Tag Archives: japanese food

Nattodan: Nattou in the Netherlands

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Out all Japanese foods there are two I feel particularly attached to. The first is curry rice, which is an extension of my general love of curry. The second is the more divisive fermented soybean product known as nattou. I ate it a lot when I lived in Japan, and it’s a food which I find fulfilling in a way few others are.

Nattou is often times considered one of those culture shock foods, the thing that’s served to scare foreigners away, and although it’s not on the same level as, say, durian or surstroeming (SPELL CHECK), nattou is indeed generally an acquired taste. The problem with that, of course, is that, even if people want to try it and potentially grow to aprpeciate nattou, there may not be many opportunities to do so. In the Netherlands there are Japanese communities such as the one in Amstelveen, but it may be inconvenient to travel there.

Amazingly, I’ve discovered a company which produces and delivers nattou in the Netherlands. Nattodan is a company interested in spreading nattou as a health food, and is actually capable of shipping nattou directly to your door step (provided you live in a Dutch town or city of course). I just recently received my first delivery, which costed me 32 euros for 900 grams’ worth. It’s fairly steep, especially compared to prices in Japan or even a larger city with a decent Japanese population like New York City or Los Angeles, but it does have that delivery convenience in its favor, and it does come with a freezable gel pack which I’ll probably keep for future use for other things.

In terms of taste it’s definitely nattou. I’ve been told that I’m a poor judge of whether an exotic food is safe for normal people to consume, but if I had to describe why I like nattou it’s because it has this combination of a savory and nutty flavor which mixes tremendously well with rice. It’s somewhat known for its smell, being a fermented product and all, but I know that Nattodan has taken efforts to make it less pungent compared to the nattou you’d normally be able to find in Japan. I enjoy the smell so it doesn’t bother me either way, but keep in mind that the scent isn’t entirely gone. The delivery also didn’t come with the bit of spicy mustard and soy sauce which usually accompany Japanese-made nattou packs. It’s not necessary, but it’s one of those things that can make eating nattou more pleasant for some.

If you’re living in the Netherlands and you’re just curious about nattou and its many mysteries, give it a shot. Due to delivery costs it’s not “worth” it to only buy one or two packs, but of course it’s not a food people are guaranteed to like. So, my advice is to hold a party or something, possibly themed around Japanese foods, and just order some so you and your friends can all try it out. Call it a dare, call it a culinary adventure, but see if nattou is right for you.

Dutch-Japanese Foods Part 3: My Own Experiment

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Nattou, that Japanese food which divides families and shatters nations but which I love immensely, is hard to come by in the Netherlands, so when a friend said he knew a way to get some, I knew what had to be done. Upon receiving it, I had a strange epiphany, to combine it with another food which embodies cultural adaptation and assimilation: The McKroket.

The McKroket is a sandwich from McDonald’s available only in the Netherlands, taking the Dutch fondness for fried meaty goop and shaping it into a disc suitable for bunnery. Just as a word of advice, be careful when eating all krokets and kroket-like products, as the ragout can and will burn your tongue if you bite in too suddenly.

Anyway, I opened up my pack of nattou, added the soy sauce and mustard, and gave it a mighty stir before placing some on top of the kroket part of the sandwich. With the top bun back on my culinary Frankenstein monster was complete.

And you know what? It was fantastic. I know 99% of people reading won’t believe me, even the people who do like nattou, but I am completely serious when I say I would do this again if given the opportunity. It is a complex mix of savory flavors between the ragout and the strong nuttiness of the nattou, and the combination of the crunchiness of the fried crust and the chewiness of the fermented soy beans made each bite strangely satisfying, hough keep in mind that I find nattou itself to be a purveyor of contentment, so your mileage may vary.

I guess if you’re in Japan, you could just buy some nattou and put it on a croquet pan but it wouldn’t be quite the same. Maybe you should fly to Europe just to do this.

Stickers Can Go to Hell

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I am very grateful to live in New York City, as there is a sizable Japanese (as well as every other ethnicity) population here, and it means I can eat all sorts of good foods both inexpensive and pricey. One of my favorite quick snacks is onigiri, the seaweed-covered rice ball you often see in anime, and the thing that was translated as “donuts” and then “popcorn balls” in Pokemon.

