7.265 Negibasashi Maki

7.265

26 (Mon) September 2016

Negibasashi Maki

2.0

at [forgot the name of the place]

-Wakoshi, Saitama-

with staff

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Located next door to our hotel Toyoko Inn …
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… this humble izakaya.
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The interior was so stereotypically “izakaya,” my first impression was that we’d been sucked into a tourist trap, except that tourists don’t come to Wakoshi, which meant that this was the real deal, a bonafide Japanese pub for the locals.

Mission to Japan, Day 2 (see previously 7.264 Negitoro Gunkanmaki).

In Tokyo.  Here to attend/facilitate a workshop on childhood obesity, Tuesday thru Friday.  Arrived Sunday morning.  Flying back to Manila on Saturday.

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The menu, cleverly laid out like a newspaper, updated daily with specials.
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Beyond socioeconomic statistics, what makes Japan seem like a truly advanced country, to me, is the vast and casual abundance of choice, in everything from food and drink to music and audio equipment (two areas that weigh heavily on my mind this trip), both at high and low ends, like all these booze options at this otherwise humble establishment on the outskirts of the big city — most places in central Seoul still offer just a couple types of beer and soju.

As the workshop is cohosted by and will be convened at NIPH, which is located in the tiny town of Wako, in the prefecture of Saitama, to the northwest of Tokyo, that’s where we’ll be based for the duration.

In any other country, I might think that such geographical isolation would limit my dining experiences, but not to worry in Japan (see for example 2.026 Assorted Nigiri Sushi).

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Assorted Pollack Roe (3.5) : plain, spicy, soy — all awesome.
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Eggplant (3.0)
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Cuttlefish Sashimi (3.0)
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Gyoza (3.0)
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Baniku (3.0) : horse, marinated in a soy dressing and grilled; as with the sashimi, it didn’t have any inherent flavor.
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Hand-shaved katsuobushi (dried/fermented tuna) …
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Steamed Rice with Katsuobushi (3.5)
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Nagasaki Champon (3.5)

The food was excellent.  We had a bit of everything, and everything was good.

Seeing horse on the menu, I had to partake.  In the sushi, the raw horse — “ba = horse” + “sashi = pierced” + “negi = scallion” — was utterly flavorless, kinda rubbery/chewy in texture.  Same with the grilled, though the marinade compensated somewhat for the lack of flavor in the meat per se — reminded me of the wallaby, kangaroo, and emu that I’d tried in Australia (see for example 5.338 Wild Harrisa Spiced Wallaby Loin).  Add another animal to the list.

When I wrap GMTD, I look forward to looking back at all the animals that I’ve eaten.

MIDNIGHT SNACK

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From the supermarket across the street — like I said, I’d get so fat living here, just from gorging on the good stuff.

3 thoughts on “7.265 Negibasashi Maki”

    1. that’s quite an obvious yet astute observation! for authenticity, eat only where there’s no translated menu (maybe also no photos)

      Reply

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