Restaurants – Page 3

Jef: Home of Okinawa Goya Burgers

Jef ジェフ is a fast food “burger” joint here in Okinawa. There are only 4 locations, all towards the southern area of the island. It is… unique. Why? Well this place features goya ゴーヤー (English: bittermelon) in quite a few items: goya juice, goya rings, and goya-egg burgers. It’s kinda like a McDonalds, you know, if McDonalds served up goya; it is not exactly “fine-dining” but for cheap and fast eats, it isn’t too bad. And definitely an interesting experience when you come to Okinawa. Perhaps not the classiest of joints, but it has a very “old school” kind of feel.

It has an assortment of things like fries, regular hamburgers, fried chicken, and hot dogs as well as the iconic “goya burger”– which by the way is just egg, goya, and cheese topped with lettuce and mayo served on a hamburger bun no actual meat burger. Though you can get the goya burger with a slice of spam added. The goya rings are like onion rings, but with goya instead of onion, and for the daring they also serve fresh goya juice. For desserts they have things like zenzai, shakes, and soft serve ice cream. It is a pretty varied menu. Again, not like the most amazing experience you will ever have, but I kinda like them every now and then, and it is certainly one of the only fast-food burger places in the world where you can order a full meal of goya.

locations:

Nishihara: https://goo.gl/maps/n3v1T9x4yV72

Yonabaru: https://goo.gl/maps/Hw1gZVDvgFL2

Tomigusuku: https://goo.gl/maps/mvXWjSwZVqs

Naha (Tsuboya): https://goo.gl/maps/q7TzjFks3FN2

Japanese foods, Restaurants

AnAn Yakiniku: 安安焼肉

焼肉: grilled meat

Yakiniku is popular; it is really just meat that you grill at a table in front of you. There are many of these restaurants here in Okinawa, ranging from cheap to high-end. Some are tabehoudai 食べ放題 (all you can eat) and some you buy by the plate. Yakiniku restaurants are considered “Korean food” here in Japan, but they are actually quite different from the real thing in Korea. That being said, it is still a fun experience. It is easy enough to do at home (and we do often enough in summer), but then you have to deal with the mess of cleaning it up.

One of the cheaper places is a chain called “AnAn” 安安. My husband and I affectionately refer to it has “cheap-cheap.” Why? Because the kanji 安 is used in many ways, and one of them is in the adjective”yasui” 安い which means “cheap.”

The motto of the store is:

安全 anzen: safety
安い yasui: cheap
安心 anshin: peace of mind

So really, I feel we are not so far-off the mark just calling it cheap-cheap. Anyway, it is a very reasonably priced yakiniku restaurant chain. No frills here. But that is okay, the menu varied enough. You won’t find any high-end cuts of meat here, but there is decent variety of pork, beef, chicken, liver, tongue, intestines, etc. I get all veggies, and there are quite a bit to choose from. There are also quite a few sides and appetizers, such as kimchi and edamame to choose from. The beers are also reasonably priced here even though there is no nomihoudai 飲み放題 plan (for alcohol, there is however, one for soft drinks).

There is a tablet at the table for ordering. You can even switch its language to English. I am sure the cleanliness may vary from location to location, but as for the AnAn above the Big1, next to the Makeman and across from HeartLife Hospital in Nishihara, it is quite nice and new. The window seats even offer a nice little view (partially of the ocean). I have heard people refer to this as “yakiniku for after heavy drinking” meaning they thought the quality was low, but I don’t think that is necessarily the case. While not super high quality, it is good quality for a reasonable price and I have no problem with that.

Overall, I would say this is a decent place for an evening of yakiniku that won’t break the bank.

To find the closest AnAn Yakiniku you, just copy and paste 安安 into GoogleMaps.

Local Foods, Restaurants, Shops

Pork Tamago Onigiri: ポークたまごおにぎり

ポーク po-ku: pork

たまご tamago: egg

おにぎり onigiri: riceball

In this case, “pork” refers to spam. As any good Hawaiian will tell you, spam is most definitely an appropriate filling for musubi/onigiri (riceballs wrapped in nori/seaweed). They are eaten for breakfast, a quick snack, lunch, whenever. Here in Okinawa, people feel the same way. So that’s where this cute little shop called Pork Tamago Onigiri comes in– super fresh onigiri with spam, cooked in front of you.

Now, I don’t eat pork. But my husband does. When he heard about this shop he wanted to try it, so since we were in Naha, off we went towards the Makishi Market area to find it. The shop is located in an alley off the Makishi Market area and not hard to find at all; I remembered passing it a few times before while I was in Naha and wondering why so many people line up for spam onigiri.

It was a Sunday morning, but luckily there were only a few people ahead of him in line. He chose the spicy carrot, egg, and spam onigiri (it is called supaishi ninjin shiri-shiri スパイシー人参しりしり on the menu). I think the menu had English to some degree, and at least pictures, so it is not difficult to order. It took about 15 minutes until his order was ready; they were back there cooking and assembling… everything is made fresh to order! It was actually a pretty huge serving and my husband quite enjoyed it. This is not your typical conbini onigiri that has been sitting on the shelf for a few hours. Needless to say, now I know why it is always so busy at the small shop! They are even opening a branch at the Naha Airport~~ if you are a spam-lover, definitely check out of these shops.

unrelated cool vintage sign hanging outside a nearby izakaya

address: https://goo.gl/maps/a2q3tf49dSL2

Restaurants

Thai food in Okinawa

One of the things I miss quite a bit about Hawai’i is the abundance of Thai restaurants. Here in Okinawa, there are a few places to get decent Thai food (and several not so great places…). So admittedly, I am a bit biased towards whether these places also have vegetarian (or at least meat-free) options. This is not a comprehensive list, but most of the more “popular” options for Thai food in Okinawa.

South:

Siam シャム: This place is great, though vegetarian options are not a default. If you ask nicely, though, they will serve Pad Thai without meat. Last time I checked this was 1 of the only 3 Thai restaurants with a Thai owner. https://goo.gl/maps/c2mDiwuAx9T2

Cafe Curucuma (a.k.a. “Thai in the Sky”) カフェくるくま: Not recommended. While the views are nice, the food was terrible the one and only time I went (but with large portions). Also the wait… this place is popular for reasons I do not understand, and you will likely wait a long time for a table. Some people like it, but I was less than impressed. I also do not recall any vegetarian options. https://goo.gl/maps/eDcAuoYd6y62

Prik Thai プリックタイ: Nothing here was vegetarian, but I was able to order “without meat” (though success was questionable). It was okay at best. https://goo.gl/maps/wWybuhQxpRr

Spice Herb Holiday スパイスハーブホリデー: I have yet to come here, but I hear it is decent. Hopefully I can make it down here sometime soon. https://goo.gl/maps/gsYphV92Umr

Central:

Aridoi アリドイ: Very good place, probably the best on island (one of the 3 with actual Thai owners). I don’t think the vegetarian options are by default, but you can ask to have them made vegetarian. https://goo.gl/maps/JGZbC8aY5fD2

Jai Thai ジャイタイ: Located in American Village, I went here once… and it was way overpriced and pretty much awful. Touted as having a lot of vegan and vegetarian options I was excited to try it, but very, very disappointed. As such, I never returned. https://goo.gl/maps/MuLoRkpbdpR2

Thaicoon タイクーン: Relatively new place in American Village. They have a cheap lunch buffet, but since it is not veg-friendly I have yet to try this place (I think dinner is regular menu). It doesn’t really look very authentic, but it gets mixed reviews, so may be worth a shot sometime. https://goo.gl/maps/rR5M3qca7cR2

Aroyna Tabeta あろいなたべた: Also located in American Village. Sadly I have yet to try it as I just don’t visit American Village area very often. https://goo.gl/maps/esoVBfGt9Ly

Siam Binto シャムビントウ: New! Located outside the RyuDai East Gate. Pretty decent, and even though the menu is chicken based, you can order a vegetarian version of the pad thai, green curry, and red curry. They are run by Thai chefs and even do takeout. https://goo.gl/maps/MVQ9VrExYKU2

North:

Shirokuma アジアン食堂シロクマ: located in Yomitan, not exactly authentic, but decent nonetheless. https://goo.gl/maps/n9Cdu57QpF22

Khrua Thai: I have not been, but according to my husband it is so-so. https://goo.gl/maps/7HNf5U6VMox

Som Chai ソムチャイ: Another location I have not been. It is near some bases, so probably why I have not been there. The pictures look okay, but I have never been in a hurry to try them. https://goo.gl/maps/RHC4DZYnkV32

**I will add some pictures sometime soon.

Japanese foods, Restaurants

A Happy Pancake: 幸せパンケーキ

幸せパンケーキ shiawase pancake literally means “happy pancake”… it is the name of a very popular pancake chain started in Osaka (also with locations in Tokyo), known for their incredibly fluffy pancakes, keeping up the Japanese trending love for pancakes.

