Izakaya-whata?
Have you ever been to an Izakaya? You should go. In fact, if you’re ever in Beaverton, OR, I suggest Yuzu (google it) and try to order as many things you don’t know as possible.
A local friend of ours recommended a particular restaurant within walking distance last weekend so the whole team meandered downtown Funehiki at 7pm and walked into a white house-looking building behind a convenience store. Well-lit, the hostess showed us to our….table? No. Our partition? Maybe…
Take off your shoes and neatly line them up out of the way before you step up onto the tatami mats. Squish all the way to the end and carefully sit down on one of the flat floor cushions while sliding your legs under the table. Surprise! It has a cavern underneath so you don’t have to suffocate your feet for an hour…two hours….probably three hours.
Have you ever been to an Izakaya? You should go. In fact, if you’re ever in Beaverton, OR, I suggest Yuzu (google it) and try to order as many things you don’t know as possible.
A local friend of ours recommended a particular restaurant within walking distance last weekend so the whole team meandered downtown Funehiki at 7pm and walked into a white house-looking building behind a convenience store. Well-lit, the hostess showed us to our….table? No. Our partition? Maybe…
Take off your shoes and neatly line them up out of the way before you step up onto the tatami mats. Squish all the way to the end and carefully sit down on one of the flat floor cushions while sliding your legs under the table. Surprise! It has a cavern underneath so you don’t have to suffocate your feet for an hour…two hours….probably three hours.
Comfy? Good. I’m sorry I can’t offer you a backrest. Okay, wait just a minute….here she comes….ah, yes, arigatou gozaimasu! You’ve just been handed a warm moist towel all rolled up like a cinnamon bun. Make sure you use it to wipe your hands thoroughly in all the nooks and crannies before you roll it up again and place it to the side. You’ll need it later, I promise.
Now, there are two menus in front of you: I’ll give you a hint: one is drinks, the other is food. Usually one person will give the orders in a restaurant so make sure you know what you want and then tell the designated ordering person. In our group, it’s whoever has the best Japanese skills J Like in America, drinks get ordered first. I hope you can read Japanese!
Ordering food is the easier part. Open up your menu and point to things. Don’t even bother asking what they are because it’s ALL good! One reason for this is because almost all of it is breaded and fried. No salads or calorie-counters allowed. If it’s not fried, it’s got some kind of great sauce on it, like yakiniku sauce. If it’s not fried or has sauce on it then it is wrapped in bacon. You just can’t go wrong there. Another reason why it won’t matter what you order: they usually come in small amounts at a time (one skewer of this, one skewer of that…) so if you don’t like it then give it to someone who will eat it and don’t order it again. Another common thing is sharing plates. Often plates of skewered fried veggies/meats arrive and everyone keeps eating until the next course arrives. Here’s a short list of things I’ve tried at 2 different izakaya’s so far:
Quail eggs wrapped in bacon
Asparagus wrapped in bacon
Mochi (cooked, doughy rice) wrapped in bacon
Fried shimp heads
Fried lotus root
Fried veggies including eggplant, onion
Raw horse sashimi (not fried and no sauce, just a bit of garlic and ginger)
Takoyaki (fried balls of somethings good and octopus)
Fried goodness (ball of cheese?, potato/starch thing and something else?)
Yakiniku (chicken skewers grilled with yummy sauce)
Cooked ika (squid)
Grilled piman (green pepper) with bonito flakes? (Dried fish flakes)
Fried….cake? Not sure what that was but it was good and had chocolate sauce on it.
Fried quail eggs
Fried chicken
Soba noodles with tuna/mayo and corn topping
Now, there are two menus in front of you: I’ll give you a hint: one is drinks, the other is food. Usually one person will give the orders in a restaurant so make sure you know what you want and then tell the designated ordering person. In our group, it’s whoever has the best Japanese skills J Like in America, drinks get ordered first. I hope you can read Japanese!
Ordering food is the easier part. Open up your menu and point to things. Don’t even bother asking what they are because it’s ALL good! One reason for this is because almost all of it is breaded and fried. No salads or calorie-counters allowed. If it’s not fried, it’s got some kind of great sauce on it, like yakiniku sauce. If it’s not fried or has sauce on it then it is wrapped in bacon. You just can’t go wrong there. Another reason why it won’t matter what you order: they usually come in small amounts at a time (one skewer of this, one skewer of that…) so if you don’t like it then give it to someone who will eat it and don’t order it again. Another common thing is sharing plates. Often plates of skewered fried veggies/meats arrive and everyone keeps eating until the next course arrives. Here’s a short list of things I’ve tried at 2 different izakaya’s so far:
Quail eggs wrapped in bacon
Asparagus wrapped in bacon
Mochi (cooked, doughy rice) wrapped in bacon
Fried shimp heads
Fried lotus root
Fried veggies including eggplant, onion
Raw horse sashimi (not fried and no sauce, just a bit of garlic and ginger)
Takoyaki (fried balls of somethings good and octopus)
Fried goodness (ball of cheese?, potato/starch thing and something else?)
Yakiniku (chicken skewers grilled with yummy sauce)
Cooked ika (squid)
Grilled piman (green pepper) with bonito flakes? (Dried fish flakes)
Fried….cake? Not sure what that was but it was good and had chocolate sauce on it.
Fried quail eggs
Fried chicken
Soba noodles with tuna/mayo and corn topping
Raw horse
Quail egg in bacon and side of mayo.
Yakiniku (chicken skewers), vegetables, and asparagus in bacon.
Fried shrimp heads
Just keep on ordering things and don’t eat all at once…pace yourself, Grasshopper. It’s all about hanging out with people and enjoying the time together…and not working. Japanese people work very very hard, more than our little 40hr work weeks we think we’re entitled to have. So, they also “play hard.” This is a common and encouraged outlet for one to de-stress after a long week. Alcohol is usually involved but you will never see a drunk person behind the wheel…not even a bit tipsy. Everyone knows if you’ve been drinking you don’t drive. Period. You call a taxi. It’s almost like positive peer pressure—everyone’s doing it! The convenience of trains and other modes of mass transportation ensure that everyone gets home safe and sound.
Anyways, back to the restaurant.
When you have to use the restroom make sure you use the designated toilet shoes that are provided. You may pass other tables/partitions that house smoking individuals so if you have tobacco smoke allergies or sensitivity just remember…you’re not in Kansas anymore.
When the bill comes:
1. Don’t expect it to be split up according to what you ordered. No, no, no. We’re all in this thing together, the Japanese way. The entire bill is split evenly among all parties. Dining with lightweights is an easy way to reduce your bill for next time.
2. Don’t expect to pay with a credit card or debit card. Cash is the way to go not only here but also in the whole of Japan. It is largely still a cash society. Bring change.
3. Make sure you have money left because it’s karaoke time!!!
Anyways, back to the restaurant.
When you have to use the restroom make sure you use the designated toilet shoes that are provided. You may pass other tables/partitions that house smoking individuals so if you have tobacco smoke allergies or sensitivity just remember…you’re not in Kansas anymore.
When the bill comes:
1. Don’t expect it to be split up according to what you ordered. No, no, no. We’re all in this thing together, the Japanese way. The entire bill is split evenly among all parties. Dining with lightweights is an easy way to reduce your bill for next time.
2. Don’t expect to pay with a credit card or debit card. Cash is the way to go not only here but also in the whole of Japan. It is largely still a cash society. Bring change.
3. Make sure you have money left because it’s karaoke time!!!
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