7 Things that I like about Japan

March 12, 2010

Working for a Japanese company is a real plus. I get to visit Tokyo at least once or twice a year. In the time that I have worked for this company I have visited Japan, a resounding 17 times. Amongst the places that I have had the privilege to visit include, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe.

This post is about the 7 things are I like about Japan:

1. I love watching the Shichi-Go-San or 7-5-3 Festival because this is the time that little children get dressed up in the Kimono and are taken by their parents to the temple to pray.  – This traditional custom happens on the 15th of November and the kids are taken to be blessed at the local Shinto shrine and to thank God for their good health and pray for future blessings. Children are dressed up in colourful kimonos and they are really adorable.

2. I love the art of “Kampai” , where after a long hard day of work, you, your colleagues and your boss, head down to the restaurant for a drink before dinner. It is customary to start with a glass of beer and then move on to the Sake or Soju depending on your boss’ preference. I like the way everybody needs to wait to have their glass filled, and then normally the most senior person will lift up the glass in salute and yell “Kampai!”. Everybody yells “kampai” back and drinks their sake. If your boss pours your drink for you, this is the highest honour and you should drain your glass. I love partaking in this act of camaraderie that is unique to the Japanese.

3. I like the “Slurping” practice that goes with eating a great bowl of ramen.

Ramen stalls are a dime a dozen in Tokyo and especially in winter, these little stalls are packed with regular customers, business men, working girls.. etc, etc.. all huddling close and slurping their wonderful bowl of piping hot ramen. Apparently, the noisier you are, the better it tastes and I am inclined to agree. Delicious!

4. I like the fact that when entering a home, especially a traditional tatami styled abode, one should always remove one’s shoes. Also, rolling of heavy bags or items on the Tatami floor is a strict no-no. I love the soft way that the Japanese scurry around on the tatami – so graceful, so light footed!

5. This next one needs no introduction. I love the majestic Mount Fuji! Standing magnificent and proud, Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan. Along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, it is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains”. Mount Fuji is an active volcano, lies just west of Tokyo, and if you’re really lucky you can actually see it on a clear day. Mount Fuji’s exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art. Here is my shot of it.

6. I like the “no jostling” practice that the Japanese try as much as possible to adopt. I once when to Japan’s Disney world on a local public holiday. The place was packed. However, the one thing that I noticed was that no matter how packed or long the queues were, nobody in front of you or behind you “accidentally” stepped on your toes or jostled you. Even during the watching of the parade, the Japanese sit and wait in an orderly fashion. They are really polite about respecting personal space. Somehow even for an area as huge as Disney world, with so many people milling about, I always feel that parents with children can have peace of mind that their children will be safe here, because of the fantastic security system.

7. I love the Hina Matsuri celebration held on the 3 March because I am a girl and once it was explained to me, I thought it was a great celebration and one that even Malaysians should adopt! It is the festival dedicated to Japanese girls. Dolls representing an ancient Imperial couple, are displayed in houses of unmarried girls, to bring good fortune to them. Superstition has it that if the dolls are not put back into their boxes before midnight, the girls in that house will never marry. What an easy way to ensure that all the single, eligible girls find a suitable spouse. If only life were so easy!

Of course, there are heaps of other things I love about Japan but these are just 7, off the top of my head. What are your favourite things about Japan?

(by the way, if you are wondering why the cherry blossom that is like the No.1 on almost every traveler’s list is not on mine, that is because in the 17 trips I have made to Japan, the trips have NEVER coincided with the Hanami.. and so I have no photos. Imagine that.. Sad but true!

Also, if you are wondering why the Onsen is not listed on my top 7 things, it is not because I have not experienced it and loved it, but rather because I was not allowed to bring my camera into the bath, for obvious reasons! )

posted in All Posts, Food Type, Japan, Japanese Cuisine, Travel | comments(4)

Nasi Lemak Daun Pisang @ Robson Heights, KL

March 11, 2010

Nasi Lemak is to Malaysians, what the English fry-up is to the British. But whilst the full English breakfast has streaky bacon, eggs, fried or grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, fried bread or toast and sausages, the Malaysian nasi lemak has hot spicy sauce (sambal),  hard boiled egg, cucumber slices, small dried anchovies (ikan bilis) and roasted peanuts at its core and to this you may add sambal cuttlefish, fried chicken, cockle, stir fried water convolvulus (kangkong), pickled vegetables (achar) or beef rendang (beef stewed in coconut milk and spices). Both are equally beautiful to look at when spread out on a plate and both are equally sinful and bad for the heart!

The name itself ” rice in cream” is derived from the cooking process where regular white rice is literally soaked in coconut cream and then steamed to give a gorgeous, aroma of  coconut-perfumed white rice that is then wrapped in banana leaf  or served on a plate and eaten with the other side dishes mentioned above. Sometimes  a knotted pandan  leaf, or ginger or a stalk of lemongrass is thrown it to make the rice all the more fragrant.

