2010 Tora (Tiger) Kitty - year of the tiger

Hi AlmostJapanese.com readers,

Happy New Year! I hope you are off to a great start in 2010, and if you’re in Japan, I hope you were able to participate in the Ōmisoka (大晦日- new year’s eve) and Hatsumōde (初詣, hatsumōde -first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan) rituals and celebrations. First off, I’m so sorry I haven’t updated the site for over a month now. There’s no legit excuse for leaving my readers out in the dark without notice. Last night before bed, I received a very nice comment from a reader on a Japanese Conbini photo article I posted back in November, reminding me there are readers out there who look forward to visiting my site:

Hey Lisa,
Japanese combinis rock, I am living in Japan now and they are gold. Even the 7/11s here are way better than the ones in the states. However, that oden always looks highly questionable, so I have never indulged. But a couple tuna or salmon onigiri always hit the spot. Anyway, rockin site Lisa…Always enjoyable and helps me kill time at work! - Daniel

Thanks for the shout out Daniel, I’m glad I can keep you entertained at work and your comment has made me want to start blogging and tweeting again!

Over the next three months, the city I live in, Vancouver, Canada, is going to get extremely busy hosting the 2010 Olympic Games - so don’t be surprised if you see a lot of Olympic content from me. It’s an exciting time for many Japanese athletes too, and there’s no doubt, the picture-snapping Japanese visitors will be buzzin’ around town trying capture a shot of Mao Asada - their figure skating princess. After months of troubling results, Mao-chan (as the Japanese call her) won the Japan women’s national figure skating championships in last month to secure a place on the Vancouver Olympic team. Congratulations Mao-chan!

Thanks for your readership everyone. I am Looking forward to getting back in touch with you all!

Cheers and Kanpai to 2010,
Lisa Nakamura (tweet me @almostjapanese)

Happy New Year! The Vancouver Olympic Games are right around the corner! I wonder how many medals Japan will win??

While you’re here, check out this really entertaining clip of the some of the odd New Year’s celebrators in Shibuya - skin tight bodysuits and tiger masks….that’s all I’ll say. (*Video taken from Japanprobe.com

In a city over-flooded with salmon sashimi, spicy tuna and California Rolls, Kingyo Izakaya is one of only two Japanese restaurants adorning the red-star excellency rating in the 2010 Vancouver Magazine ranking for best restaurants. If you’ve been to this Canadian-Pacific Rim city, fast-becoming one of the gourmet capitals of North America, you know it takes a lot more than just good grub to be at the top. This annual go-to dining survey for Vancouverites factors in taste, ambiance, menu variety, culinary design, innovation, location, service to even sustainability consciousness. “It would be a lie to say we’re not happy with the success we’ve experienced,” says Manager and Executive Chef Koji Zenimaru, “but we know we still have a lot to work on and a lot to overcome.”

This virtue of modesty is what drives the restaurant staff to continuously improve and impress the palettes of the neighborhood foodies and hungry tourists. “I find the first-timers at our restaurant are usually very excited with our interior and culinary design,” says Koji. “What’s interesting is that we get a similar reaction from the Japanese travelers, who say they’ve never experienced anything like Kingyo, even in Japan.”

Iconic Spin - Kingyo's playful branding

So maybe this is the answer to the restaurant’s success - a completely innovative interpretation of Japanese cuisine, service and experience unbounded by traditionalism. A Japan created by Kingyo’s vision - something unique and truly exceptional.

Located on the eclectic Denman Street just off of English Bay beach, Kingyo opened in 2006 specializing in shareable Japanese tapas plates. From the very beginning, Koji says the mantra for the restaurant has always been to be the neighbourhood amusement park - ‘We’re not chefs, We’re entertainers.’ It’s clear this statement has influenced every aspect of the restaurant from its feudal Japan-inspired interior, creative branding playing off iconic logos, impeccable culinary aesthetics to the animated staff culture. Every detail is no coincidence, instead, exists with the intention of creating the one-of-a-kind Kingyo playground. Interestingly, an element of their creative plan left to the unassuming, experimental mind was their menu.

It’s common knowledge for chefs that many Japanese ingredients are hard to come by outside the island country - but even for Koji, a veteran in the Japanese culinary practice, couldn’t have planned for this roadblock. “When I moved my career to Canada, the first thing I came to learn was that complete replication of how we would do things in Japan is impossible,” explains Koji.

Live bamboo shoots grow through the large communal table.

“It’s frustrating when something so easy or a basic ingredient in Japan is not available here at times, but it’s presented me with the opportunity to expand my knowledge, to play with new ingredients. I had to get creative, for example by using the more readily available South East Asian products to create flavours I’ve never created or imagined before.” 


Which new ingredient Koji decides to make magic with is anyone’s guess, but what’s for certain is Kingyo has set a new ground for the unpredictable and unconventional dining experience. A ‘neighbourhood amusement park’ they call themselves -why not let yourself be their guest tonight?

{Kingyo - Food Best Sellers
}
STONE=GRILLED BEEF TONGUE - Stone-Grilled Beef Tongue Served with
 “Yuzu Red Pepper” Paste and Green Onions. 

MY “EBIMAYO” - Deep Fried Tempura Battered Black Tiger Prawns Dipped in Spicy 
Chili Mayo Sauce.

AHI TUNA AND AVOCADO CARPACCIO - Thinly Sliced Ahi Tuna and Avocado Over Japanese Radish Topped with Green Onions, Garlic Chips, Lotus Root Chips, Wasabi Mayo and Soy-Based Dressing.