Very recently, they opened a cafe in Okinawa, on Senaga-jima 瀬長島 in the Umikaji Terrace ウミカジテラス (umikaji is Okinawan language for “ocean breeze”).

I figured if they are so popular, I must try them. Well… let me tell you, this place gets busy. After 2 failed attempts, I finally arrived 15 minutes before open and secured my name on the list (I was #4). Luckily, it also happened to be a gorgeous day, so eating pancakes overlooking the ocean with nice weather is pretty nice. The view is not so great to be quite frank since you are actually overlooking the airport and construction, but it is still technically an ocean view.

The pancakes were as delicious and fluffy as promised. The price of the pancake meals were not too bad, but it is not very cheap either. Although I enjoyed my smoothie I ordered, it was wayyy overpriced… so next time I would skip it.

Some tips for getting here, getting a seat, and getting food the quickest:

They take reservations on weekdays ONLY– so get one!
If you much prefer a weekend, then know that weekends are first come, first serve. So arrive at least ~15 minutes or so before opening (which is at 10am), go directly to the cafe and write your name down on the list. Then just walk around for a bit or sit and chill until they open!
If it is a nice day be sure to circle terrace seat when you put your name on the list テラス席. If you arrive late, and it is busy, then maybe you will choose to settle for inside or whatever is first available.
Parking: warning, it is a little crazy, as it is part of the hotel and shopping complex. There are clearly not enough spaces… so once you cross the bridge to the island turn left at the first turn (there is a sign in Japanese for Umikaji Terrace). Hopefully you will not need to resort to parking alongside the road, so continue up the road and you will see some poorly planned parking lots on either side of the road before you get to the actual buildings. Park anywhere here that is available. If you unfortunately pass these (or they are completely full)… well, then continue past the hotel and hope you get lucky (just be careful since there are hotel guest only lots, don’t park in these). You may have to make a loop around and come back.
Once you put your name on the list, check out the menu (in 4 languages, not to worry they are ready for everyone) and decide what you want! As soon as you are seated, you want to put in your order right away… it takes quite awhile to make and if there are lots of people who have ordered ahead of you… it could be an hour until you get food. And since you probably already had to wait just to get seats… you don’t want to wait much longer. So be ready to order before you even sit down!

address: https://goo.gl/maps/R6BVudmJBpq

Restaurants

Cafe Waka-Waka

クレープ kureh-pu: crepe (crêpe)

So I fully realize that crepes are, in fact, originally a French food. However, crepes are wildly popular as a street food in Japan (especially among ladies) and somehow, Japan has adopted them and given them their own style. Japanese crepes are quite different than crepes I have eaten elsewhere so they might surprise you; they use almost no butter (if any) and the fillings are not cooked (just rolled and stuffed in). When it is served, it generally looks like an ice cream cone.

The weather is starting to turn nice recently and work is still quiet since school is not back into full swing yet, so I took the opportunity to sneak out and get an afternoon snack.

I went to a little known place called Cafe Waka-waka located in a back neighborhood of Nishihara town. There are only 2-3 cramped parking spaces, but luckily I was able to park.

On the outside it doesn’t look like much, but when you enter… it is quite a cute and trendy cafe. It was quiet, with only 1 other group of girls eating there. At the counter, I ordered a crepe (it was called mango “cheese”), paid, and waited at one of the tables for a few minutes until it came out. The menu consisted of sweet crepes, savory crepes, and cafe drinks… it is even sort of a little in “English,” though some of it might not make much sense unless you can read the katakana below it, or are a really experienced Engrish-reader.

It was really good, packed full with vanilla ice cream, mango chunks and sauce, sweet cream cheese (but not like the kind you spread on bagels, instead more like rare cheesecake), and cinnamon sprinkled on top. The price was 470yen, which ordinarily is near my limit of how much I like to spend on dessert snacks, but compared to places in the mall which charge over 500yen for crepes, I thought this was a very good deal and I left satisfied. So if you are near Nishihara town and craving a Japanese-style crepe, I recommend checking out this local cafe.

address: https://goo.gl/maps/sEAVh23Y3Yz

Restaurants, Travel: Japan

Hamamatsu-cho Station, near Haneda

I recently had to return home to Hawai’i for a very short few days, but on the way I had to pass through Haneda Airport with an 8 hour layover. So rather than stay in the airport for that long, we opted to take the monorail to the very last stop (maybe about 20 minutes if you take the express), Hamamatsucho-eki 浜松町駅. I did not find many ideas online of what to do with all this time (most people seem content to just stay in the airport, shopping or eating), but I was determined to make the best use of these few hours and decided on Hamamatsucho as my destination (most of the other stops did not sound like there was much around).

When we first got off at the station, we headed to the Japanese garden park that was adjacent; Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden 旧芝離宮恩賜庭園 is formerly an Imperial garden. It is small but pretty, and admission was only 150yen. We were too early for sakura, though there were a few buds here and there. We were also at the very end of ume (plum blossoms) so not much to see there either, however, there were some other nice seasonal plants. It was refreshing, though a bit on the cold side.

After this we walked down the street and visited the Kumano jinja 熊野神社 (shrine) and Zōjō-ji (temple) 増上寺, located just in front of Tokyo Tower and next to Shiba Park. We were hungry, so we did not have a chance to wander through Shiba Park or Tokyo Tower (I have been there before anyway), just this small area around the temple and shrine, as well as the Unborn Children Garden. These are not uncommon to see at many temples in Japan, with rows of stone statues which represent unborn children (such as miscarried, aborted, or stillborn). Parents choose a statue, decorating it with clothing and toys. Often you will see a small gift for Jizo 地蔵 (guardian of unborn children). If you see stones are piled up near the statue this is meant to make journey into the afterlife easier.

To finish up, we headed to a place located just behind the station called Devil Craft Brewery… craft beer and Chicago-style pizza! Yes, I know… most people go to Japan and are not looking for this type of thing, but we live here and these types of places are few and far between. So how can we turn this down?

Apparently there are 2 other locations in Tokyo as well. They have some craft brews of their own, and some others from around Japan. Many foreigners will also be happy to know there is an English menu for both food and drinks. We did not make reservations, but since we got there at opening time (5pm) we got a table– keep this in mind if you decide to visit, get reservations! This place is super popular.

We each ended up to try 2 beers (pints) each, splitting an appetizer and a pizza. To be honest, it was my first time to have Chicago-style pizza! My husband loves it and it is his favorite type; since we have never seen another place serving Chicago pizza in Japan we knew we had to come here and try it. And it was so good!

Overall, it was pretty awesome, though a little costly. But when you consider that the craft beer scene in Japan is still a little new, I think their prices were fair to be honest. I would highly recommend trying this place out if you find yourself in the area.

Once we finished eating, it was time to get back on the monorail to the airport for our late night flight.

Addresses:

Hamamatsucho-eki: https://goo.gl/maps/ryqETJVBZ922

Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden: https://goo.gl/maps/LaKjv9U49nC2

Kumano Shrine: https://goo.gl/maps/Ar5YmhSQ5kQ2

Devil Craft Brewery: https://goo.gl/maps/CJ6aLTiXS5G2

Local Foods, Restaurants

Shabu Shabu: しゃぶしゃぶ

しゃぶしゃぶ: shabu shabu, a style of hotpot dish. The name comes from the sound the ingredients make swishing in the pot.

In Okinawa, there are a few places to try shabu shabu dining. This weekend, we found an amazing place up north. Yanbaru Dining Churashima Kitchen (YANBARU DINING 美ら島キッチン) in Motobu. It is mixed in with the Nago Agri Park, located behind the NeoPark Okinawa. It is in the back corner of the lot, and you will walk by some small stores and cafes to get there.

During lunch, prices are reasonable (1580yen per person): it comes with 100g of meat (Okinawa agu pork and chicken, which I just gave to my husband) and all you can eat veggies, rice, side dishes, soft drinks, etc. This place was great because it featured all Yanbaru produce and greens… there was so much fresh variety. You just grab a tray and fill up bowls with the veggies you want for cooking and they will bring out the broth and the meat (they also have some “specialty veggies” which they will bring out in separate bowls, so if they ask you any questions, just say YES = HAI!). Get some rice, dipping sauces, some side dishes, a salad… then get to work cooking and eating. Once your pot is boiling add veggies or meat as you like– the leafy veggies will cook very quickly, the thicker veggies and meat will take longer. Just use you hashi (chopsticks) to add and fish out the pieces you like. Dip in the sauce of your choice and it is ready to eat.

The menu is in Japanese, so you can order extra meat, but I am not sure you would need it. The workers also only spoke Japanese from my interactions with them, which again, should be fine since it is not so complicated. Just remember the large bar of veggies is for cooking, and the smaller table is for salad use (it says サラダ用 on it). There were many amazing Okinawa veggies, like handama, sakuna, fuchiba, and more.

Everything was delicious and we were quite full leaving. I didn’t get any pictures of the meat or cooking, I was too busy eating…

address: https://goo.gl/maps/TRTRxSu7HYM2

Japanese foods, Local Foods, Restaurants

Ogimi Soba Shop: Esu no Hana 江州の花

蕎麦 soba: buckwheat, or buckwheat noodles. This is the type of soba common in the mainland of Japan, not the kind used for Okinawa suba (soba).

Did you know that in the northern part of Okinawa, in Ogimi village 大宜味村, buckwheat (soba 蕎麦) grows? There are 3 restaurants that serve Japanese-style soba noodles made from Ogimi village buckwheat flour.

江州の花 “Esu no Hana” is one of these restaurants that make the noodles by hand (one other is at the roadside station and another is a shokudo restaurant just north of the roadside station). Japanese mainland soba is not as popular here as Okinawa soba is, so I was very surprised to learn this. Since I am slightly (mainland) soba obsessed, I decided I must try it!

So we set out for a drive up north, and of course after exiting the main road had to drive up and down some twisty roads to find the place as it was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We arrived at exactly 11am and there was already another car there with people waiting to get in; it said somewhere online that reservations were a good idea, and although we did not make any, we were luckily able to be seated. There were 6 decently large tables inside. They were happy when they realized I could speak/read Japanese– we figured out a bit later that this not a place for tourists, but definitely for locals! If you plan on going during busy days (holidays, Sundays, summer vacation, etc), I would definitely recommend getting a reservation. The place was packed by the time we left, all with locals and not a rental car to be seen.

The menu is very easy, so not to worry! Here is the translation:

soba set, regular: 1000yen
soba set, large: 1500yen
udon set kids/regular/large: 500/700/800yen
omakaze set (comes with both udon and soba): 1500yen

Everything on the menu also comes with:

“appetizer” (which is basically various tsukemono/pickles)
agedashi tofu (fried tofu with sauce)
bonito/katsuobushi soup (winter) or salad (summer)
endless tempura!

As for drinks, tea and water were included on the tables. The large soba set comes with about twice the amount of noodles as the regular. I did not see anyone order the udon sets, I think if you come up to Ogimi, you should try the locally grown, ground, and handmade soba, and not bother with udon unless you have a picky eater in your group.

We just stuck with soba set regular size. The picture showed just a set that comes out, so we were expecting something pretty simple like the typical teishoku 定食 meals. Instead, we were greeted with quite the feast!

First, we were immediately brought out a small plate 6 “appetizers” 前菜 and the soba dipping broth was placed out as well. Moments later, we were brought out katsuobushi かつお節 (dried, smoked bonito flakes) with hot water poured over. We were told to stir the katsuobushi in the hot water and kind of let it steep to get out the flavor. A bit later we were presented with agedashi tofu 揚げ出し豆腐, although I admit I have never had it quite like this before… but it was very delicious. I was surprised by the amount of “sauce” that came with it… we learned just a few minutes later that it is also used as the tempura dipping sauce. Needless to say, this was shaping up to be quite an interesting experience.

The first of the fresh, piping hot tempura was brought out to us, along with our soba plates. As we were happily eating, a second different type of tempura came out. We thought this was it, until again, another batch of fresh and different tempura arrived! This kept going and going, with some unique and delicious tempura! Most days they serve up to 12 types of fresh and tasty tempura, all included in your lunch price! It was pretty much all you could eat tempura… we probably could have stayed for longer (and eaten even more), as they were not shoo-ing us out the door all.

After we finished our soba, some soba-yu 蕎麦湯 also came out to finish our soba broth with. At this point, we were absolutely stuffed full, and what a value for only 1000yen. If you cannot finish it all, they even had some takeout containers (which I noticed some obaasans that came about the same time as us utilized). Actually, they will even encourage you to take some tempura home with you.

What struck me most about the whole experiences was just how really great and friendly the service was, and the atmosphere was like being at your grandma or aunty’s house! Of course, us being foreigners, owners and customers alike were especially interested in where we were from, where we lived, and one lady said I was practically a Japanese person (lol). Apparently there was also some Okinawa dance at the community center later that they invited us to, but we already had some things on the schedule. This being said, the wife came out to greet every single customer who entered, and asked the non-village residents where they were from. It really reminded me of the innate friendliness of the Okinawan people. Anyway, I highly recommend visiting this place as it is an experience you will likely never forget!

*Something new I learned it that residents in Ogimi are the renown for longevity– some of the longest life-spans in the world!

6 types of tempura, including roselle and pineapple!

address: 沖縄県大宜味村大保326-224
https://goo.gl/maps/Ng2bZbbzb7z

*Open 11-6, closed on Wednesdays.

Restaurants

Pizza Cafe Mimoza-no-ki

ピザ喫茶ミモザの木 Pizza Kissa Mimoza no ki.

喫茶 kissa means “coffeeshop” or “cafe.”

ミモザの木 means “mimosa tree.”

It was pouring down rain, so our original plans of going to one of the parks was undoubtedly cancelled, but we decided to still try the pizza cafe in Nanjo we saw signs for a few weeks ago.

On the main road were some flags that said 「ピザ」(pizza), so we turned off onto a smaller, twisty road and kept following the small wooden signs with the name of the cafe until we finally reached it at the top of the hill. Had it not been down-pouring buckets of rain, the view would have been gorgeous. But Mother Nature was not feeling cooperative. The building of the restaurant was really beautiful wood and interesting features. The 2 shisa outside the stairs made me giggle (sorry no picture, as we were running inside to get out of the rain). At the entrance of the restaurant, you take off your shoes. Inside were a few tables and an outdoor porch (which again, would have been lovely on a nice day).

We settled in, the menu was quite simple; 2 types of pizza, pasta of the day, salad, muffin, and some drinks. My husband and I ordered a “large” mix pizza (I took of the little meats and put them on his side of the pizza) and a salad to split, plus a hot hibiscus tea for me. It was quite delicious, but the total was a bit high (3500yen). My husband and I dubbed it Southern “Pizza in the Sky.” In Nago (up north), there is a pizza cafe just like this one, whose actual name is kajinhou 花人逢 , but most Americans refer to it as Pizza in the Sky.

