Foodie`s world

Foodie's food concern

2008-01-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

A thought occurred to me one day and I felt an urgent need to voice my concern to a friend...

Considering that I love to try new food, regardless of what type of stuff it is.... considering that I'm used to all sorts of strange and unusual flavours...

What if... what if... one day I ate some rotten food and still think that it's meant to be like that?!

Imagine me keeling over from food poisoning without even understanding what had killed me in the first place... what a wonderful prospect. (-_-)"'

... ... ... ....

What the heck, when it comes, it comes. At least I can say that I have savoured all the flavours of life, even the "taste" of death.

Concern voiced and point taken, I think my stomach can still survive new challenges.... I think.

Whatever.

Anyway, I was suddenly reminded of my concern when I sat down for lunch at the hotel while traveling around Tohoku.

It felt ok when I bought the stuff at the supermarket.

But as I surveyed my meal, a sudden flash sparked through my mind and it became strangely clear to me that probably no one else furnish their meals in such a manner...

Carol's budget lunch: Clockwise from bottom

1. Chinese Bean Vermicelli Salad seasoned with brown rice vinegar

2. Gyuukaku Kimchi (Half price because it's expiring in 2 days' time)

3. Kiwi fruit for dessert

4. Sliced Fresh Seaweed from Miyagi province.

Since I'm in the Tohoku region, I figured that I should definitely try their local produce. And fresh seaweed is one of them :) (Close-up below)

Now, as long as the packaging says 生食用 (For fresh = raw consumption), I get the stuff.

They have it for chicken eggs, different types of seaweed, seafood, fish, fish eggs, beef, chicken, horse meat, etc.

Organic food without any seasoning, what a great way to head back to nature.

Barking Crab Restaurant

2007-05-04T03:44:00.000-07:00

One certainly needs to bark up the right tree when searching for the holy grail of delicious food.

And this restaurant does has the potential to be listed in King Arthur’s search map.

You know that it’s safe territory when a restaurant’s crowded even on a Monday.

Actually, Barking Crab is more like a pub cum restaurant. Lotsa nautical stuff which range from paintings, buoys, statue of mermaids, decorate the walls.

Bustling but not too noisy. The place was abuzz with life but we managed to get a private area by the window that faced the river.

½ & ½ Twisted Tea

I wanted a non-alcoholic beverage and I got… alcoholic tea?!

And I thought something with “tea” attached to the name would be safe but I had obviously forgotten about Long Island Tea (a cocktail name), plus the fact that this restaurant operates in tandem with a pub…..

When I first took a sip of the drink, I thought my taste buds had finally succumbed to frost bite and lost their ability to fulfill their sacred duty.

Looked hard at the small heading, “‘Hard’ iced tea & ‘Hard’ lemon.”

My first reaction was “What the hell… ?” How ‘hard’ can iced tea and lemon be except frozen hard?

Then the second heading announced, “Malt beverage with select teas and natural flavours”…..

Malt beverage, hmm.... sounds like an obvious hint.

Then the ingredients provided the answer: 5% alcohol.

I didn’t want to travel back in the dark, in a daze while in a foreign land so I had to banish it to a corner of the table.

Anyway, the “tea” tasted quite nice with a malty beer taste.

A bit bitter but still acceptable.

Fresh Oyster with Spicy Sauce

When things are in season, it’s almost compulsory that one should get a taste of them to celebrate their existence.

……… that didn’t make much sense but what the heck.

For this seasonal dish, VERY fresh succulent oysters are fried in thick batter such that they looked like chicken nuggets.

The spicy sauce that accompanied it was sweet and very spicy, like a stronger version of Thai chilli sauce but with an herb undertone. Almost like Japanese curry, only thinner and sweeter.

It’s wonderful to bite into hot, freshly-cooked oysters and feel the heat pierce your tongue.

Follow it with a hot, spicy sauce and you have a fiery celebration of this season’s best.

Sweet and Spicy Beer-Battered Shrimp

Seriously, the first bite felt like I was eating goreng pisang (Malay fried banana snack)

Again, VERY fresh seafood that was plump and satisfying to the bite.

But I found it a little lacking on the sweet and spicy side. Maybe because I had traumatized my taste buds too much with the “twisted tea” and fiery seasonal celebration, haha.

