Guest viewing is limited

Where would you go when you miss your home country's food?

I go to my kitchen. Fortunately my mother taught me how to cook all the family foods before I moved out for university.

Which is a good thing, because I've never seen welsh cakes for sale anywhere in Japan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Manami TMK, Unhurried Harry and AliceInWonderland
meiji said:
American food of all kinds is relatively easy to find -- the stuff I usually miss is Mexican or BBQ or breakfast-type food -- it's just not cheap.
Click to expand...

ShowaJidai said:
For me "food from home" means Mexican. I have done some serious research but haven't found any place that's authentic - at least not for the regional cuisine I grew up with La Jolla in Hiro is about as close as it comes - the owner-chef has agreements with farmers in the hinterlands who grow some ingredients which aren't available otherwise.
Click to expand...

Well, Washington State us not my home state, however, I just returned from a trip there.

I warned my family when I was planning the trip that we would be eating Mexican food almost every day. They, reluctantly, went along-as if they had a choice.:p

After a few days, they were protesting; "We hate rice and beans!" "It all tastes the same!"

So, I placated them and ordered from the appetizer menu. That worked-except, I began to agree with them.
The rice and beans sucked! The food did, indeed, all taste the same. I began to suspect that I was eating reheated frozen entrees.

I really don't know where I came up with this, but one of the main dishes I use to judge a Mexican restaurant is their Chile Relleno. To tell the truth, it's not even close to being my favorite Mexican dish. However, I've discovered that if the Chile Rellenos are good, so is the restaurant. Every single one I tried this trip was bland and flat.

Two years ago I stumbled upon a true hidden gem, even though they do not serve Chile Rellenos. It's near hotel row of SeaTac in Seattle and called Taqueria Jacarandas.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/taqueria-jacarandas-seatac

It's a small hole in the wall :devil:, nothing fancy. But each bite-whatever you order, is so tasty and distinctive. They use fresh ingredients, not the processed, blandness of the other places we went.

So, now that I have retired, I plan to learn how to cook tasty Mexican food-a worthy goal, indeed.

I planted and am now growing jalapeño chili peppers, poblanos, tomatillos, tomatoes, and cilantro. All are doing well, now, especially the jalapeños. No, the cilantro looks ragged. I believe the weather is too hot for cilantro. I'll get the herbs and spices from Costco.

So, I guess the answer to the question is that I am still on a quest for good Mexican food in Japan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lukes, ShowaJidai, AliceInWonderland and 1 other person
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Luckily for me I know how to cook and make everything from scratch from Puerto Rican food to American and Mexican food as well. The thing is that some ingredients are expensive especially butter and cheese
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland and MikeH
Manny said:
The thing is that some ingredients are expensive especially butter and cheese
Click to expand...
Not just expensive but often impossible to find. Masa Harina, fresh or even dried chiles, Tomatillos. I can see why Roots Reggae has resorted to growing his own. I have to resort to ordering canned Tomatillos by the case from FBC. I haven't done it in a while and I'm not sure if they even carry them any more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland and Manny
I cannot find yuka and platanos so that I can make Sankocho. It's been over 10 years since I've had that. I'm just glad there's cilantro here so that I can make sofrito. I use fbcusa to order Goya seasonings. It takes 42 days to receive it but it's better than nothing
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland and MikeH
Manny said:
I cannot find yuka and platanos so that I can make Sankocho. It's been over 10 years since I've had that. I'm just glad there's cilantro here so that I can make sofrito. I use fbcusa to order Goya seasonings. It takes 42 days to receive it but it's better than nothing
Click to expand...

That sounds interesting. If I only knew what language was that I could try to hire a professional translator to explain to me what you wrote. :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Manny said:
...I can make Sankocho...
Click to expand...
I think you may have confused them with the "k" since Spanish doesn't have one. I thought Sancocho was a Columbian dish. I don't have much knowledge beyond Mexican and a couple Spanish dishes. Sounds like you have a well-travelled palette.
 
You're definitely right on the spelling. I'm half Puerto Rican, half Dominican and my grandmother made it for me every winter when I was a kid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ShowaJidai
I went to two Moroccan restaurants in Japan and I was disappointed, I can make better Tajin and my wife has become even better at it so my answer to the thread's question is home.
 