The owner/workers seemed a little surprised to see us, and I suspect they must not get a lot of foreign clients (they also gave us a free muffin for dessert). They were extremely kind and helpful, and asked where we were from, how long we lived in Okinawa, and how did we find the cafe. Of course, I simply said “we saw the sign and followed it,” which I think must confuse them (or possibly amuse them).

Anyway, I definitely recommend trying this place out if you are in Nanjo and want pizza with a view. No pictures of the view or building this time around due to the heavy rain, but that just means I will need to visit again.

p class=”p1″>address: 南城市佐敷小谷122
https://goo.gl/maps/ZL3J1Qp6GFU2

Restaurants

Pizza in Okinawa: ピザ

ピザ is how pizza is (usually) written in katakana. Sometimes you may see ピッツァ if a place is trying to be more “Italian”-sounding.

Pizza is actually sorta popular here in Japan. In Okinawa, we have several chains, as well as a few independent places. There is Japanese-American style pizza and then there is wood-fired Italian style pizza. I won’t get into an argument about which is best, etc. etc. I am just giving the options.

I have posted a few places with really good “Italian” style pizzas: Mou and Amani are just a few you can find here in Okinawa, aside from the popular joint such as Bacar (but a bit overpriced in my opinion), Napoli, and Pizzeria Onda. Honestly, there are wayyyy more of these places than you would expect in Okinawa, and many of them very reasonably priced! Drool. But these are all restaurants to eat-in.

Okay, but really, on a Friday night, you just want good old take-out pizza. So what are your choices in Okinawa? Well, you actually have a lot of options! I will list the main ones that we usually hit up in the southern and central areas of the island. There are more takeout places in areas where large American populations (i.e. military) live, but I am unfamiliar with them. After all, takeout pizza is all about convenience, so I have no desire to drive over an hour to Yomitan for one.

持ち帰り mochikaeri: take-out, to go (you can also use テイクアウト which is simply “takeout” in katakana).

Pizza-La (chain): okay, I like them quite bit actually, BUT they are darn expensive. Interesting choices, ranging from safe “American” toppings to some unusual Japanese style toppings.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ピザーラ
you can also use their website: https://www.pizza-la.co.jp/

Pizza Paruko (local chain): they are cheaper. And sadly, not quite as good, but they satisfy. So, don’t hesitate to try them even though they are not the number one choice for me.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ピザパルコ
you can also use their website: http://www.p-parco.jp/

UPDATE 12 Feb 2020: Pizzeria Rio has closed 🙁

Pizzeria Rio: Good mid-range. I think they are actually some sort of chain (maybe on the mainland), but as far as I know there is only 1 in Okinawa. I wish it was a bit closer to me though.

address ピッツェリアリオ: 〒901-2102沖縄県浦添市前田1-48-1
~~https://goo.gl/maps/V8aQLvFFwgF2~~

website: ~~http://pizzeria-rio.com/~~

Dominoes (chain): There are online deals, so don’t pay full price! Of course, none are very convenient to me, but they are okay, plus you can order online which is very convenient. They are a little different from the “American” version, just keep that in mind.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ドミノピザ
you can also use their website: http://www.dominos.jp/

Pizzeria Marino (chain): This is a sit-in restaurant, but they do a takeout special. The restaurant itself is overpriced for what you get, but the takeout pizzas are not bad (but they are little, so…).

Most of them are in SanA shopping malls, copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ピッツェリアマリノ

Pizza Hut (chain): No, not “on base.” There is a Pizza hut (express) in the food court of 2 of the malls here in Okinawa and one happens to be darn close to me. Again, it is actually good, unlike the ones I have tried in America. Something to know: they actually charge for the takeout box (it is cheap, but still). So try to find a coupon, or just settle with eating in the food court.

SanA Gushikawa Main City: https://goo.gl/maps/QF7S84nFFV52

SanA Nishihara City: https://goo.gl/maps/dP1a5advdz52

SanA (chain): the larger SanA grocery stores with bakeries have a counter for takeout pizza. I don’t particularly recommend them, and they are rather Japan-ized, but… if you want something a little different, give them a go. Plus you can choose from some that are pre-boxed and ready for pick-up, no having to order and wait around for it to be ready.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: サンエー
you can also use their website: https://www.san-a.co.jp/store/

Pizza TOGO: mostly takeout, but they do have an eat-in area during lunch. Not American-style, more Italian-style. Convenient if you want to get a pizza and eat on the beach in Ginowan.

address: 〒901－2224沖縄県宜野湾市真志喜2丁目13-13
https://goo.gl/maps/XzCn8e3oYM82

Antore アントレ (small local chain): decent pizza, decent prices. Again, many Japanese-style toppings, but that makes it sort of interesting– you never know, maybe you will find a new combination to like.

All are in Okinawa city/Awase, visit their insta for details. : https://www.instagram.com/pizza_entre_bakers_entre/

Kozy Pizza: located in Kitanakagusuku, they have eat-in, but I believe they also will do take-out (though the 2x I have gone were both eat-in). It is located in the old American housing area.

address: https://goo.gl/maps/paK7ewRPUYx

Note: One place I will probably never go to is the pizza place in American Village (formerly known as Pizzakaya), probably due to the crazy situation surrounding this place (and its owners, but I am not sure if they are still the current owners or not, the name was changed but I heard that the guy was still running it). The prices are really high, and most people I know say it is not worth it. And honestly, with the tax evasion and sketchy situation, I don’t want to support this type of business, especially when there are so many other good (and more convenient) places around.

*pictures coming soon.

There are also quite a few more places I can add to this list. Most of the places I recommend are found in the southern/central area of the island, and not necessarily close to the larger American populations (such as Yomitan, Sunabe, Chatan, Kadena, etc.), since I don’t seem to live near many (any?) other Americans, though most of these are chains so they should have locations close to these areas as well. Some popular places in the more heavily American populated areas I am sadly unaware of as they tend to be too far away for me to consider for a quick dinner, though I am sure they are good as well. If I ever make it to these areas, I will probably add them to the list in the future.

Restaurants

Campagna

Campagna カンパーニャ is an Italian restaurant located in Urasoe.

I decided to try somewhere new for lunch. I had passed it before and added it to my “to try” list, so finally that day came.

The restaurant isn’t large but is not as small as some. The menu had 3 types of pasta (1 of which was made with house-made noodles), fish, pork and steak. You could even get a full course menu for 2000yen (lunch, I am not sure about dinner prices). I ordered a pasta which came with an enormous salad, a potage soup, drink, bread and dessert (the dessert said プチ puchi but was in fact more like full size). It was very filling for 1400yen… I was stuffed and everything was good. I recommend bringing your appetite.

address: 〒９０１‐２１１１沖縄県浦添市経塚80
https://goo.gl/maps/Sn8RdyzpnQy

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Demon Ramen in Okinawa: ラーメン鬼蔵

Ramen Onizo ラーメン鬼蔵 is located in Nago (northern part of Okinawa). The name caught our eye, since 鬼 oni means “demon.” The name of the shop, onizo 鬼蔵, literally translates to demon warehouse. My husband saw a TV program once featuring a shop in Tokyo called Oni Ramen that served a really spicy ramen; since then he dreams of tasting “oni ramen.” So when I saw the name of the shop, I realised we should try it, even though it is not the same as the one in Tokyo. After all, whenever you see “oni” and “ramen” together you know there is going to be spicy ramen.

Of course, it was a bit late so we showed up to the shop 20 minutes before closing (closes at 9pm), but we were not the only ones. There is a ticket machine at the shop door with various options (menu/ticket machine is in Japanese, but someone said there was an English translation available if needed); my husband obviously chose the aka-oni ramen 赤鬼ラーメン (red demon ramen) with the highest spicy level. I chose miso ramen, unfortunately a little too much pork for this person who doesn’t eat meat.

