WEEK 12 - Scales & Archers: Five (5) Must-Have Meals for Japan.

Week 12 down, so that means we’re closing the first quarter of the year. When time flies like this, one can only hope that they make the most out of their time.

This is also that time of the year where I get archival posts from my socials about the trips to Japan I took back in 2018. And that has also brought back memories of the amazing meals I had and miss from Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. So inspired by the want to travel and food cravings, here are my five must-have meals for Japan.

What are your must-eats when you travel and where? Let me know in the comments!

Omuraisu

I’ve been a fan of omuraisu, or omelette over fried rice, in general. While the best omuraisu I’ve ever gotten in Singapore was and still is, in my book, from Coco Ichibanya, it still pales in comparison to the likes of Kichi-Kichi, in Kyoto. (Yes, that Kichi-Kichi. The Tiger and I stood in the middle of Expo station on my phone, frantically booking a slot because Motokichi-san’s 8-12 seater restaurant has a really slim chance of taking in walk-ins)

When I finally got to try the demi-glace-doused, soft-omelette-wrapped fried rice within the lively atmosphere of Kichi-Kichi, I almost decided that I was ruined for omuraisu everywhere else. The flavourful mix of umami, bitterness, and sweetness brought together with smooth egg and soft rice is an experience of itself. And Motokichi-san’s pre-food show just lifts your mood.

Gyudon

Yoshinoya, anyone?

I believe one of the quintessential staples when it comes to eating in Japan is the rice bowl. Particularly, the gyudon, or beef rice bowl. While my first encounter was with Yoshinoya, going to Japan opened up so many other options - 7-11, Lawsons, Family Mart, Sukiya.

Don’t get me started on the variations -

Gyudon with Veg and Sweet Onions, Sukiyaki Gyudon, Gyuden with Onsen Egg, Cheesy Gyudon (Sukiya <3<3).

Again, the mix of the umami, sweet, and sometimes spicy flavours in a one-dish meal gives convenience, flavour, and comfort in knowing that even if you’re not that used to eating in Japan yet, there’s always a rice bowl to fall back on.

Japanese Curry

This is a bit of a risk because I come from a family that disdains Japanese Curry.

“It’s not curry if it’s not spicy!”

That said, what I love about Japanese Curry is how customisable and accessible it is. I’m a bit of a spice lightweight myself, so the ability to enjoy a spiced stew with my favourite ingredients is going to be a “yes!” from me. Favourite places for Japanese Curry so far? Mostly Coco Ichibanya, but I’m hoping to try Okinawan style Japanese Curry.

Is there a particular dish from a particular location that you miss? Share them in the comments!

Shoyu Soba / Ramen

I was never really a fan of Ramen - I always thought the broth was too strong for me. But that was also when I learnt that Ramen had various broth bases - Shoyu / Soy Sauce bases stood out the most to me.

Well-rounded flavour without being too strong. Couple that with a Hanjuku Egg and springy noodles / soba noodles and I’m set.

Admittedly, I’ve only had shoyu soba / ramen in Singapore. So I’m definitely looking forward to another trip to try what Japan has to offer here.

Japanese Breakfast

I need to credit Simon and Martina for this - Rice, tamagoyaki, fish (salmon or saba), pickles, and miso soup. This was also when I learnt to love pickles. If you’re feeling for noodles, I might even through Yakisoba here as well (one of my favourite styles of noodles!)

Being a breakfast fangirl myself, I took a while to take to this style of eating in the morning. Why so heavy? However, the moment I went to Japan during a colder period of time, I figured out why. Depending on your activity for the day, and how cold the day can get, something as solid as a traditional Japanese breakfast can keep you running for a while.

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Hope I didn’t get you all too hungry! But yes, those are what I’ll be gunning for the next time we can start travelling again.

And that’s it from me! See you all next week!

Are you a foodie, a fandom, a shopping, a sight-seeing, a luxury, or a traveller with a mix of the above? Let me know in the comments!