  • Like
Reactions: roots reggae
I've never even seen our staple ingredients sold even in specialty stores but I don't hold any particular attachment to my cultural cuisine, so it works out.

Besides it made me fat, whereas in Japan I have to pack clothes a size too small because I will invariably need it before I return home. I can't wait till I return.
 
Hofmeyer said:
I've never even seen our staple ingredients sold even in specialty stores but I don't hold any particular attachment to my cultural cuisine, so it works out.
Click to expand...

Let me guess... you're a Brit right? :)
 
namae said:
He is not a Brit..... National Azabu supa has baked beans.
Click to expand...

Good point ... any other country where staple ingredients make you fat and are not easily found in Tokyo? Austria? (Can't find any decent SocherTorte here...)
 
namae said:
Probably anywhere south of Canada in the "Americas"...but let's not "out" the Hoff...he seems like a solid guy.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can understand . South of Canada... hard place... tough luck... some people were not born under a good star, they deserve our compassion :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH and namae
Theres a list of stuff as long as my leg that I can't get or can't get the right version and thats even with the various import markets and amazon.

meiji said:
American food of all kinds is relatively easy to find
Click to expand...

Yeah but most of it seems to lack flavor due to reasons below. All beef hotdogs? Spicy beef sausage? White girts? Simple things like that just can't be had here unless you have a connection with a military base.

ShowaJidai said:
Every time I've checked there wasn't an actual Mexican in the kitchen. No Mexican staff on the floor.
Click to expand...

Maybe there used to be. Local businesses are notorious for starting out with the nationality in question but later getting rid of them.

ShowaJidai said:
So they modify the flavors to something easier to market.
Click to expand...

Either that or go out of business.

MikeH said:
Isn't that same problem with pretty much all ethnic restaurants all over the world?
Click to expand...

In NYC you can always get the real thing, you just gotta know where to go.

numega said:
Donuts: Krispy Kreme
Click to expand...

When I first saw the newswire announcement that the local management company was bringing over Krispy Kreme, I called them up and talked to the boss there and literally threatened his life if they changed the flavor of the donuts for the basics. Told him it was OK to serve some weird local flavors but on pain of torture and death that the regular donuts must not be changed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH
TheScientist said:
When I first saw the newswire announcement that the local management company was bringing over Krispy Kreme, I called them up and talked to the boss there and literally threatened his life if they changed the flavor of the donuts for the basics. Told him it was OK to serve some weird local flavors but on pain of torture and death that the regular donuts must not be changed.
Click to expand...

I am amazed they are still surviving in Japan. Looks like they are struggling. They closed their debut store - Shinjuku South Tce. I noticed they sell them at National Azabu supermarket. Signs that the business model has been under "review".

You must have been in your ....40s.... when you made these threats? Life is too short- give peace a chance.(y)
 
TheScientist said:
Theres a list of stuff as long as my leg that I can't get or can't get the right version and thats even with the various import markets and amazon.

Yeah but most of it seems to lack flavor due to reasons below. All beef hotdogs? Spicy beef sausage? White girts? Simple things like that just can't be had here unless you have a connection with a military base.
Click to expand...

Have you tried Costco? Yeah, I know that you have to have a big refrigerator/freezer for many of their perishables. Maybe you can shop with a friend and split the booty.

http://www.costco.co.jp/p/locations?lang=en

One problem for me is that they only honor Master Card and American Express. Mine is a Visa. I really don't like credit cards that much and only have one that I use pretty much like a debit card.

This week I went and brought along ¥ 35,000. Thought that was enough until the cashier totaled the quarter-filled cart at just over ¥ 40,000. I stood there wondering what to do until she told me to use the ATM, a few meters away. Luckily, no crowds that day so I wasn't too embarrassed.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH
TheScientist said:
Simple things like that just can't be had here unless you have a connection with a military base.
Click to expand...
I'm very lucky to have a buddy in my circle of Marine buddies who is a retired Marine and lives close enough that I can easily stop by his place to pick up my "care package" after he goes shopping on base every month or so. I pay him back by having him and his wife over for an authentic Mexican dinner as soon as I can get everything ready.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheScientist
You must log in or register to reply here.