At the tables were bowls of garlic cloves and a garlic press. Our ramen came out quickly, and of course I added some garlic. My husband said his was not spicy enough; probably it was the end of the night and they did not make it the actual high spicy level. That being said, there were plenty of spicy condiments on the table for my husband to add, and he was happy enough with the taste. We slurped up our noodles and broth, finishing as they closed up shop.

address: 沖縄県名護市城2-5-20 https://goo.gl/maps/FA23V3K565R2

Local Foods, Restaurants

Makabe Chinaa: 茶処　真壁ちなー

茶処　真壁ちなー Makabe Chinaa is located in Itoman, in an old traditional Okinawan house. It is in a small, quiet neighborhood. When you drive there, you wonder if you are going the correct way… but not to worry, it is not too difficult to find and has ample parking.

When you enter, remove your shoes. Most of the seating is tatami seating. The menu is in both Japanese and English. It is mostly typical shokudo food– champuru, suba, and some others. The price is a little higher than some typical shokudo, but it is also a nicer setting.

The atmosphere is very relaxing, taking you back in time when life was a slower pace. There is no A/C or central heating, truly an old traditional building.

The food was pretty good; we ordered tofu chanpuru, fu chanpuru teishoku (came with mini soba and a choice of purple rice or juushii), and hirayachi. Overall a very nice experience.

address: 沖縄市糸満市真壁２２３番地 https://goo.gl/maps/aW9aWqptZyj

Local Foods, Restaurants

Bizarre Foods in Okinawa?

So it has come to my attention that some “famous” western TV cooking channel hosts have visited Okinawa in the past and tried local delicacies. I think many people have the questions: Is what they ate actually common among locals? Do people eat this stuff every day? And lastly, where can I try these in Okinawa?

The is not too easy to answer, but I will try… while some of these showcased “delicacies” can be found here, some them have declined in popularity particularly among the younger crowd. So that is to say not everything is as common as they may have led you to believe…

Since I do not watch these shows (though maybe I should try to find these particular episodes just for this instance), I cannot answer all the “bizarre” questions, but I will highlight some actual unusual Okinawan foods I know about and where you can find them. I will attempt to get some pictures of these, but as some are difficult to find, this may not be so easy.

Sea snake, イラブー irabu: not many people actually eat this, but it can be found in the occasional restaurant; there is a small place that specializes in this. It is most typical as a soup, イラブー汁 irabu-jiru. It has its origin in the traditional Ryukyu Kingdom royal court cuisine. If you search, it is possible to find it at the Itoman fish market (or maybe Makishi market in Naha) and make it yourself, otherwise check out restaurant Kana in Kitanakagusuku, or Hamachinchou in Nanjo (Hamachinchou also serves some more “normal” dishes as well, not just sea snake).
This leads me to further discuss habu sake (technically, habushu, but you hear English speakers calling it habu sake) ハブ酒, which is awamori (local Okinawa liquor) with a habu (Okinawan snake) in it– this is only for tourists, locals will probably laugh at you for even suggesting this! That being said, all the tourist locations along Kokusaidori will have this overpriced awamori for sale if you really want to try it (just keep in mind it is usually low quality awamori with a high price tag). This literally for the “thrill factor” of foreigners and tourists, rather than something commonly drunk.

*address for Irabu-ryouri Kana イラブー料理カナ: 〒901-2304沖縄県中頭郡北中城村屋宜原５１５－５ https://goo.gl/maps/JTnvZETzqY32

*address for Hamachinchou 浜珍丁: 〒901-1414沖縄県南城市佐敷津波古375-2 https://goo.gl/maps/N4a5RopySkr

Tuna eyeballs, マグロの目玉 maguro no medama: Seriously… not common. Probably only available in a nicer izakaya (one with lots of sushi and seafood offerings). Though I have never sought them out, I have also never seen anyone order them. While it is common to eat every part of the fish including the eyeballs, ordering them separately in this kind dish is not all that common, at least not in Okinawa. Though I will say this: you can buy the fish heads (yeah, JUST the head) in all the grocery stores (eyes still intact). So… as I said, just eating the eyes… maybe not so much, but definitely the whole fish including the head and various parts, sure. Some fish shops do sell the eyeballs cheap, though, if you really wanna go for it and try making it at home. Eating the whole fish including weird bits… yes, definitely. After all waste not, want not.

Pufferfish, フグ fugu: Not common here in Okinawa, though I have heard that a few sushi places offer it. If you want to try this, it is better to go to mainland Japan, it will be easier to find. Okinawa is not known for its sushi and sashimi, despite being an island. Most Japanese mainlanders I know complain about that low-quality sashimi offerings here in Okinawa.

Goat, ヒージャー hiijaa (kanji: 山羊): goat is definitely eaten here, and is practically a common shokudo food, especially goat soup hiijaa jiru ヒージャー汁 (you may also see 山羊汁). Not difficult to find. Usually the type of thing only ojiisans eat because of the smell, but you see all types of people chowing down on it. You can find goat sashimi (raw thin slices of goat meat) as well, if you are so bold.

Horse sashimi, 馬刺し basashi: this is actually a mainland dish, but not hard to find in some of the izakaya here. Many butchers also sell this, as well as horse meat in general. So, as a warning, always read your meat labels carefully to know what you are getting.

Intestine soup (pork), 中身汁 nakami-jiru: pork intestines are common, you can even find them in the grocery stores here. Nearly every shokudo serves this soup, and it is traditional to eat it on New Years. Incredibly easy to find.

Pig (豚 or あぐー) face, ears, feet… etc: In Okinawa there is a saying that Okinawans eat “everything but the squeal.” Meaning, no part of the pig goes to waste. So … yup, you can find all kinds of parts of the pig served in dishes and for sale in stores. When you go to yakiniku you can order all manner of innards and types of cuts. Many women consider pigs feet てびち full of collagen and good for beauty; it is very much considered a delicacy and good for your skin. Many stores and izakaya sell dried pig ear snacks called mimigaa ミミガー. The pig face チラガー chiragaa is more for tourists, and you will see them for sale along Kokusaidori.

『豚は鳴き声以外全て食べる』 Buta wa nakigoe igai subete taberu. Translation: to eat every part of the pig except for the squeal.

Sea grapes, 海ぶどう umibudou: This is a special kind of seaweed that grows in the waters of Okinawa and is really common to eat. Little tiny salty bubbles that pop in your mouth. Find these in grocery stores and izakaya all over island. I would personally not consider this “bizarre” but it might be considered pretty unique since they are very few places you can try these outside of Okinawa (and I know many westerners don’t really eat seaweed so there is that).

Tofuyou 豆腐よう: Again, I don’t actually consider this a bizarre food, however I heard someone say that this was on the show, so I will list it here for the sake of those who are searching for it as a result. It is tofu fermented in awamori and quite tasty. You can literally buy this in every store, in the refrigerated section near tofu and pickles. The brand in the show has a store in Naha which I have visited, and there is also the cave the host visited near Kin Kannon-ji (temple), though there are 2 entrances to the cave but separated from each other, 1 for the temple (free), and 1 for the awamori/tofuyo storage (small admission fee); you want this one: 金武鍾乳洞, but you need to meet for the tour at the store here. I visited the cave and took the tour, read about here: Kin Kannonji (temple) & Awamori Cave.

Lastly, I noticed some strange searches originated from the US using keywords like “Okinawa dish tuna and peanut butter.” I assume this must be a combination discussed on one of these types of travel food shows. For you doubters, doubt no more: this is not an unusual combination, and I have previously posted a very common side dish recipe that uses these ingredients, as well as tofu and miso (it has gotten an unusually high number of hits, but I am not sure if it is what most people are actually searching for). Please check it out here: Yonaguni-jima recipe: Sakuna shiraae サクナの白和え.

Hopefully this post covers a majority of the “bizarre” foods. Please feel free to comment if there are any that I have missed and you are curious about.

Culture, Local Foods, Restaurants

New Year gathering, Shinnenkai: 新年会

新年会 shinnenkai: first gathering in the New Year.

