As we near the end of this trip, I have to reflect on my first true experience with Japanese cuisine. On our very first day in Japan, we were taken to a noodle shop named Chiyojin and told not to worry; our meal had already been ordered. No need to look at the menu. In front of us lay an arrangement of what later was revealed to be potato salad, vegetable rice, Japanese stew, udon noodles, and coffee gelatin. Like many of my friends, I was hesitant to dig in. Sure, it smelled amazing, but what if it didn't taste like the food I was used to? (Spoiler alert: It didn't, but that didn't stop me from devouring the whole tray.)
(Photo of our first taste of heaven)
As it turns out, Japanese cuisine in any form is delicious. Granted, I draw the line at tentacles, but I'm told that eel and squid are quite delectable, albeit squishy. One member of our group had an... experience with an octopus ball at the Meiji Shrine, but that is another story for another day. Let's just say that we ate our way through Japan, shall we?
Tonight, we closed our journey with an exquisite shabu-shabu dinner at a very fancy restaurant called Ganko Nijyo En. Shabu-shabu is an interactive hot pot dish in that the diners are the ones that fry meat and vegetables in hot broth set before them. I'm told that everyone enjoyed their meal, and I can personally say that the fried tofu was a tasty highlight.
(Our appetizing final meal)
I am saddened to leave this land of mouth-watering, if not anonymous meals. Sometimes, the best dining delights are the ones where you have no idea what you are about to put in your mouth. I will return to Nashville with a giant prawn-sized hole in my heart.
Helen W. Class of 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment