KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken ケンタッキーフライドチキン) Biscuit With Maple Syrup

Hi everyone who want to go or is going to Japan,

I'm sure that most of you know KFC fried chicken chain ,because KFC is the most famous fried chicken chain in the world. I don't know there is a KFC chain store in all places where you are from, though.
Actually, I really have one dish that I want you to know and eat it at KFC in Japan when you visit Japan. So let me show you it below.

I guess that there are a few KFC country original menus in each country, and the dish that I recommend you to eat is "KFC biscuit". This is an american style biscuit. It is crispy outside and soft inside, and looks like English scone. Pour maple syrup on it and enjoy it!! 

KFC Biscuit

In the matter of fact, KFC in the United Stats of America have biscuit on their standard side menu. You can see it on the KFC web site below: 
https://www.kfc.com/menu/sides/biscuits
However, I think that KFC in EUROPE countries or other Asia countries don't have the biscuit. So I want you to enjoy it when you visit Japan and go to KFC store in Japan. Originally, it is from the United State, but Most of Japanese must like KFC fried chicken and the biscuit!!

Enjoy your trip in Japan! And see you in the next article of the blog!! 
"The ordinary for Japanese" must work to spice up your trip!

Popular All-You-Can-Eat Shabu-shabu Restaurant Chain "Shabu-shabu Onyasai (しゃぶしゃぶ 温野菜)"

Hi everyone who want to go or is going to Japan,

I guess that most of you think of trying Shabu-shabu if you visit to Japan. At this time, I would love to introduce one of  All-You-Can-Eat Shabu-shabu restaurant chain, and I think that the restaurant chain is the most popular in all-you-can-eat Shabu-shabu chain in Japan.

Storefront sign

One of the restaurant chain (in Matsumoto city, Nagano)

The Shabu-shabu restaurant chain's name is "Shabu-shabu Onyasai (しゃぶしゃぶ 温野菜)". There are 379 restaurants of the chain all over Japan, so you can try it easily. I think that prices are reasonable, and the restaurant chain provides some all-you-can-eat menus for making you satisfied: such as regular, special and premium. Then, I guess that it is the greatest point of the restaurant chain: Lots of different kinds of vegetables come with All of all-you-can-eat menu!! That is awesome, right?? Moreover, you can choose 2 types of soup from 6 types of soup. You can see all of details of them on the following web site: 
https://www.onyasai.com/images/pdf/2018sw_menu.pdf 
Let me show you some items of the menus below.

First, it is about meats. the restaurant chain provides some kinds of beef and pork, and one kind of chicken. You can  have "Kuroge Wagyu (黒毛和牛)" in addition to other regular beef, pork and chicken when you order premium all-you-ca-eat meal, and have special pork "Tsuyahime Buta (つや姫豚)" from Hokkaido on top of other regular beef, pork and chicken (Kuroge Wagyu is not included) when you order special all-you-can-eat meal.

Secondly, I guess that it is important for you. it is type of soup. My favorite soup is "Shisentobanjan no Umakara Hinabe Dashi" and "Yuuki Daizu no Tounyu Dashi". I love spicy food, and Shisentobanjan Dashi is made with chili pepper and makes meets spicy. Yuuki Daizu soup is made with soy bean and make meat rich.  

Finally, I'm introduce some of vegetables, rice and noodle meal. You can have over 20 kinds of vegetables, like bean sprouts, leeks, sweet onion, some types of mushroom and special potato. You must get healthy!! Then you can take Japanese rice, Japanese curry and ramen noodle. You can eat them with Shabu-shabu or put them into Dashi soup, boil them and eat them up.

How was the description? Do you want to go to "Shabu-shabu Onyasai"? I hope you find out your favorite meat, vegetables and soup.   

Anyway, you must enjoy having Shabu-shabu and like "Shabu-shabu Onyasai"

Enjoy your trip in Japan! And see you in the next article of the blog!! 
"The ordinary for Japanese" must work to spice up your trip!

The Most Famous and Popular Japanese Chinese Restaurant Chain "Gyoza no Ohsho 「餃子の王将」"

Hi everyone who want to go or is going to Japan, 

The theme of an article at this time is the most famous and popular Japanese Chinese restaurant chain "Gyoza no Ohsho 「餃子の王将」". 
Actually, most of Japanese love Japanese Chinese foods, and there are plenty of Japanese Chinese restaurants in Japan; To be honest, I have never seen not good Japanese Chinese restaurants before in Japan, and I'm positive that "Gyoza no Ohsho" is the most famous Japanese Chinese restaurant in the category. There are 736 restaurants in Japan (No restaurant in Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Fukushima, Shimane, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Okinawa prefecture, unfortunately), and this huge number of restaurants reflects the population and famousness of "Gyoza no Ohsho". Moreover, The price of dishes is reasonable. 
By the way, Do you know why I'm saying "Japanese Chinese", not just "Chinese"? It is because the category of dishes are not the same as ones in China. Those dishes are cooked to be more suitable for taste Japanese have. In addition to that, there are some original dishes of Japanese Chinese food. Then, you can have those original foods at a "Gyoza no Ohsho" restaurant in Japan.

Let me show you some main dishes at the restaurant. First of all, It is a Gyoza (dumpling). This is pan fried dumpling. I guess that original Chinese dumpling would be steamed or boiled, but pan-fried dumpling is the most popular in Japan. people have it with some flavours of sauce such as Japanese soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil, or vinegar and white pepper.

Soy sauce, Vinegar and Chili oil

Vinegar and White pepper

Secondly, It is Cha-han "炒飯" (fried rice). I guess that fried rice is popular in China, and Japanese also love fried rice.

Then next, It is Tenshin-han "天津飯". It is like Fu Rong Xie (fried crab meat and egg white) on top of rice with sticky sauce (salt-based, sweet and sour-based or say sauce and dashi-based). Unfortunately, I guess that real crab meat is not used for the dish. Anyway, The dish is awesome, too!! 

Finally, It is Tori no Karaage "鶏の唐揚げ"(fried chiken). This is boneless fried chicken marinated the original sauce that the company made. So you can enjoy eating it without any condiment. Or you can ask a staff to have mayonnaise or salt and pepper for it. Please take care of not burning your tongue by meat juice when you bite into it.  

There are many more great dishes at "Gyozan no Osho". If you want to know them, you can go to the restaurant web site below: https://www.ohsho.co.jp/english/

I understand that you guys want to have like Sushi, Tempra or Sukiyaki, but they are foods that Japanese love indeed. So you must get good experience in Japan through it!

Enjoy your trip in Japan! And see you in the next article of the blog!! 
"The ordinary for Japanese" must work to spice up your trip!

Good To Know To Enjoy Ramen and Tsukemen in Japan

Hi everyone who want to go or is going to Japan, 

What Japanese food did you try or do you like? I guess that "Ramen" is the most popular in Japanese food. At this time, I will tell you what you may want to know to be ready to go to a raman restaurant in Japan. And, I will also talk about "Tsukemen". I want you to enjoy going to ramen and tsukemen restaurant and eating many varieties of them in Japan!! (If you are not ready to jump into a local ramen or tsukemen restaurant, please read this article in the blog!)

1. Ramen 

• Ramen in Japanese: "ラーメン" or "らーめん". The following shop curtain is a basic one which a ramen restaurant hangs at the entrance of a restaurant.
  
• Type of Flavor (basic): Shoyu (Soy source)="醤油, しょうゆ", Miso="味噌, みそ", Shio (Salt)="塩, しお" and Tonkotsu="豚骨, とんこつ". 

Some broth is used to make these flavored ramen, generally: Chicken, some dried fish, seafood, vegetable or pork. 

Shoyu ramen "醤油ラーメン"

Miso ramen "味噌ラーメン"

Shio ramen "塩ラーメン

Tonkotsu ramen "豚骨ラーメン"

• Type of flavor (Others): Shoyu-tonkotsu="醤油豚骨", Shrimp-shio="エビ塩", Sesame hot noodle="担々麺 (Tan tan men)" and others. 

Each ramen restaurant provides each special ramen even if the names of each ramen are the same, because ingredients of broth is completely different; blending shoyu and pork broth, blending chicken, vegetable and shrimp broth, or some broth which is made with something good blended sesame paste. There are much more types of flavors in Japan.

Shoyu-tonkotsu ramen "醤油豚骨ラーメン"

Shrimp-shio ramen "エビ塩ラーメン"

Sesame hot noodle "担々麺"

• Topping: Seasoned boiled egg="煮玉子, 味玉", bamboo shoots="メンマ", char-siu (pork stewed in soysauce)="チャーシュー", boiled spinach="ほうれん草", boiled been sprouts="もやし",  green onion="ネギ",  seaweed="のり" and others. 

Basically, some of the toppings come with ramen such as a slice of char-siu, bamboo shoots and a seasoned boiled egg (depending on a restaurant). You can add a topping onto your ramen if you want more toppings. In my case, I love a seasoned boiled egg and bamboo shoots, so I often add them onto ramen.

Bamboo shoots in red circle and seasoned boiled egg in yellow circle.

Char-siu in red circle and boiled spinach in yellow circle.

Boiled bean sprouts in red circle. 

Green onion in red circle and seaweed in yellow circle.

• Size: Small="小(Sho)", Medium="並(Nami)/中(Chu)" and Large="大(盛り)" (Dai/Oomori).

I guess almost all of ramen restaurants show the price to upgrade to large size such as "大盛り+150円". If you are hungry, and it's your favorite ramen restaurant, you can get a large-sized ramen with this word "Oomori onegaishimasu".   　 

2. Tsukemen

• Tsukemen in Japanese: "つけ麺" or "つけめん". Honestly speaking, I prefer Tsukemen, if anything. The reason is because I can savor the taste of noodle itself more.