Koji Zenimaru, Kingyo Manager

{Kingyo Trends from the Bar}

Kingyo’s Original Brand Sake in a Bottle (photo #4 in the gallery, 300ml, $37 cdn, Made in Japan) Dry, yet smooth enough for sake-rookies.
Fresh Fruit Cocktails - Yes, we’re talking fruit brought to your table, and squeezed right in front of you.
It’s all about starting from scratch - Kingyo is focused on making everything in-house with the best ingredients. They even have home-made Ginger Ale - irresistibly refreshing!

{Other Kingyo Reads Around the Web}
- Kingyo’s Website
- Koji Zenimaru - Vancouver Magazine’s Chef Profiles
- What Yelpers are saying about Kingyo

Came across an interesting article in the December 2009 issue of Men’s Health Magazine about sushi being nutritional powerhouse. . . if it’s done right. I guess it’s kind of like the Subway diet - no mayonnaise, and no cheese. In sushi world, this means avoid imitation crab mixed in mayo and pass on the philly cheese roll.

Here are the tips they offered to stay on a ‘health roll’ (love the pun, nicely done Men’s Health!)

1. Request sesame seeds on rolls, since it contains brain-boosting magnesium. You can also request masago (fish eggies), which is a great source of omega-3s.

2. Always ask what’s fresh!!! Men’s Health recommends Alaska Wild Salmon, farmed rainbow trout, or Pacific Halibut. I’ve personally never the last two in sushi form, nonetheless, they all contain lots of protein and omega-3s.

3. For the california/alaska roll fans, ask the sushi chef to substitute your rolls with real crab meat, instead of the random fish-mix filler and mayo they usually use. According to Men’s Health, imitations have less than half the protein and hardly any omega-3s.

4. Avoid the Fryer - this means no Shrimp Tempura!?!!!!? I don’t agree with this one. I’ve always been taught anything is okay to eat in smaller portions.

Salmon Roll is HEALTHY!

Here’s their roll list from best to worst:
Salmon Roll (best)
Avocado Roll
Cucumber Roll
California Roll
Shrimp Tempura Roll
Philadelphia Roll (worst)

To see more of Men’s Health Magazine’s Sushi Health facts, click below.-> www.MensHealth.com/sushi

Love Psychedelico

Japan indie rock is where it’s at! As everyone knows, the most unknown, weird music you listen to, the cooler you are these days!

Prepare yourself for an injection of the most obscure, quirky, yoko, late-60’s-throw-back, lovechild, new-age music-straight from Japan. I have only scratched the surface, but couldn’t resist sharing!

First came whispers about Deerhoof, a San Francisco band headed by Tokyo native Satomi Matsuzaki. Deerhoof’s peculiar mix of indie rock guitar and Satomi’sunusual, incomprehensible, childlike voice captivated the indiest of the indie musical geniuses…including Thom Yorke of Radiohead!

Deerhoof

Satomi’s strange, super-Japanesey style is unmatched and unheard of on the Western indie scene. A definite favorite if you want to beat out the other kids.

I stumbled upon another “rad” band while I was buying my Leah Dizon CD (I am an unapologetic sugar-pop music lover, I can’t help it, DON’T JUDGE ME).

Less weird, more rock, Love Psychedelico is no new name to the game in Japan. Kind of shares the same nostalgic, new wave sound as some of today’s best indie acts (like Canada’s Metric or Sweden’s The Sounds). Love Psychedelico I think has the chops to make it big… underground…like how the cool kids like it!

Love Psychedelico has a bit more English infused into their songs so they are easier to sing along to…but I guess that’s not the point if you want to be cool.

Anyways, for sure check them out and also leave a comment about some sweet Japanese bands you’ve uncovered! Let’s have a Japanese, indie-rock, fight! GAME ON!

Deerhoof Video “The Perfect Me”:

Love psychedelico “Freedom”:

Love psychedelico “Everyone, Everyone”:

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are just 73 days away, and while the city starts flooding with ‘Go Canada’ goods, Japanese elements are definitely starting to sneak in. . .you just have to look harder! This is what I’ve found so far. . .

1. The official Vancouver 2010 mascots, Miga and Quatchi, chowing down on sushi. Looks like they’ve ordered cucumber rolls, salmon rolls, tobiko, salmon and tuna sushi - the sea bear (left) is rocking her chopsticks skills and check out the chunk of wasabi in Quatchi’s soy sauce dish. This Sasquatch can really handle some spice!

2. The Mao Roll - Kamei Royale, a well-established Japanese restaurant in downtown Vancouver launches the Mao Roll. No, no, not as in Mao Zedong, but Mao Asada, the Olympic medal-hopeful. The 19-year-old figure skater finished in second place at the recent Trophée Eric Bompard, 36.04 points behind gold medalist Kim Yu-Na, but the Japanese are still behind her with confidence. Here’s some close-ups of the sign they have in front of the restaurant - heart-shaped and Mao-chan holding up the dish herself, I wonder how much she got paid to do this!?

The shape is definitely cute - perhaps a nice surprise on a sushi date with a crush. Like really, there’s no better way to say ‘I love you’ than rolling up raw fish and veggies in a heart. . .

3. Olympins! - Pin trading is a big deal to thousands around the world and the flag/langage pins are a staple to any Olympic Games. Here are the Japanese ones - you can buy the pins online too!:

 

And I also played my part in bringing Japan closer to Vancouver 2010 by delivering the official Red Mittens to Japan. Here’s a pic of my grandma rocking Canadian pride on her hands - so cute So if you’re ever in Tokyo and see an old lady with bright red mittens, tell her you know LISA. She’ll hook you up with the best gyoza (Japanese dumplings) ever!

Notice other hints of Japan related to the Vancouver 2010 Games? Let me know by commenting below.

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