Clam Chowder

Somewhere in this pict... hmm.. sorry, in my stomach

It’s a different version this time, thinner and more sour in taste.

Probably because it was cooked with celery and herbs.

I preferred 8/10 Restaurant and Legal Seafood’s hearty, creamy versions. But still, the sour tinge was quite appetite-inducing.

Big ¼ Pound Lobster

If I have to admit it, the entire food trip in Boston was rather decadent.

I actually ate lobsters twice within 2 days, more frequent than all the years added since I learnt how to spell this crustacean.

This lobster tasted sweeter than Legal Seafood's bland version.

Same as Legal Seafood, it came with a liquid made from melted butter and the broth that the lobster was steamed in.

I need to make a special mention that this sauce does take some getting used to because of its pungent sea smell.

Luckily, I had recovered sufficiently enough from my jet lag to start appreciating the taste of pure nature in it.

Legal Seafood

2007-04-04T01:31:00.000-07:00

Legal Seafood fulfilled my criteria of a place that was worthy of visiting.

My friend and I walked past it as we were shivering to our hotel.

Fishing for the right spot... and we got it!!

In the dark, lonely and quiet streets, this restaurant simply shone like a beacon with its warm, welcoming lights and crowded interior.

The queue that lined the doorway did make us curious and led to our presence within the place.

Clam Chowder

We actually ordered only one serving but the restaurant kindly served it in two cups.

A creamy soup with generous portions of clams… I can definitely fall in love with Boston’s clam chowder.

It came with a packet of tiny bun-like biscuits which you can pop into the soup for an added crunch. (I suspect that this is a Boston thingy since 8/10 Restaurant also served the same biscuits with their clam chowder.)

Instead of croutons, you get a healthier low-fat version that soaks up the clam chowder beautifully to give you a delicious mouthful.

New England Lobster Bake

This came with a whole lobster and tons of mussels and steamers (a type of shellfish)

The dish was so fresh that the mussels and steamers really smelled and tasted like the sea.

It came with a sauce that was made from melted butter and the juices left after the seafood was steamed.

Apron and tools considerately provided to ensure a clean and easy meal

It really should be good but I was too overcome by jet lag and exhaustion to properly appreciate the food.

The pungent smell of seafood in the sauce didn’t do much except make me feel more nauseous...

... such that I had to leave Nana to valiantly stuff down the rest of the food all by herself while I crumble in wimpy surrender beside the table.

8/10 Restaurant: A score to reckon with

2007-03-04T02:20:00.000-08:00

After a long evening of waiting in the blizzy, cold weather, Nana and I decided to reward ourselves with a good meal after we had reached the hostel.

In a foreign land, always try what the locals highly recommend.

In tune with this principle, I headed for the 8/10 Restaurant, as recommended by the Prescott International hostel’s manager.

Seriously, I would give it the same score (or even higher) as its sign board for very good food at reasonable prices.

Clam Chowder

When in Rome, do what the Romans do. When in Boston, eat lobster and clam chowder.

At least that’s what my travel companion persuaded me to do in New England.

The waitress told me that they had started serving this dish only after overwhelming demands by visitors. I can tell that she was rather amused by the visitors’ unexplainable obsession with clam chowder.

Let’s talk about clam chowder.

Not that I’m an expert on it since my tangential relationship with it only comes about courtesy of Campbell soups.

But to make chowder taste like well, chow-der, I presume the soup needs to be thick, creamy, stew-like with loads of ingredients such that the soup is more of a main meal, rather than an appetizer.

And 8/10 Restaurant’s clam chowder didn’t disappoint. :)

A thick, creamy soup with CHUNKS of clam in it.

I was expecting tiny pieces that occasionally surface from the bottom of the bowl (much like some canned soups) but obviously, the clams live well in Boston.

Which in effect, results in generous, chunky clam meat swimming around in the tasty chowder.

Delicious and satisfying.

Coconut Shrimp

Coconut slices and peanut bits flaked the outside of the deep-fried shrimps and complemented by a dollop of sweet tangy pineapple sauce.

Fresh, crunchy taste charmingly enhanced with the tantalizing fragrance of coconut and peanuts.

Who ever gave the chef the idea to put Hawaii into a dish?

Highly recommended for a taste of great cheer and holiday-ish mood (particularly important during this cold weather in Boston :) )

8/10 Mixed Grill

This consisted of steak and turkey tips, sweet Italian sausage with vegetable stir-fry and rice.