When the seaweed touches the rice, it eventually gets soggy, so manufacturers some years back devised a way to keep the seaweed separate from the rice until you open it. By having a series of pullable tabs, you can enjoy crispy seaweed with little hassle.

Image taken from empty streets

Or at least, you should be able to, except places all over New York City decide to place a sticker right where you’re supposed to pull the first tab, and it gets in the way and defeats the purpose of the specialized wrapper in the first place. Instead, you have to now struggle with the sticker, and what was once a pain-free activity has now become an exercise in tearing the whole thing apart and making a bit of a mess.

Why do you do this, Japanese convenience stores and shops? Why is that sticker always in the worst place possible?

Go Go Curry: Going Strong, Carrying On

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Today, May 5th, is the anniversary of Japanese curry restaurant Go Go Curry, and to celebrate this auspicious occasion in Manhattan they’re making it so that ALL medium-sized curry dishes are $5. I think by now my feelings on Go Go Curry have been well-established, but just in case, if you’re in the area and have never tried it, I highly recommend you do so. It’s on 38th St between 7th and 8th Ave in Manhattan.

They’re also giving away FIVE free topping coupons on top of that. And I know that unless you really like the Go Go, five coupons is a bit much to use up in a month, but they’re great to hand off to your friends, especially those who have never tried it before (just keep in mind you can’t use them in the same day you order).

As for me, it doesn’t really matter what special they have for their anniversary, I’ll be there simply to celebrate its existence and to dine on the best Japanese curry around.

Hey, You Got Curry On My Fried Chicken! Kushi-Q

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Kushi-Q is another Japanese fast food joint located in New York City that I’ve only recently discovered. While their main product is yakitori they do have curry on the menu and the fan of curry that I am I had to try it out.

Before we start though, I have to give a warning to those who want to try it out. There are two Kushi-Q locations in Manhattan, one on 3rd Ave between 45th and 46th, and the other in the Citigroup Atrium on 53rd and Lexington. Only the latter one has curry available, but if you want to try out the stick foods then the 3rd Ave location will do.

Wanting to get the best of both worlds, I got the Karaage (fried chicken skewers) over curry.  Potatoes and carrots as well as a bit of onion mixed into the roux, giving Kushi-Q’s curry an overall mild flavor that I typically expect out of a Japanese-style curry, as opposed to say,  Go Go Curry’s. As far as I can tell there’s no trace of meat or animal flavoring inside the curry itself, and the task of fulfilling the carnivorous desire of the eater falls entirely on the karaage, which is I think the real winner here. It’s not great by any means, but still quite delicious and a relatively good price for a stick of meat, especially from a non-cart-based food vendor. Actually, it’s a pretty good deal for the price overall.

I may be sounding like a broken record, but if you’re deciding between Go Go Curry and Kushi-Q, I recommend Go Go Curry. However, if you’re already a fan of Go Go but looking for a change of pace, or you’re someone who can’t eat meat or dairy (pork and milk are both present in Go Go Curry’s roux), then I think it’s worth checking out.

Donburiya: The Place for Donburi

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In the past I’ve talked about a small Japanese-style curry shop in Manhattan called Go Go Curry, which serves a very authentically Japanese yet very unique take on the classic dish, and I tout it as one of my favorite restaurants to eat at for under $10. This time though, we’re gonna bump up the price past the $10 point and talk about another place that I’ve become fond of. This place also serves curry, but its main specialties are big bowls of rice with various other ingredients known as donburi. And thus, the name of the restaurant: Donburiya.

Located in Manhattan on 47th Ave between Lexington and 3rd Ave, every person I’ve ever known that has gone to Donburiya, including myself, has come away completely satisfied. The rice is perfect. The meat is perfect. Everything is as delicious as delicious can be, though in a way different from Go Go Curry. If Go Go Curry is like a high-quality mac & cheese place, then Donburiya is like a top-level classy diner serving the best burgers.

So far I’ve tried the Oyako Don (chicken and egg), the Yakiniku Don (beef and egg), and the Unatama Don (eel and egg), and all have been extremely memorable. I’ve also had their onigiri, which have also been tasty and satisfying.

There’s other things on the menu too, but while I do plan on trying their curry, the ochazuke takes priority for next time.