Top10 Japanese Food Anime Made Me Crave
2. Sushi (寿司)
What? It consists of cooked, vinegared rice combined with many different ingredientes, although the most common are raw fish or seafood. Sushi also has many presentations, the most common being the Nigirizushi (hand-formed sushi), Makizushi (rolled sushi) and Temaki (hand roll).
How? Sushi is something different in anime. It’s not a family meal, and not something you will usually make for your significant other, or even a snack. Although some Sushi do appear in Bento, especially the fancy ones. And that’s the word: fancy. Sushi in anime is usually eaten at restaurants (Prince of Tennis, Yakitate!! Japan, Durarara), at a Japanese Inn (Naruto, Fruits Basket), or from a character who is already a Sushi chef (Cromartie High School, Yakitate!! Japan). So yeah, it’s not something you can eat any day in anime world, and it’s linked with celebrations, vacations, gratitude or even life lessons.
Did I like it? Yes, yes I did. While it’s not something I can eat all the time, I do try to eat it as many times as I can. And I love trying all the varieties available, so I usually go to those all-you-can-eat buffets. I did mention I was cheap~
1. Ramen (ラーメン)
What? It’s a noodle soup and consists of wheat noodles served in a meat or fish-based broth, flavored with salt, soy sauce or miso, and with toppings such as sliced pork, nori and green onions.
How? While I have known the existence of Ramen for a long time, my affair with it started back in 2008. It was a year later since the last Harry Potter book was published, and while that book series would always be in my heart, I was looking for a new fandom. A fandom that still had new material to give. And I fell into Naruto‘s hands. I fell for the characters, and they ate Ramen so damn much. It became a symbol of frienship and family and happiness. And I wanted it too. I even wanted instant Ramen!
Now years later, I realised that Kishimoto Masashi, Naruto‘s mangaka, originally wanted to create Ramen manga but it got rejected. So he used ninja instead, and a ninja protagonist who loves Ramen and made me love it too.
Did I like it? Hell to the yes. I’ve always loved soups, and for some reason the Asian ones have always been my favourites. I used to content myself with instant Ramen, something Naruto does too because he’s always short on money. But since I discovered there were places that serve you actual Ramen, I usually go to one of those at least once a month. My favourite are Miso Ramen and Tonkotsu Ramen, especially the spicy version.
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*The order was given by the sum of craving plus satisfaction. So the more I was hyped for it and the more it paid off, the higher it will be. Sadly, as you could see, I haven’t manage to eat everything on the list, that’s why some food could be unfairly low.
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Part of the 2012 YAMYUM Food Blogathon.
You know what’s funny? I discovered Omurice when I was younger because I wanted something to eat and I was learning how to cook for myself. There was rice. And there was eggs… BAM! HaHA. I didn’t know it was an actual thing, though, until I watched Rooftop Prince… HaHa!
I’ve always wanted to try okonomiyaki. It just looks extra delicious! Also curry bread looks like the best food in the world!!! This entire list is made up of stuff I just need to ingest… POST HASTE! It’s totally expensive in the States for most of this stuff, or the very least where I live. I took my younger brother out for sushi for his birthday last year and spent almost $60 bucks… yeah. But it was worth it because it was literally one of the best meals PERIOD I’d ever had.
Yet again, it would seem I’m the first to comment on your awesomeness… HaHA.
@Camiele, Japanese food is expensive here too for the most part. So I eat it sporadically, on festivals mostly. And when I manage to drag friends/family to the Sushi bars and the Ramen restaurants~ Specially when they have discounts once in a blue moon~
What I like is that recently there’s been this sorta fast food restaurant of Asian food (https://www.facebook.com/bambufastcasual) an hour away from home. And they have Ramen and Makizushi there, as well as other food from China, Thailand and Vietnam :D
@mirella, Oh my GAWD!!! Why don’t I live some place that actually, I don’t know, has a culture?! LAME! I mean, I guess that’s semi-unfair. We do have Asian markets that sell ingredients and treats from all over Asia (India, Bangladesh, etc. included. A lot of people forget that they’re part of Asia too). Those are usually not really expensive. Now, the Korean market… those ingredients are NOT cheap (from what hermanito says), but again I don’t know how to cook Asian food (or French food, or Brasilian food… wow… I’m lame… HaHa), so going to actually get the food is ALWAYS expensive. *sigh*
Someday, we’re gonna eat as much food from any culture we want and it’ll be GLORIOUS!!!