You get several choices such as rice or mash potatoes, salad or stir-fry. It’s a definite value for money since its huge portion just dominated our view on the dining table.

The friendly, matronly waitress was amazed at our appetite.

In summary, we were stuffed when we finally finished the whole meal. Had to leave the rice since we couldn’t squeeze in another grain.

It was a pity that we’re only staying for one more night at the hostel or else it would have been great to eat at this friendly place again.

Dempsey's Pistachio Muffin

2007-02-04T02:33:00.000-08:00

My survival tips on finding great food:

1. Avoid a shop if it is empty.

2. See long queues outside a shop? Be curious but be discerning.
Sometimes, people queue just for the sake of queuing. The food may be just so-so.

3. DO go into old shops, especially if it looks like it's been there for generations.

4. Be open to trying anything and everything.
Your taste buds may be more adventurous than you have imagined it to be.

5. Share with a friend.
Food always taste better when you share it with someone close (especially the calories).

My jaunt in America was another trip of new gastronomical experiences.

The super-friendly manager of the Prescott International hostel that we were staying in recommended this for breakfast, so Nana and I decided to head for it before we venture on our Salem trip

The Shine of Approval :)

It felt like it has been there for some generations.....

… which is always a good indication of the high food quality. Hey, it must be GOOD to have survived the fickle taste buds of different generations of youngsters and onslaught of cheap fastfood joints, right?

Homely, simple place with a selection of the finest

Simple, no fuss, homely interior, which is also another indication that the place relies on the virtue of its tasty food rather than on splashy, fancy decorations.

Honestly, the green color of the muffin was a bit disturbing at first sight. But it's Pistachio Muffin, whoever heard of pistachio muffin?!

Off-putting green notwithstanding, I HAVE to try it.

The soft, rather moist interior is stock-chocked with chunky pistachios. Not tiny slivered or stingy minute pieces but big wholesome nuts are packed into this green softball.

Working in tandem with the pistachio jewels, the thin crust added a nice texture which balanced perfectly with the moist softness of the inside.

Seriously, this muffin is quite addictive and can easily persuade one to eat another since it’s not too sweet and the almost almond-jelly-like fragrance simply titillates the senses.

Finished the entire muffin although it’s bigger than my palm.

Even the crumbs are patiently picked up and popped into my mouth, coz it’ll truly be a shame to waste them.

Btw, it costs US $1 which comes to around SIN $1.50. A definite must-buy when compared to the quality of certain international cafes’ muffins.

Munch the sugar crunch

2007-01-28T22:39:00.000-08:00

Muesli Munch: Fig and Pecan Cookie

My morning snack aboard the plane.

My philosophy is "Rather be full and happy, than hungry and cranky" which is the reason why I ate the snack even though I'm not hungry.

This philosophy is especially true when you're not sure when the next meal will be.

To sum up the snack's description, it is VERY sweet. Although it's "reduced fat", it is definitely not reduced sugar.

Diabetes-alert: Do eat this if you wish to die even earlier.

A 2 inch wide, ½ inch thick murder device. And silent too. Satisfaction guaranteed.

The description on the wrapping read "Crammed with figs and pecans and delicately flavored with orange oil."

Ok... very delicate indeed.

Didn't really notice any orangey aroma except for the sugary taste.

It had a nice texture though. Very muesli but I don't really appreciate muesli much since my last episode in Japan where I had to survive on this snack (food ration courtesy of my eldest sis) for nearly 2 weeks. Dreadful memory.

I gave up 2/3 of the way and jumped to the apple.

Again, VERY sweet and crunchy.

But I'll rather keep my digestive system fully functional during the trip, so I resolutely crunched on.

Probably will be on a sugar high after this... sigh...

Basashi: Horse Sashimi

2005-04-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

I didn`t know it existed either.

I was pretty taken aback when I first encountered it in a Japanese oden restaurant in Kagoshima, Kyushu.

Raw horse meat. Frozen stiff. The image of the survivors` main nourishment in the movie `Alive` came to my mind. I wondered how my conscience could survive this...

But apparently, my conscience had long degenerated so there weren`t any ethics to consider about.

Besides, my host family highly recommended it so it would be rude to reject their warm kindness (they treated me to chicken sashimi when I first arrived in Kagoshima).