Shinnenkai is the counterpart to bonenkai 忘年会 which is the end of the year party. These parties are social gatherings for work, classmates, social clubs, or just friends; they typically involve alcohol, much like bonenkai, or well, any other Japanese social gathering.

This year, the hulau (hula dance group) I am in held a shinnenkai in Naha, at an izakaya just off Kokusaidori in Naha called とぅばらーま Toubaraama (it is named after a folk song from the Yaeyama islands). It is a decent sized place, with a large party room (with a small stage) available for rental. As with most large gatherings, it was a set fee for tabehoudai 食べ放題 and nomihoudai 飲み放題 (all you can eat and drink).

The food was mostly local-style Okinawan/Ryukuan favorites, and in the regular restaurant part they had menus in English, Chinese, and Korean (seeing as how we were on the main tourist drag of Kokusaidori, this is not a surprise). The had juices, awamori, Orion beer, and various highball (cocktails). Since it was a large group to accommodate, it was set up buffet and self-service style rather than table service (which is more often how it is with group course plans). When there are not large groups reserving the hall, they also offer entertainment such as sanshin, Okinawa folk music/dance, etc during dinner time.

During the shinnenkai, members from each class put on stage performances, there was a raffle, and a gift exchange. It was my kumu’s (sensei, teacher) birthday, so we also got her a cake. Overall, it was a lot of fun and a good bonding experience.

Afterwards, groups broke out to go to nijikai 二次会 (these means “round 2” in Japanese, and then sometimes 三次会, etc.). We went to a westernized izakaya that had a lady’s course menu 女性コース. At this point, our little group was pretty tipsy and went home~

address of Toubaraama: 〒900-0013沖縄県那覇市牧志2-7-25

Japanese foods, Local Foods, Restaurants

Izakaya Maru Kajiri: 居酒屋にっぽん丸かじり

Last night we tried a new izakaya 居酒屋 that opened up (somewhat) across from the SanA Nishihara city mall. It is called something like にっぽん丸かじり Nippon maru kajiri (taking a bite from Japan is something like the literal translation, but it is not very clear to me, so let’s call it “Maru kajiri”).

Anyway, I noticed the new construction as I drove to hula back and forth the past few weeks, and as it was not so far away from my house, I could not wait to see what was offered. Luckily my husband was all for it. So on a Friday night, we arrived with no reservation in the middle of bonenkai season to a new izakaya. As much as this sounds like disaster, it was not. When we arrived, I asked if 2 people, and at first, no… all booked. But then after a short hesitation, can we speak Japanese? Yes. Then until 8pm is okay? Well sure, it was only 6:10 and my husband I would be done by 8, so no problem. So… if you want to visit this izakaya (or maybe any popular izakaya in December or on a weekend), it is best to make a reservation…

The menu was a bit all over the place (it is actually a small chain), a handwritten and a regular typed menu. We started with draft beer; the special was 190yen drafts the first hour of your visit, into hour 2 and it became 290yen. We ordered a variety off the menu– some meat skewers for the husband (串焼き合), fried squid (いか唐揚), cabbage salad キャベツ塩ダレサラダ (which had a most interesting creamy sauce), and a kind of fried noodle (yakisoba-sort of 五目あんかけ焼きそば). There was a maguro (マグロ tuna) butter-yaki (バター焼き batayaki) that my husband was interested in, but I did not tell him until after we ordered… we will save it for next time. All sorts of interesting sashimi dishes left the kitchen to other tables as well. There was a 300yen per person seating fee (very normal for Japan!), and the free appetizer, called otoushi お通し was hot or cold tofu with toppings (self-serve, as much as you could eat), so it felt like a good value. Total with beers we spent less than 4000yen, so a good night out.

A quick Daiko service home ended the night. In Japan, there is a nice service where if you drive somewhere and drink, you can call a Daiko service, which is a “taxi” that picks you up and drives your car to your home. So nice, and actually cheaper than regular taxi fares for 2 ways. Our Daiko was particularly excited to talk to gaijin who spoke a smattering of Japanese– we talked about easy topics such as the izakaya, and weather in Hawaii and Okinawa. A successful night, and our own sort of bonenkai together.

address: 639 Onaha, Nishihara-chō, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 903-0103
https://goo.gl/maps/KGGFext4w442

Restaurants

Pizza @ Amani: イタリアン食堂Amani

In Okinawa, there are a few tabehoudai 食べ放題 (all-you-can-eat) pizza places; some are good some are bad. Italian shokudo Amani is definitely one of the good! It is so much better than Ocean’s Pizza/Pizza-Inn, which are typically popular with some of the Americans.

First, there is ample parking located across the street. Second, it is a casual-trendy kind of feel inside. Third, it is all you can eat, but set up differently than some of the others Americans are used to. You order the (small-ish) sized pizzas at the table from the waitress, and over the course of your time (up to 90 minutes), you can order them as you finish them. The best part is, you can order half-and-half… this was awesome for me, since I went here ALONE, not realizing it was tabehoudai! When she said this was possible, I was relieved because that meant I could try more kinds. Besides the pizza, there is a pasta of the day and a salad/rice/curry/tapas/drink bar. The quality was actually quite high for only 1180yen (adult price, kids are cheaper).

Everything I tried was really good; my favorite was probably the bamboo shoots white pizza (special of the day). Basically, this place was definitely a win, and my husband was incredibly jealous I went alone… I need to take him here sometime.

**The menu is only in Japanese. But there are some pictures on the paper menu. There is also a chalkboard with specials of the day you can order (no pictures).

address: 〒902-0068 Okinawa Prefecture, Naha, Makabi, ２−２９−２６

https://goo.gl/maps/inpyCLXjjvo

Local Foods, Restaurants

Parlor de jujumo

Awhile back, on a nice sunny day, my husband was itching to get out. So, I had heard of this small place with veg offerings and really wanted to check it out; luckily my husband was game. So off we went to the Ashibinaa outlets in Tomigusuku to walk around for some exercise before hitting up Parlor de jujumo nearby.

Really, it is more fair to say it is a shack, albeit a really cool, trendy one. It is located off some really random streets with not much else around, but that just makes it quaint. Anyhow, if the owner is not there, just hit the call button on the walkie-talkie.

The menu is small; veg curry or veg burger for food, sugarcane juice, organic coffees for drinks. You can eat at the counter (outside) or take it to go.

Each plate was only 450yen! They were both good, but my husband preferred the burger; they were both made from the same sort of bean curry and had some nice added spices. It was a small plate, which was okay, because the next stop for the day was to try the chiffon miso cake at Yume Koubou.

The owner is also in a band, so if you visit the shack, check out the fliers for their next event.

address: 490-12 Yone, Tomigusuku-shi, Okinawa-ken 901-0224
https://goo.gl/maps/2tdr4DSzSYU2

Local Foods, Restaurants

Okinawa Saien Buffet Karakara: 沖縄菜園ブッフェカラカラ

In Tomigusuku, in the Ashibinaa outlet Mall located next to the Starbucks and the Bikkuri Donkey, there is an excellent Okinawa local and fresh foods buffet called 沖縄菜園ブッフェカラカラ Okinawa Saien Buffet KaraKara. Most of the dishes feature local ingredients, and you can try several types of local Okinawa soul foods. Lots of fresh greens, too, and dishes will rotate based on seasons; the menu focuses on local island vegetables. Plus, all the dishes have allergy card information.

There are dishes that feature hechima, goya, tougan, Okinawan pork, Okinawa soba, tofu, shiraae, fish, as well as some more westernized dishes. Plus there is soft-serve and a variety of desserts. Everyone can be happy eating here. We like to take out-of-town guests here to get a feel for local food, while still having lots of options. Personally, I prefer KaraKara to Daikon-no-Hana, another popular Okinawa buffet chain with a similar style. KaraKara is a must-try for anyone coming to Okinawa.

It is cheaper to go during lunch rather than dinner– but at dinner time the buffet has sushi items! Lunch is about~1500yen, dinner ~1800yen, and children are cheaper. There is also a second location on the 9th floor of the Ryubo Department store in Naha, but I prefer the Tomigusuku location (the interior is nicer in my opinion).