The thing that the English breakfast and the Nasi lemak have in common is that they are both high in fat and calorific content. The thing that is different though is that whilst the English breakfast is mainly eaten in the morning in England, the nasi lemak can be eaten anytime of the day, and is eaten anytime of the day, here in Malaysia. Nasi lemak can be found in schools, sold at roadside stalls, at the morning market , wrapped in newspaper, wrapped in banana leaf of just plainly served on a plate in both coffee shops and high-class restaurants alike. We Malaysians eat nasi lemak when we are hungry, happy, bored, depressed, celebratory. We eat nasi lemak before we go out to party, after the party.. at the party, we eat nasi lemak with friends or sometimes alone.

Nasi lemak is hot, nasi lemak is cold, nasi lemak is wrapped, nasi lemak is laid out, Nasi Lemak is gourmet, Nasi lemak is peasant. But most importantly Nasi Lemak is Malaysian  – Nasi Lemak is my country , my cuisine, my all.

nasi lemak has hot spicy sauce (sambal),  hard boiled egg, cucumber slices, small dried anchovies (ikan bilis) and roasted peanuts at its core

To the core nasi lemak, you may add sambal cuttlefish, fried chicken, cockle, stir fried water convolvulus (kangkong), pickled vegetables (achar) or beef rendang (beef stewed in coconut milk and spices).

Deep fried chicken that disappears no sooner has it been fried. It is really THAT popular!

Golden, Crispy, Shiny bodies of sinful pleasure.

Nasi Lemak every Malaysian’s pride and joy!

posted in All Posts, Food Type, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Malaysian Cuisine | comments(34)

Albion @ Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL

March 10, 2010

It was around the middle of last year, that I read about a poll at the British  food awards, where the UK won the coveted (not!) title of “Worst National Cuisine” by a landslide. British food sucks/taste bad/has no class .. are all truisms that even the Brits buy into. I remember my hall-mates deriving loads of pleasure from slagging off their own English food from this and this a restaurant.. or this and this a pub. Anyway, in their defence, I must say that some of the most memorable moments of being a student in the UK and some of the things I miss most about my time living there, was the food. I miss the hearty English fry-up breakfasts, the Ploughman lunches at the local pub, pork pies, mince pies, cheese pasties and the many “on the go” sandwich shops where I could concoct any bizarre, personalized sandwiches that I fancied, any time of the day. I miss sitting and eating these sandwiches in Hyde Park and rollerblading in summer with my roommate. Sigh, I miss British food!

Anyway, what can I say..  I think some people need to put their preconceptions aside, and go back and try English cuisine and see that it has a lot going for it. One place in KL where you can try Modern English cuisine at its best is Albion. Of course they have the good old fashioned English breakfasts on the menu too. I know there are mixed reviews on this place where some dishes are better than others, but seriously folks, I put my money on Albion. Twice I’ve been here .. the first time with my friend Haze, and now with A lil Fat Monkey and the twice , the service and the food has been good. As a matter of fact, the second time was even better than the first (“that’s what she said” )

Eggs Benedict is a dish that consists of a half of an English muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce and they do it superbly well at Albion.

The reason why I like it is because the yolk is runny enough and they are also generous with their hollandaise sauce. The slab of ham is thick and sweet and really succulent with pork juices. I totally dig the Eggs Benedict at Albion. You must try this.

This homemade seafood soup of crab bisque was exquisite. Smooth, creamy, and well seasoned, it was peppered with a generous amount of crab meat. Just add pepper to taste and you’re all set.

This next dish of spinach and ricotta in a tomato base was what A lil Fat Monkey ordered and he said that it tasted like a chewy, cheesy spinach ball that was light and airy. Great for those who like their veges with a twist!

Prawn Mango Salad looks amazing and the combination of flavours makes it a great side dish if you intend to go heavy with your main course. The grilled prawns were fresh and had a lovely flame-grilled taste to it.

Our final dish was the Ballotine of Chicken. A ballotine is a piece of meat, fish, or poultry that has been boned, stuffed and then rolled and tied into a bundle. It is then usually poached or braised. Dishes include the breasts of chicken pressed between clingfilm and ‘hammered’ with a variety of stuffings. In this case, the chicken leg reconstructed over bacon and special stuffing. It was really good and tasted somewhat like stuffed turkey but more moist. Delicious.

Ballotine of Chicken stuffing

Lunch was nice. What’s even nicer after a good lunch is gelato. KL has been so hot and muggy lately, we just needed to cool down with some of Bar Italia’s fantastic Italian ice-cream. Here is my concoction. Berry and hazelnut or something. The colors are gorgeous and soon, I would take A lil Fatmonkey on a shopping spree at Pavilion to look for a dress in that shade!

THE END.

posted in All Posts, English Cuisine, Food Type, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | comments(16)