And it would prove to be my downfall.

I fell in love with it.

雪降りの馬刺し

`Snow-descending horse sashimi`

It`s strange how frozen food can still be a culinary miracle. The horse sashimi I ate was chilled till hard and sliced into 5mm thickness.

They called it 雪降りの馬刺し or `snow-descending horse sashimi` (now this really associated with ` Alive` -_-""" )

It`s eaten with thinly sliced white radish and soysauce that`s flavoured with minced garlic and shallot.

I understood why they named it as such when I savoured the dish. It did have an uncanny feeling of snow melting in the mouth.

Absolutely fantastic feeling. And delicious too.

I supposed the marbled fats assisted in creating the sensation of melting ice.

To say the least, when I saw that horse sashimi was available in a menu after I returned to Tokyo, I immediately ordered it.

Bakudan, BOOOM!!!

2005-02-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

Yah, that sounds exactly like my stomach.

Frankly, it`s quite torturous to write this when one is starving. And I happen to be in the pits of my empty belly now... hunger.... feeling weak....

But, this doesn`t diminish my fervent for food.

It only confirms how important food is. To hell with the 7 Sins, I`m already condemned with gluttony. Pretty soon, I will be condemned with starvation...

Bakudan, Japanese word for bomb.

It`s a very quaint and appropriate name for this next savoury snack I`m introducing.

Have you even tried takoyaki (or takopachi, or tako-watever-atrocious-name)?
It`s a kind of Japanese snack where pieces of octopus are found inside grilled round golf-ball sized dough mixture.

Take that, expand it till it becomes the size of a softball, stuff 9 more ingredients into it and you`ll have Bakudan, a big snack that will blow you out of this world.

I only know of two Bakudan stalls in Tokyo. One is in Harajuku and the other is in Ikebukuro.

Ikebukuro`s branch.

For the one in Harajuku, you`ll have to turn at a corner at the hippest street there. (You can`t miss it, it`s the most crowded area with unusual stores, strange fashion and even stranger people. ) There`ll be a sign that indicates where the stall is. There`s also other food stalls available in that small area.

The 10 Mythical Ingredients.

This takoyaki ball comes in a very nice serving size. Any bigger and it would have been too much. The present softball bomb is just perfect for satisfying hunger.

Lotsa and lotsa of bonito flakes (dried fish flakes)

I didn`t know what bonito flakes were initially. But I soon found out that it occupies quite an important place in the Japanese culinary world. You use it as topping for okonomiyaki, yakisoba, soups, etc. Whatever you do with it, it adds a deep flavour to the food. Very scrumptious!

Karupisu: Calpis

2005-01-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

No, it`s not some herbivore animal`s piss.

Please.

Calpis, as I was told by my Japanese teacher, happens to be a yogurt drink that is drunk by nearly all Japanese when they were young.

It`s like Yakult or Vitagen, only that it`s not as creamy.

You dilute the drink with water so that it becomes the inbetween of soda and yogurt (what am I saying, even I am confused by my description -_-""").

Anyway, it`s a sweet, clear and refreshing drink that is good for digestion and health. I really like this drink.

And it happens to be strawberry season now in Japan, so we have Strawberry-flavoured Calpis!

Isn`t it exciting?!

Joy! Ecstasy!! Bliss!!! Yay...!!! Hooray!!!!

Duh.

Right, Calpis is a very versatile drink. You can mix it with water, soda water, wine or use it as syrup for yogurt and ice-cream.

In fact, it`s available in Singapore. So do try it, if you can find it. Blue and white packaging for the normal Calpis.

Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberry Mochi)

2005-01-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

My impression of all Daifuku: Mochi-covered red-bean paste lump. Very sweet Japanese dessert.

I didn`t think much of this pink Ichigo Daifuku at first but I couldn`t figure out why so many had disappeared from the supermarket shelf at such a fast rate.

In tune with the kiasu spirit, I got one.

I was prepared to have my tastebuds murdered with awfully sweet red-bean paste when I bit into a strawberry.

Now that was a real surprise.

A whole strawberry cushioned inside.
As we all know, strawberries have a slight sour tinge which is why they go so well with sweet stuff like chocolate and cream. Similarly, it matches the sweet red-bean paste very well too.

Ok, nothing very special but still a welcomed change from the normal daifuku.

