been blogging at 2 am... Perhaps it's because of the video... Yes, still not happy with it, especially after viewing on my TV via DVD player... So I am in the midst of rendering again after some adjustment...

Today I had dinner with my mum at Sakae Sushi. She had this 1-for-1 Sashimi Classic thingy, so we had dinner at the Tiong Bahru branch (nearest one I guess)... We did not really enjoyed it, as we started to compare it to the Ichiban Boshi Jap Restaurant (with Kuriya Fish Market) in Great World City. Somehow we found the seaweed that they (IB) use for Temaki was better (same price), the Chawa Mushi was also better (but more ex), even the Sashimi was fresher (and I think it's cheaper, from my mum's calculation). I guess that's why I started to go there instead.

We had gone a long way since our first introduction to Japanese food almost 20 years ago... Not sure I had blog about it before, but, it's kind of funny that we hate our first bite. Perhaps it's the restaurant that we went to, but everything we ordered, it tasted the same, and it's all taste of the miso. We had never like the taste of miso, and still don't, and because most of the food that we had ordered then came with that taste, it puts us off Jap food for a long time; till I had my first sushi in Gold Coast (of all places!) years later. Perhaps it could be the cooking of those time, where miso is the taste...

Anyway, it was in Australia that I found out not all Jap food have miso taste.... Thus the adventure of learning more about Jap food starts... After I started working, there used to be a Jap restaurant (Asuka) that I discovered in Tiong Bahru and was opened by a Jap lady and her partner. Almost every month while I was out at site in Central Plaza, I would have at least 1 meal per month at that restuarant. It was good, but a bit pricy. I was such a regular there that they gave me their discount card and the lady could recognised me, along with the captain and the sushi counter chefs. It was a pity that I had to stop patronising it as I was no longer around that area. Not sure what happen to it, but it has since been long gone from Tiong Bahru Plaza.

So now, my mum got hooked on it as well - Well, not as hooked as I am... But she nows learns to appreciate it... Oh, the place to go for Jap Udon? Waruku at East Coast Park (Same car park as Long Beach Main Branch). Mother had the udon there and she loves that version (nice and slighty springly)... She also tried the Ichiban version and did not like it... Since then, she decided not to order that at any other places... Next location to try would be the Kuriya at Shaw Centre; by the same company - infact, they own chain Jap places like Kuriya Fine Dining at Great World City; Kuriya at Shaw Centre; Ichiban Boshi at various locations; Fiesta at various locations; and even Kuishin-Bo at Suntec...

The other place which I had quite good Jap food is Matsuo at Goldhill Plaza. It was mentioned, by this Jap guy that was interviewed for the Hokkaido Food Fest in Tampines Mall, in the Sunday's Life. Stumbled upon that restaurant while I was at customer site near Novena. Only issue was the place has this strong smell of fish, so if you are not comfortable with it, don't go there... You are warned... I guess the mark of a good Jap place is how many % of their customers are Japs... In Matsuo case, it's quite a high percent, especially dinner time, but then again, I had not been back there for a while, so I am not certain if it's still as popular as before....

Since then, I had Jap food in Malaysia, Australia (especially Melbourne, the seafood there is superb), Germany (eeks!) and even US. Now... If I could just get to Hokkaido, it would be great... Especially their fish market.... If I recall correctly, you could get fresh and good sashmi right at the market for a great price!

Talking about it makes me salivate again... Heh...

Ok, 30% more to go and it would be done....