I don’t have any pictures (hmm, guess I should go back soon…), I am always too busy eating.

address: https://goo.gl/maps/fWLHmU9N2B62

Local Drinks, Restaurants

Rakurobi kitchen, macrobiotic cafe:楽ロビkitchen

I have an affinity for wholesome, veggie cafes. I decided to give the macrobiotic food at Rakurobi kitchen (楽ロビkitchen) a try.

First of all, they have a nice large free parking lot (hooray!), which is not always the case in Naha. The next thing is it is located on the second floor of the building. When you enter, there is an area to remove your shoes. The inside has a very clean and cute decor, fairly typical of most of these types of cafes.

For the most part, the menu is very limited, so the best option is the mangetsu 満月 (full moon) plate. I believe the plates are mostly vegan, excepting for maybe the use of dashi or fish sauce (at least that is what their menu board said when I went awhile back). Serious vegetarian/vegans might be critical of this, but for me, it honestly does not matter much. The food was amazingly delicious and healthful, though the price was not too cheap (~1300 yen per person). I love getting all the small dishes that make up a wholesome lunch, although usually I am not too into soup (strange I know), so I ended up letting my husband have most of my soup since he loves it.

I had learned about this nice cafe restaurant awhile back, and then was reminded of it when I was reading the Uchina magazine (which during that month’s issue was focusing on vegetables and healthy living). Luckily my husband is patient with me when I suggest these places to go to, and ends up enjoying them as much as I do.

address: 沖縄県那覇市真嘉比1-29-16 ブランシュール真嘉比 2F

https://goo.gl/maps/oVBFwZhkKhH2

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rakurobikitchen

Culture, Restaurants

Bali Terrace: バリーテラス & Halloween Kimono Party

I first went to Bali Terrace in Urasoe for lunch awhile back. It is a sort of French/Italian kind of restaurant, and for lunch has set menu choices (entree such as pasta, chicken, fish, etc) with a semi-viking salad/drink bar (the cost is reasonable, maybe ~1300yen).

The interior is really interesting and comfortable; the view is quite amazing, as the restaurant is on the second floor of the building, perched atop a hill overlooking the ocean in the distance. They even take advantage of the view by having (indoor) tables that look directly out the windows, sort of like cushy sofa seating with plenty of pillows.

A second-hand kimono shop advertised a Halloween kimono dress-up event to be held here. So, since I knew the food would be decent, I decided to buy a ticket. Plus I could practice wearing kimono. I decided to go as “kitsune” (fox demon). I bought a cheap mask off amazon.jp, and coordinated some fall-woodsy colors with my brown kimono.

The ticket was for tabehoudai/nomihoudai (all you can eat and drink) party plan, so they brought out various foods throughout the night and filled drinks. This type of service is very popular for drinking parties in Japan, so you do not have to think about what to order, they just have various sets that they bring out throughout the night.

There were all sorts of nice foods served; pasta, gnocchi, pizza, salad, fried potatoes, deer carpaccio, sausages, cheeses… a nice place for this sort of event. Everyone had a lot of fun and chatted through the evening. All the kimonos were so cute, too.

address: 沖縄県浦添市仲間1-24-26 https://goo.gl/maps/suXHGbijaV22

A few lunch time pictures:

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Floresta Nature Doughnuts: ドーナツ

ドーナツ doh-na-tsu is “donuts.”

A while back I had the cutest doughnuts at Floresta in Naha. It is a chain from Nara, in the mainland of Japan.

They are ultra-cute and natural donuts, making the famous “animal” donuts (doubustsu donuts どうぶつドーナツ)… I got a panda. The products are made with Hokkaido flour and organic soy milk. Prices here are be higher than MisDo, but the quality is very good. There is also ice cream… besides the panda donut, we got a maple-walnut donut sundae with milk ice.

company website: http://www.nature-doughnuts.jp

address: https://goo.gl/maps/2JeuYvxeEuB2
〒900-0005沖縄県那覇市天久2丁目29-3 タートルマンションQ 1F

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Izumo soba: 出雲蕎麦

The other day, my husband was complaining that I did not take him with me to (Japanese mainland-style) soba restaurants. This was a bit of a surprise, as I assumed he mostly just tolerated my soba-eating habit and did not care for it as much… perhaps after eating it several times he has grown to enjoy it as I do. So I told him of a new Japanese soba restaurant I had heard of here in Okinawa, located in the old foreign housing neighborhood of Minatogawa 港川 in Urasoe, an area known for trendy little restaurants; he immediately says he is going there for lunch, if I want to meet him there… and off I go.

As a reminder, Okinawa soba (noodles made from regular flour, always served in hot pork broth) is quite different than mainland Japanese soba, made from buckwheat (buckwheat is actually called soba 蕎麦 in Japanese). Okinawa soba always feels like a misnomer to me since it is not made from buckwheat, and many foreigners here do not know what mainland soba is!

Anyway, I drove over to the neighborhood and checked the map on the sign at the entrance, but it was not labeled, so I followed GoogleMaps. I found the building that looked just like the picture online, but again, no signs or labels! I went to the entrance and sure enough this was it; my husband showed up a minute later. We chose one of the tables and started perusing the menu. What I did not realize was this was a special type of mainland soba 日本蕎麦– Izumo soba 出雲蕎麦! Izumo soba is darker and more aromatic than other mainland soba because the buckwheat hull is left on and ground up when making the soba flour. It also makes it a little chewier I think.

We ended up both choosing 2-tier 二段 warigo 割子 soba; this is considered the smaller size, 3-tier 三段 is the medium size, and 4 or 5 tiers for big appetites. We also split a 2-person size tempura, because what better to accompany soba than crispy tempura!

Warigo 割子 is round lacquered boxes stacked in tiers to serve the soba. It is particularly unique because unlike dipping soba, this soba you pour toppings and tsuyu (sauce for soba) into the first tier of noodles, mix and eat! When you finish, you take the leftover sauce and add it to the next tier of noodles, refresh the toppings and tsuyu, and continue this pattern until you finish. This was our first time eating soba in this way.

After we finished our noodles, the soba-yu 蕎麦湯 came out; it was thicker and more flavorful than others I have had. We poured our leftover broth into it and drank up to finish the meal.

address for 手打ち日本蕎麦松平 Matsudaira: 2 Chome-19-3 Minatogawa, Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2134 https://goo.gl/maps/qDYWCE9B6jn

Restaurants, Shops

Kinjo bakery: 金城ベーカリー

Buffets in Japan are often called “viking” バイキング (baikingu). Tabehoudai 食べ放題 means “all you can eat.”

Kinjo bakery in Shuri has a savory and sweet bread buffet, during morning and lunch/cafe times. It is really pretty good, and the price is not too bad either, especially if you bring your appetite (adults are 648 yen in the morning and 810 yen at lunch, cheaper for kids). You can stay for 2 hours, and there is self-serve coffee, tea, and juice. But it is total carb and sugar overload!

I only stayed for probably 45 minutes, just to get out of my office during lunch break, and nibbled on some breads, but even if I did not take full advantage I was happy with the price and everything was tasty (though I definitely had 800 yen worth of bread and tea). There were so many choices, and the staff kept bringing out more stuff. Next time I will need to bring my laptop and some study stuff, and use up my 2 hours. There were some small groups of people eating, as well as a few one individuals like myself, also students looking for a good bargain. I should have taken more pictures, the selection was overwhelming!

address: 沖縄県那覇市首里赤平町2-51-3

Japanese sweets, Restaurants

Miyabi Chaya Nakamoto: みやび茶屋仲元

茶屋 chaya: tea house

Miyabi Teahouse Nakamoto みやび茶屋仲元 is a small tea house located in Okinawa city, off a back alley from Rt. 330 past the Rycom mall. You might not realize it exists, unless you recognize the hiragana for dorayaki どらやき on a purple flag in the alley and then think to follow it down an even more narrow alley to a parking lot leading to what appears to be an unmarked house except for the Okinawa City Omotenashi (おもてなし “hospitality”) flag outside the door.