Winter Hols Food-a-rama

2005-01-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

I finally ventured out of Tokyo during the winter holidays.

Which meant that...I get to try more food!! yay!!!!

I`m a terrible glutton. Unrepentant too. But hey, gluttony must be really important to be listed as one of the 7 Sins.

So, I should continue to enthusiastically expound the merits of gluttony in order not to let down its honorable status of being ranked as a major sin.

It`s fun to be in a foreign place. You see more things. Most importantly, you can eat more things too.

I went to Ise for the New Year celebration.
After an absurb adventure in the freezing compounds of the Ise Shrine at midnight, I spotted this.

Shellfish sizzling on a pit.

Which prompted me to buy some.

It`s very interesting.

The shellfish are grilled in their own shells and juices and when they`re done, a dash of soy sauce is poured into the shells as flavouring.

After gingerly plucking out the flesh with the toothpick, you can actually slurp down the hot salty soup in the shell.

Nice, very nice, especially in the cold early morning of 1am.

You can really taste the grilled flavour of the shellfish.
My friend refused to try it which I can understand. Because when pulled out of its cover, the shellfish`s naked appearance does remind one of some spooky alien species. Not to mention its big bluish intestines, which contain sand.

Wasabi Soft Ice-cream

I`ve been searching for this little baby EVERYWHERE.

And I finally found it in Shizuoka. Joy and happiness...:o>

On the first bite, it tastes like vanilla ice-cream. But like its original state, the bite of it hits you in a short delayed moment, stinging your throat and gently burning up your nose.

The soft ice-cream`s afterbite wasn`t so strong but if you attempt to take a big mouthful of it, you better be ready to suffer the consequences.

With each subsequent mouthful, you can feel the escalating stinging sensation till it incessantly pricks at the breathing chamber.

Cute experience.

Luckily it was only a small scope or it would have been too much for me.

Miso Katsu (Miso-flavoured Pork Cutlet)

A speciality of Nagoya.

Consists of crispy-fried pork cutlet smothered in local-produced miso sauce.

I actually liked it, even though I normally don`t relish fried stuff. The thick sweet Hatcho-miso sauce really gives an added zest to the fried pork.

Miso Innard Stew

Who ever said that only the Chinese eat everything?

Found this at a little bento stall that my friend brought me to. It`s a very nice new addition to the way innards can be prepared (other than the Chinese-style soy-sauce stewed or boiled in soup).

Mighty tempted to try cooking this when I return to Singapore.

Ise Udon

Speciality of Ise.

Not that I know how to describe what is so special about it. Perhaps, I ate at the wrong stall.

Spoils From a Day Out

2004-12-05T20:04:00.000-08:00

I gave up on my readings and went out for a stroll in the neighbourhood.

Rewarded my rebellious act with rented DVDs and cakes from a shop recommended by a dorm mate, the Ginza Cozy Corner.

It is true. The cakes here are GOOD.

I brought back the Nama Chiizu Pai (Raw Cheese Pie) and the Chiizu Monbu (Cheese Monbu) from the shop.

One thing that I`ve got to mention is the efforts they take to ensure that your cakes do not end up in a mush by the time you reached home.

Carefully placed and lovingly packed to make sure that cakes remain as cakes and not some unknown mess.

Even the little Cheese Monbu tart was given a plastic boat to sit in. Cute.

Raw Cheese Pie

It was indeed special.

I was expecting some kind of Philadelphia Cheese cake but no...

Multi-layered Wonder

It was fluffy whisked egg white on top of sponge cake. The sponge cake comes in two thin layers with lemon custard in the middle. All of these were cushioned on a pastry puff crust.

Look at the crust. Drool...

The combination was wonderful!!

Very light and the tastes blends perfectly, with the lemon fragrance enhancing the plain egg mousse. Not very sweet but subtle.

The crust... I didn`t even mind it littering the floor which I had so painstakingly swept in the morning.

I can really become a fan of this shop. Considering that I`m pretty adverse to sweet stuff, this shop must be good...

I was really tempted to immediately gobble down little innocent Cheese Monbu but remembering the lesson of Mr Maple Syrup Pie-Chou and Mr Black Cocoa Pie-Chou, I resisted and reined in my desire.

For 10min, then I gave up and grabbed it from my fridge.

Cheese Monbu

How in the world did they managed to bake the crust such that it`s deliciously hard on the outside and soft cake on the inside?

