When I came to Japan, I naturally expected to find foods like ramen, udon, tempura and sushi, but when I got here I was really bowled over by the amazing variety of culinary delights that awaited me. In addition to the major Japanese dishes everyone’s familiar with, I discovered many delicacies I had no idea existed, from varieties of donburi (food served over a large bowl of steamed rice) to the best seafood I’d ever eaten to amazing regional foods that are associated with different parts of Japan. There were many foods from around the world, too, including Chinese-derived dishes like gyoza and Indian curry with that dreamy naan bread, which the Japanese eat as often as Americans eat Italian. The Japanese are very good at importing ideas from the outside and making them into something new, and many foods served in “Western” restaurants are still uniquely Japanese. One of my favorite such foods is omurice, or a delicious omlette served over chicken fried rice. It’s really good with a demi-glace sauce on it, or if you like, with a heart drawn in ketchup. If you’re interesated in learning more about Japanese food, J-List sells some fun items, including our Traditional Food Drops with famous flavors from different parts of the country, and many awesome cookbooks.
Wax samples of omurice in a restaurant window. Yes, this blog post is making me hungry.
