Comments on: About

By: lee g

lee g — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:18:20 +0000

Where are u?

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:05:49 +0000

Hi Kanako,
I love your blog, and I have included it as one of my favourite Japanese food blogs on my own site http://www.bonniebites.com I am working on my own Asian food product at the moment, and your blog has really kept me inspired! Thank you!

By: Kanako

Kanako — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:50:02 +0000

Hi Lillian,
you were in Kyoto! I’m in Japan now and I already miss the Tofu of Tono you can buy at Isetan department store in Kyoto station.
Even if we can’t get certain ingredients outside Japan, we can still recreate many of them!

By: Lillian

Lillian — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:21:33 +0000

Hi Kanako,

I just want to say what a great website!! I just came back from studying abroad in Kyoto, and quite frankly, am terribly missing the beautiful foods you can get there! Be it restaurant food or supermarket bentos, I miss them all! So now thank you to, I can try to make some now on my own!

Thanks!

Lillian

By: caracaschronicles

caracaschronicles — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:28:56 +0000

You know, the problem with isakaya drinking in Montreal is always going to be the taxes! The whole point of going out drinking to Izakayas is to get blitzed to within an inch of your life…you know how expensive that would get here?! There’s no way it would catch on…

By: kanako

kanako — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:14:40 +0000

AT,
I agree with you up to a point.

A true ramen bar would be really exciting but what I would really like is a true Udon shop. Of course I’m from Kansai and I’m absolutely obsessed with Udon! Kansai people are less interested in ramen in general.

You know how regionalist Japanese people are about noodles. My parents are from Kyushu, and they’re convinced the ramen in Kansai is awful.

In Kyushu, pig bone ramen (Tonkotsu ramen) is the only game in town. And I agree. But still, if I have the choice, I would prefer Udon.

You can take the girl out of Kansai, but you can’t take Kansai out of the girl.

About fried things, I am sure this seems totally arbitrary to non Japanese, but Tempura and Kushiage are never ever served in the same place. Kushiage you eat at the bar, often standing up. Tempura is for sit down restaurants. If I see both Kushiage and Tempura in the same menu, I will run away as fas as I can! It’s just not right.

By: kanako

kanako — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:57:51 +0000

Thank you Michelle,
my favorite eating spots in Montreal… it’s a difficult question.
Frankly I prefer to eat at home.
Too often in Montreal restaurants are over priced and disappointing. And Japanese restaurants never go beyond the clichés of nigiri-sushi, tempura, yakitori, sunomono and miso soup….
It makes me sad there is no place in Montreal for real Japanese high cuisine (Kyoto style kaiseki). I’m sure you’ll find in New York and we found one in Amsterdam. But in Montreal you find the same menu again and again.

Home cooking (or Teishoku style) is not really a part of that cliché menu either. Simple dishes like Kenchin-jiru or grilled mackerel never appear in these menus. This is is why I wanted to start this blog. Because you really can get very good Japanese food in Montreal but you have to make it at home.

By: AT

AT — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:50:57 +0000

Nice to see the spirit of washoku in a Montreal forum.

Perhaps you could lobby for the following:

-A true ramen bar

-A kushiage joint; our city is full of lovers of fried food afterall. Maybe it could be a place for tempura AND kushiage!

-at least 3 isakayas within walking distance of each. Could be the rising sun on Prince-Arthur…

Keep it up.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:38:18 +0000

Love your blog! I’m so happy I discovered it, so many recipes to try out! Would you have any recommendation for your favorite eating spots in Montreal? Thanks!!!