Unlike the normal tarts that we know of where the crust is dry, brittle and thin, this comes with a cake center.

Topped off with egg white mousse and cream cheese and decorated with a blueberry.

This is one unforgettable crust.

Will never be able to judge other tarts with the same standards again. Higher standards now... sigh..is this for the better or for the worse?

Whatever it is, I really hope that this shop opens a branch in Singapore. Well worth every last yen. Delicious!

Back at Kamakura...

2004-11-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

Went to Kamakura with my eldest sis a few weeks back.

Finally got down to tidying up the numerous pict that we took. I`ve got to mention, my eldest sis is a crazier food fanatic than I am.

Nearly died of indigestion whenever I`m with her.

We ate so much snacks that I`m at a total loss as to which to introduce first. But just to start at the easiest, some of the food that we sampled at Kamakura.

Chili-spiced and Natto (Fermented bean) Senbei

Natto. The bane of all Japanese food.

We`ve heard of it. Foreigners who ate it have nightmares of it. Some hate it but most Japanese love it.

It smells like vomit. Has a very strong, unusual taste (hint: taste=smell).

Usually, it comes in a little container where the natto is flavoured with a dash of soysauce and occasionally, a raw egg. It is then mixed with a pair of chopsticks till it becomes extremely sticky, with web-like lines decorating the brown, beany substance. After which, it is used as a side-dish for rice.

For this version, natto is mixed with cheddar cheese and put on top of a senbei (rice cracker).

The vomit taste of the natto blends with the strong taste of the cheddar cheese such that the two distinctive flavors neutralised each other.

It`s like two opposing enemies co-operating to assasinate our taste buds.

I have to admit that I was pretty impressed with this daring fusion of flavors.

It`s an acquired taste but great nevertheless.

Kamakura Green Tea with Red Bean Ice-cream.

Green tea. We`re so familiar with it that it`s almost torturous for you to read this entry.

BUT, I really liked this one. Highly recommended.

It`s not diluted with milk like the ones in the supermarket. Instead, it`s actually green tea-flavored ice.

Confused?

There is a difference. Green tea ice cream is green tea mixed with milk such that it acquires a creamy taste which tends to hide the authentic flavor of green tea.

Kamakura Green Tea Ice, on the other hand, retains the refreshing taste of green tea without the overt creaminess of other ice-cream. It`s really light and delicate.

I was initially quite disappointed with the small size of the ice-cream. But I soon realized that it`s in a very nice portion, as with all other Japanese food.

Not too much. Just enough to whet the appetite and leave a good taste and memory in the stomach.

Kamakura Chestnut Ice-Cream

Avoid this if you happened to be in the area. Waste of money.

It tasted exactly like vanilla ice-cream.

Bummer.

Ode to the Super-Market

2004-11-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

I love the supermarket.

They`re a wonderful therapeutic treatment for all situations. It`s always mentally comforting to see such a huge assortment of food, waiting patiently in their niche for you to pick them.

You can stay in the supermarket for as long as you like to absorb all the wondrous sights without fear of being bothered by the nosy salesgirl.

Furthermore, there`s always new flavours for you to try, which I personally find is a huge stimulant to my curious belly. I love to try different food, the stranger, the better and I`m open to eating ANYTHING (except for live creatures).

Of course I don`t go ballistic and buy every new or unusual food that I set my eyes upon. I have high integrity, great discipline and self -restraint.

I choose things very selectively.

I choose only the cheap items.

Haha, got ya!

Duh. Whatever.

Anyway, I decided to venture into new frontiers and supplement my occasional atrocious diet of instant noodles with exotic side dishes other than canned food, fish sticks, ham or snacks.

So I bought a set of vinegar-seasoned...erm...seaweed?

Whatever it is, I have absolutely no idea whether it`s meant to be eaten directly or cooked. But since it`s already pickled with vinegar, it should be safe to eat it straight from the packet. And as it`s sitting merrily in the seaweed section, I shall assumed that it`s a type of seaweed. The Japanese called it mozuku.

I opened a packet, took a whiff.

Smells vinegarish.

Gingerly picked some shreds up and slurped it down.

It tastes...nice!!

It`s a bit slimy. I dislike soft, slimy food but I like seaweed. What a dilemma. Although the vinegar was a little too much for my liking, I still enjoyed the little treat.

