Kyoto Foodie: Where and what to eat in Kyoto

Takashimaya Department Store Food Court: Ika Meshi (squid stuffed with rice)

Well, once again the department store food court turns up some yummies! Paku and I bought this, I think it was from a demise (出店) from Ishikawa Prefecture, it is called ika meshi. Ika means ’squid’ and meshi is one of several ways to say [...]

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Buri-zanmai Series: Buri Daikon (Fatty Yellowtail Head Simmered with Daikon Radish) ぶり大根

Buri-zanmai Series (Part 2): Winter is the time for buri, or yellowtail. The meat is laden with oil and rich flavor. Here we make a classic, Buri Daikon.

Buri-daikon is a much loved winter dish in Japan. It combines chopped yellowtail (buri) heads with daikon [...]

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Buri-zanmai: Buri Sashimi and Shiso Donburi (ぶり刺身丼)

Buri-zanmai Series (Part 3): Winter is the time for buri, or yellowtail. The meat is laden with oil and rich flavor. Here we make a quick and simple rice dish, Buri Sashimi and Shiso Donburi.
Buri Sashimi and Shiso Donburi:
Donburi is a popular ‘rice bowl’ dish in Japan. Here we [...]

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Buri-zanmai Series: Buri Kama Shioyaki (Salt-grilled Fatty Yellowtail Collar)

Buri-zanmai Series (Part 1): Winter is the time for buri, or yellowtail. The meat is laden with oil and rich flavor. Here we make Buri Kama Shioyaki.
Buri Kama Shioyaki:
Kama is the ‘collar’ of a fish, the area between the gill cover and the pectoral fin. This area [...]

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homecooking: Chicken Tsukune Nikomi Udon, Hobo Nizakana and Nanohana (鶏つくね煮込みほうとううどん、ほうぼう煮魚、花菜)

Chicken Tsukune Nikomi Udon: Udon, Japanese-style chicken meatballs and vegetables simmered in chicken stock-miso soup
Hobo Nizakana: Red Gurnard Simmered in Sweet Shoyu-sake Broth
Nanohana: Lightly Steamed Rape Blossoms with Sesame Sauce
This is a wonderful, late winter dinner that starts with a rich, bone warming hearty soup. [...]

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home cooking: uni-ikura donburi on soba-gohan (うにいくら丼、そばごはん編)

This is a rendition of the ever popular Uni-Ikura Donburi, here we serve it on soba-gohan (rice with soba kernels).

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Saba Yuzu Kosho Nabe (Mackerel Yuzu Pepper Hotpot) 鯖柚子胡椒鍋

Winter is the season of both aozakana (literally, blue fish) and nabe (Japanese ‘hotpot’). Saba (mackerel) is a very unusual addition to nabe, and this includes black pepper! This is actually a family recipe from Paku’s house. (Yuzu was Peko’s addition) We both felt that while this [...]

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home cooking: Shake Gohan (Salmon Rice) 鮭ご飯

This is a dish that is truly delicious beyond mere words.
If there is no shake gohan in heaven, do you really want to go?

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hirezake (hot sake with Tiger Fugu fin) 虎ふぐのひれ酒

Hirezake is a somewhat rare drink in Japan. It is often enjoyed by older men at exclusive sushi and fish cuisine restaurants, especially in the autumn and winter.
The dried fin of the fugu (pufferfish, blowfish) is steeped in hot sake for about ten minutes and served.
A hot cup [...]

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Sanma-no-shioyaki (Salt-grilled Pacific Saury) 秋刀魚の塩焼き

Quick and simple, a 10 minute wonder, fresh sanma is delectable.
One of the best preparations of fish in Japanese cuisine is ‘shio yaki.’ shio means salt and yaki means grilled. Fish in Japan is something that is often eaten raw, so you can be sure that generally all fish in Japan [...]

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