  

  
  

  
• Type of flavor: I think that almost same as ramen, but Tsukemen's soup is more rich (a little too rich) that ramen's one.

When you finish eating noodle of tsukemen and want to enjoy drinking soup of it, Asking a staff to put some broth into your bowl is the best way to do that. Generally, people enjoy tsukemen soup diluted by some broth which the restaurant provides. It's Japanese words to get some broth: "Soup-wari onegaishimasu"

• Topping: The same as ramen. 
• Size: I guess that there is a difference from ramen on this. 

You can upgrade amount of noodle to large size (sometimes until XL-large) for free of charge at some of restaurants. Of course, you should choose a moderate size you can eat up, though. You can see the following word at such restaurant: "麺の大盛り無料".  

Today, I showed some information and Japanese word about ramen and tsukemen to you in the article. There are really huge amount of ramen and tsukemen restaurants in Japan, and each restaurant has each special ramen or tsukemen: flavor, topping and also noodle. Then, you can upgrade to large size when you get a big appetite. I'm going to introduce some ramen and tsukemen restaurants in the blog. If you have any specific restaurant and don't know what you want to order, please let me know!! I can give you a hand!  

Enjoy your trip in Japan! And see you in the next article of the blog!! 
"The ordinary for Japanese" must work to spice up your trip!

Read Me: For Venturing Local Restaurants in Japan

Hi everyone who want to go or is going to Japan,

I think that One of the pleasures of travel is eating delicious local foods, and you must want to try some Japanese food when traveling in Japan. I'm going to introduce some foods which Japanese have usually to you in the blog. But before that, I'm telling you basic things about local restaurants in Japan. Such information would help you to understand Japanese local restaurants and encourage to venture Japanese local restaurants!!

1. Order and Payment

There are some way to order meal and pay the bill/check, and I guess that you are not familiar with one of them.

• Pay at a vending machine and order (Unique way in Japan): There is a vending machine on the inside or outside of a restaurant. You put in some money and buy the ticket for your desired meal at the vending machine. Please don't forget to take the change!! You pass the ticket to a staff to order your meal after taking a seat.  
  
• Pick up some foods on shelves and paying: Many varieties of meals are on shelves on the inside of a restaurant. First of all, you take a tray somewhere at the restaurant. You pick your desired meals up from the shelves, pay the bill for the meal at register and take a seat.
  
• Order and paying at resister before eating: Normal way at fast food shops like McDonald's in the world.
• Paying after eating: Majority way at restaurants in the world.

2. Drinking Water

As I said on the article in the blog, tap water in Japan is potable. Many of local restaurants provide some iced/hot water, sometimes barley tea or green tea for free of charge. 
<Japanese lesson: Cold water="冷水", Hot water="温水", Barley tea="麦茶" and Green tea="緑茶">

• Be served a glass of water, and you ask a stuff another one each time. <Japanese Lesson: "Mizu"=Cold water, "Oyu"=hot water, "Ocha"=tea and "Kudasai"=Can I have>
  

• Be served a glass of water and a water pitcher.
   
• Be served a glass of water, and you refill a glass with a water pitcher nearby.
  
• Be served a glass of water, and you refill a glass with a water server.
  

3. A Wet Towel (Oshibori)

I guess that all of local restaurants in Japan provide a wet towel for you to wipe your hands clean for free of charge. Some of them provide a wet cloth towel, and the others provide a wet paper towel. I prefer the feeling of wet cloth towel. Some of Japanese men, especially over middle-aged men, often wipe their face with the cold cloth wet towel (in summer)/hot cloth wet towel (in winter). As a matter of fact, it is said that is not good manner. However, if you are interested in it, please try it. You may feel so good!

• A wet cloth towel (cold or hot).
   
• A wet paper towel (cold).
  

4. Chopsticks (Hashi)

As you may know, Japanese often use a pair of chopsticks and sometimes use fork, spoon or knife differently to eat a meal depending on menu what they have. 
Each local restaurants have a different way to provide chopsticks to customers, and most of restaurant provide throwaway wooden chopsticks. Don't forget to split apart a pair of chopsticks!!

<If you are not familiar with chopsticks, you can ask a staff to borrow fork, knife and spoon.>

• Put many pairs of chopsticks in a chopstick holder.
  
  
• Bring a pair of chopsticks with meal. <Japanese Lesson in case you dropped your chopsticks: "Ohashi"=chopsticks and "Kudasai"=Can I have.>
  
• Provide a pair of chopsticks for each person when you sit at a table.
  

I think that each of above topics are categorized enough and roughly, and every local restaurant combines them. So, you can enjoy finding what  combination a restaurant has. Additionally, Please don't worry about how you order, get some water and a pair of chopsticks, whether that wet towel is for free of charge.

Enjoy your trip in Japan! And see you in the next article of the blog!! 
"The ordinary for Japanese" must work to spice up your trip!