I was contemplating on how to finish the final strands swimming in the vinegar and figured that my loaf of multi-grained bread would go very nicely with the vinegar.

Unfortunately, as I got up to get my bread, I accidentally spilled the container.

Darn...

Combini Food: The Piggy Strikes Back

2004-11-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

The hilarious piggy bun at the Sunkus combini.

I was feeling sorry for the little guy when its insides started flowing out after I took a chomp out of its belly.

That is, until the little dweeb splattered its oily innards all over my hair and jacket. Every ounce of sympathy was immediately quenched by this defiant gesture.

I decided to condemn it to the deepest depths of my stomach.

Evil should be imprisoned where evil should. In this case, in my digestive tract.

Combini Food: Episode 1

2004-11-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Japanese convenience stores are wonderful places.

They`re like a Roald Dahl`s creation, a Willy-Wonkaish factory full of mysterious treats sitting neatly in their compartments, waiting to jump out at you and persuade you to eat them.

I encountered some of my most interesting meals in the combini (Japanese for convenience stores)

The utterly tempting Buta-man, aka meat bun. (Actually, the counter staff passed the wrong bun to me. Wanted to try another variety but what the heck, food is food, especially when you`re famish, then food becomes good food.)

I was pleasantly surprised by the filling inside it. Chunky meat cubes and bamboo shoot pieces, slices of mushroom and cabbage encased in a snowy-white, fluffy blanket.

It`s like a miniature meal in itself.

On a cold morning, you prepare to eat it by putting it in your palms to absorb the heat. Somehow it increases the comforting taste of the bun.

It simply warms you on the outside and inside.

There`s another wonderful invention that`s a clear representation of the Japanese innovativeness: Pizza-man or pizza filling in a bun (not the brown Western type but the soft, white Chinese concoction).

When you peel the bun apart, the cheese just strings across it, desperately dangling in mid-air. It`s really fun.

Like watching food gymnastics.

As for the taste...hmmm...interesting. Melting cheese, infused with the sweet taste of tomato sauce and delicately supported by the gentle white bun, brings to mind a fusion of the flavours of the East and West.

Interesting.

Pie-Chou: Custard Puff

2004-10-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

I took a risk and went on a date with Mr Maple-syrup flavored Pie-Chou today.

It`s like a custard puff only that it`s much bigger, around the size of a palm, with fresh cream pumped into it.

You can taste the fragrant maple-syrup lingering in the cream. The fragrance just wells up in your throat as soon as you swallow the cream.

I`m not a big fan of cream and mousse but I decided to forgive this dessert on the account that it was successful in wooing me with its subtle maple-syrup advances.

Unfortunately, I repeated the same mistake as I did with little Ms Green Japanese Okashi.

Ate it with its black companion, Mr Black Cocoa Pie-Chou. Overdose of sweet stuff. Needed to flush my stomach out.

It is not true. Too much of a good thing can kill.

At least the gastronomic appreciation of it.

Japanese Okashi (snacks)

2004-10-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that I got a thing against sweet stuff?

Hate the way the sugar just sticks to my teeth and corrode my taste buds.

I do eat dessert, but only when I`m really stressed and need to vent my frustrations. As I torture myself with exceedingly sweet food, my mood just gets increasingly worse until I`m finally exhausted and have no energy to mantain my angry mood.

Another way to get me to eat sweet stuff is if the food belongs in my category of `strange food`. Then I might consider a masochistic consumption of the item.

I saw the adorable green rotund bun sitting serenely in a corner on the pastry shelf and decided to get acquainted with it.

Its speckled green outfit just sets it apart from the rest and I was highly interested in learning more about this unusual little thing.

So I grabbed it, cuddled it in my palms and joyfully escorted it out of the supermarket (I paid for it, in case you`re wondering).

It didn`t disappoint me.

Its appearance speaks of new things to come and I was overwhelmed by the strangeness of its taste.

Grass. The taste of grass just floods my mouth. (Believe me, I know how grass tastes coz I chewed on them before.) And it was bulging with sweetened red bean filling.

I nearly died.

I really am not doing justice to this snack here.

Truely, it is nice. It`s just that my prejudice against sweet stuff just numbed my senses to any other overtures of the pleasant green okashi. Not to mention its brown companion who followed us out of the supermarket.