@Camiele, Lima is a good place to eat, though the only places that I’ve actually found that are quite good are Chinese, Japanese, and lately Indian. I mean, I’m not counting Peruvian food restaurants coz then I’ll have to list all the regions of different food xD But from the foreign ones…
There’s a bunch of Italian trattorias, as well, and I suppose there’s Spanish food – though I’ve never eaten it here. For the past 3 years, there’s been a couple of Korean restaurants now. Surprisingly, there isn’t a good Mexican place down here. xD
There’s only a small Arab food place that I know, so I can’t really say it’s the best xD
And we don’t have African food, but we make up with Afro-Peruvian fusion food, which is included in Peruvian food. xD That along Chinese-Peruvian are the ones more fused with Peruvian culture. Chinese and Peruvian culture are so fused together that Peruvians don’t say “soy sauce” they call it “sillao” with the Cantonese word for soy sauce xD
And they don’t call it “ginger” they call it “kyon” xD and so on.
Oh, you can get Okonomiyaki at Irashai in Av. Aviacion.
Where did you get Takoyaki? xD
@amy, I got Takoyaki at the Natsu Matsuri last year and also at the “Feria Gastronómica” during Japan’s Week at Centro Cultural Peruano Japones!
Yay Okonomiyaki! :D
@mirella, I need a restaurant that does it. xD I almost considered buying my own Takoyaki recipient, but it’s too damn expensive xD
@amy, *sigh* I need to live some place where it doesn’t cost you your paycheck to eat from different cultures. Like, when you have to choose between having some good food or paying a bill… lame.
@Camiele, that’s true. America and Europe are mad expensive when it comes to food. I felt it was super cheap in Taiwan, though. Like, cheaper than here. Not in terms of junk food, coz that’s expensive everywhere except States side… but actual hand-made noodles for like a few dollars. Crazy. A similar thing in Seoul. It was more comparably priced to Lima, but still relatively normal.
@amy, I just find it so stupid in America (I don’t know about all of Europe, but in London at least the junk food and the real food were pretty comparably priced)! The stuff that kills you and makes you feel like shit is the least expensive while the stuff that’s handmade, healthier, and easier to digest costs you your first-born child. I really have a hard time living here and enjoying it… HaHa.
Also… DUDE. POCKY. Best invention of a snack. EVER.
There’s a fried rice omurice kind of dish at Naruto. xD
@amy, When can you go at Naruto? The only time I wanted to go it was freaking full. And my friends also went once and was also full. Cannot go there xD
@mirella, I think their night shift begins at 7pm or something, so I dropped by there pretty early… not even 7.30 – but if I’m not mistaken, they’re also open at lunch. I thought that was less busy. :) They also have those ramen soups, and they have a special Naruto menu that comes with chicken cutlets and miso kyuri salad, which was pretty good. Order on one go, so you don’t have to wait for other items later.
And Irashai’s Okonomiyaki has gone down in quality :( anddddd my mother decided to buy a Takoyaki grill xD HUZZAHHH
@amy, Can’t go at lunch, but I’ll see if I can persueade someone to go with me at 7pm then xD
@amy, Takoyaki gril!?!?? So… where are you going to invite me for lunch? xD
Has your mom already used it?
@mirella, haven’t used it yet. We’re trying to figure out what else besides Takoyaki we can make with it.
I always wanted to try meat buns that Goku would eat on King Kai’s planet.
Food in Dragon Ball has a special place in mt heart. There’s also a lot food porn any time a Saiyan and half Saiyan eats~
Totally random detail, but as a Korean, I eat omurice all the time! Weird, since it’s a Japanese meal, but I guess I can’t complain..
Oh, lucky you then! What’s your favourite Korean food then? I am finding myself interested in it since I’ve been told it’s spicy!
I wonder if I should update this list considering I have now eaten most of the things in here!
What are you missing?
Just Kare Pan!
the easiest version would be to make a papa rellena, but instead, filling it with japanese curry xD
I have finally eaten Kare Pan! Should I update this list? xD
You should!