I decided to end my ordeal after forcing down half of the 2nd bun. One and a half sweetened red-bean stuffed Japanese buns are enough to kill all my taste buds.

I needed to recuperate and decided to head back to my dorm for some good`ol instant noodles.

Green Tea Cereals

2004-10-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

People who know me well enough will know that I won`t be able to resist this. It just screams out "Strange food! Eat me!!" which, naturally, I did.

It tastes great! Like...cereals with green tea. Duh.

The green tea is actually mixed with the wheat and baked into cereal so the distinctive taste of green tea is blended with the sunny flavor of cereals.

Too bad I didn`t have milk with me. Would be interesting to find out how the taste will turn out. Imagine, green tea with milk and cereals. Like coffee with honey and almond bits, seems strange at first but the taste might just work out.

Konnyaku Slice in Thick Miso Sauce

2004-10-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

Like chee cheong fun but much chunkier and more chewy. The thick miso sauce is almost exactly like chee cheong fun sauce.

Does this mean that human beings` taste buds have the same preference despite location and culture? Whatever.

For your info: konnyaku is a type of hard jelly made from yam.

Tofu Soft Ice-cream

2004-10-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

Imagine tofu mashed into an extremely fine paste, sweetened and frozen. There is none of the cloyingly sweet taste of vanilla ice-cream.

Instead, the wonderful fragrance of tofu just fills your mouth. (If you think tofu is tasteless, you`re very much mistaken. Tofu has a very gentle hint of soybeans in it.)

The fresh taste of tofu lingers on your taste buds. It`s so light that it doesn`t feel sinful at all to be eating this dessert.

I tend to avoid sweet stuff but this ice-cream just cries out to be nestled in my stomach. So I kindly obliged its pleas.

Because I seldom eat sweet stuff, much less ice-cream, the cold tofu dessert induced a short coughing fit in me.

Instant ramen aka instant noodles

2004-10-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Instant noodles.

I have to profess that I kinda like them. They`re a wonderfully simple way to settle a meal.

Of course they`re MSG-loaded and really, really bad for your health but I`m really taken with the variety of flavors they offer.

From the way I consume them (I will try almost all the new flavors that come out in the market), I figured that my well-preserved, MSG-loaded body will be the last one standing in the event of an astronomical catastrophe.

Instant noodles are essentially very cheap fast food. Manufacturers usually put only the bare essentials inside an instant noodle cup. Noodles, soup base, oil flavoring, minute slivers of garnishes and ingredients. Simple and fuss free.

I have to come to regard instant noodles as merely a form of subsistence until the next meal comes along.

That is until I tried the Japanese instant noodles.

It`s cheerful, almost touching to see how every effort is taken to ensure that the humble instant noodle becomes an enjoyable meal to the cash-strapped and hurried.

There are little surprises hidden in the practical styrofoam bowl. Little touches to warm the belly and the soul.

Dried fish cakes molded into the shape of sakura flowers...

...or little piggy faces.

There`s even clear instructions and a little drain constructed in a corner of the utensil to allow hot water to be poured away.

All in the good grace of ensuring that a cheap meal is still a fulfilling meal. Gastronomically, aesthetically and emotionally-wise.

Canned Horse Meat n Whale Meat

2004-10-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

Canned horse meat: Tasted like soft beef jerky in sweet BBQ gravy.

Canned whale meat: Was the manufacturer trying to cheat me ?! coz it tasted almost exactly like the canned horse meat even though I bought a different brand. Did like the gristle parts in it though.

Can you tell the difference?

Clue: Left - you can ride it. Right - it can crush you.

Sour-plum flavoured Pretzel sticks n Seaweed

2004-10-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

Tried a packet of plum salt-flavoured pretzel sticks which I bought from a 100yen shop.

It was actually quite appetizing.

You know those purplish-pink sliced pickles that you always get when you buy a Japanese bento? Imagine it dried and ground into fine powder, then sprinkled liberally over pretzel sticks and you get a wonderful crunchy snack that`s a bit salty with a tangy taste of sour plums. An interesting symphony that perks up your senses.

Another snack that I bought some time ago are thick slices of seaweed seasoned with plum juice. Sour but with a zesty feel to it. The seaweed has a chewy texture that creates a delicate balance with the sharp sourness of the plum juice. Interesting.

And no, people, I am not pregnant. I just happened to buy sour plum flavoured snacks.