Anyhow, it is a teahouse, leave your shoes at the door and enter the tatami room; during lunch they have some light meals, and during tea time you can order tea, coffee, ohagi, dorayaki, hot zenzai, and Okinawa ice zenzai. My quest in coming here was mainly to try the ohagi おはぎ.

Ohagi is named for the autumn flower, hagi (bush clover). In spring, this same dessert is called botamochi ぼたもち which is named after the spring flower, botan (peony). It is most commonly eaten during the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes.

Ohagi is sweet mochi rice with an azuki bean paste around the outside, although there are variations. This place had kinako (roasted soy flour) outside with anko (red azuki bean paste) inside, sesame outside with anko inside, as well as the typical anko outside and anko inside kinds. My husband and I ordered an ohagi set and a dorayaki set to share between us, so we ended up with 1 of each type, plus 2 dorayaki, and 2 matchas. What a nice experience. The owners were surprised to see Americans (at least by themselves and not accompanied by Japanese), and asked us how we found out about it and where we were from, etc. I explained about the Okinawa cafe book I purchased awhile back from the bookstore. The menu is in Japanese, but it seemed like the wife spoke some English, so I would not worry about trying this place out if you have trouble with Japanese language.

address:〒904-0032沖縄県沖縄市諸見里3-22-15

open 11-6 Wed-Sat (closed Sun, Mon, and Tues)

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Hokkaido Uoman: 北海道魚萬

北海道: Hokkaido

Yesterday for lunch we went to a newly built complex made up of mostly some restaurants in Urasoe. We wanted to try this izakaya type place, called Hokkaido Uoman, which serves Hokkaido foods; it is open 24 hours, and although they have morning and lunch specials, you can order off the grand menu any time.

The interior is really fun, and has really interesting “fishing village” elements and decor. It does not feel like you are in Okinawa anymore, but transported up north (and perhaps back in time too). We got to sit in one of the booths that looks like a large barrel. I should have taken pictures but was too distracted looking around. I am easily entertained by the simple details, with the lanterns, the fishing bobs, and various wooden elements.

The menu has a lot of interesting food, and definitely specializes in seafood shipped in from Hokkaido. We ordered a few dishes to split, and everything was really good. The order of 唐揚げいか fried squid rings was enormous~~ my husband was so happy with how fresh they were. He also got the かにみそ crab innards, served in the shell; he said an interesting and tasty treat, though maybe just an occasional one. We also got some typical stuff like 漬物 pickles, cabbage salad, and Hokkaido seafood salt yakisoba. Although some items were a little expensive, our bill only came out to ~2500 yen! Next time we will come for dinner and spend a little more; more husband looks forward to having some of those huge scallops on the table-top grills, and maybe some more crab dishes since all the seafood was good quality here.

Although I have not yet made it to Hokkaido (in October I will fix this, as we have a fall foliage viewing trip planned already), I really enjoyed this restaurant. If you are living or staying in Okinawa and want a small taste of Hokkaido, I think this place is really nice, even though I have no idea if it is “authentic” Hokkaido taste, at least the much of the seafood is from there. The menu even has pictures and English words, so not to worry if your Japanese skills are low.

address: 〒901-2101 沖縄県浦添市西原2-4-1 (P’s SQUARE Building, 2nd floor)

Restaurants

Giant Panda Chinese Restaurant: 大熊猫

大熊猫 ookumaneko means Giant Panda. Although honestly, I usually see panda simply as パンダ written in katakana, so today I learned a new word.

We were up in Nago, and trying to decide on lunch. My husband felt like eating Chinese food, so I checked Google Maps and after glancing through a few restaurant pictures settled on a Sichuan restaurant called 大熊猫. And, just as I like it, it was off a back road in a little neighborhood. It is located on the second story of an apartment building and a few parking spaces underneath on the first story (upper stories are apartments).

*Just as a quick note, especially for mainland Americans: Chinese food is quite different than the American-Chinese most people expect. I know some Americans complain about the Chinese food here in Japan (but it is the same style as in Hawai’i due to the significant Asian influence, so I guess I am used to it), and they just want the Americanized version “whatever-fried-with-sweet-sauce” (not that this is a bad thing– American-Chinese food has its place I suppose). The thing is, you just probably will not find anything like your typical American-Chinese here, except for maybe on the American bases. Now, Chinese food in Japan is not necessarily authentic or anything, but it is more similar in style to actual Chinese food, although often with a Japanese twist and usually a lot less spicy.

When we entered, a slightly surprised lady greeted us, and got us some iced tea. There were cute panda decorations all around, a counter and a few tables, a fairly small place but clean. It was just after 11 am, so we were the first customers that day.

The menu was fairly simple, a few items, plus some specials hanging on the wall. The mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐) was recommended (おすすめ osusume), so of course we ordered that, and another favorite for my husband the fried crispy noodles in sauce (五目あんかけ焼きそば). There were other items, such as gyoza, tantan men, sweet/sour pork, fried rice; all of which tempted my husband, he had a difficult time deciding what we should order. She seemed pretty excited that we were there and reading the menu in Japanese. Once we ordered she went to the back and we could hear her cooking.

After a bit, the food came out, piping hot and so delicious. Wow, probably the number one Chinese food on the island that I have had! It was spicy and so well flavored. We ordered the fried sesame dango (唐揚げゴマ団子) for dessert, yum. The best part– the total was less than 2000円 for everything, and we were completely stuffed full.

As we were eating, more people started coming in, so the secret must be out about the amazing food at this place in the neighborhood. If you are in Nago and wanting some good Chinese food, this place is a must.

address: 沖縄県名護市為又1219-212 https://goo.gl/maps/AGj4Z6catv32

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Joyfull: ジョイフル

Joyfull is a family restaurant chain throughout Japan. It is cheap but reliable, easy to order (even for foreigners), picture menus (sometimes translated into English), and a variety of Japanese-western dishes.

I kinda like it every now and then, even though it is not fine dining or particularly exciting food. Sometimes hitting up the Japanese family chain restaurant is the easiest while travelling somewhere new; sometimes you just need a break from adventure and want something reliable and familiar.

I realize if you are traveling in Japan perhaps these types of restaurants are different and strange compared to most American restaurants; maybe you have never tried the ubiquitous “hamburg” ハンバーグ (different than a hamburger ハンバーガー) that adorns the menus at this type of restaurant. These restaurants are actually a bit interesting to visit as a foreigner, so just because it is a chain, do not necessarily turn it down and give it a try if you have time. Also as a bonus, they are usually 24 hour, which often helps out a traveller who is not all the way time-adjusted, needs a hot meal and a place to sit down for awhile. Keep an eye out for its yellow sign with “Joyfull” in red text

Hint, try to pick up a “drink ticket” coupon before you go– it gives a decent discount on the soft drinks bar. Sometimes magazine coupon books will have them, or if you know someone who has been to Joyfull, the staff gives out the discount tickets (I think it is usually for ~every 500 yen spent) after the bill is paid to encourage people to return another time.

Restaurants

Mos Burger: モスバーガー

Mos Burger is a national fast food chain in Japan. And actually pretty good, considering it is fast food. More and more stores are adding English menus (even though there are already pictures on the menu), to make it easier for foreigners to order. Just keep in mind, most employees will not speak English unless you are in a touristy area.

Mos Burger’s concept is to use fresh vegetables (usually local to the prefecture), and it makes a difference in the taste. Their menu has a variety of choices: regular burgers, chicken or fish patties, and even a soy patty (although as warning to vegetarians, many of the sauces still contain animal products). They have regular buns, but also do some other options like rice buns or lettuce buns. And of course, they have limited edition items every few months, like avocado or other special toppings. For the morning people, they also have a small breakfast menu.

Of course, they also have stamp cards, so if you eat there a lot you can get discounts.

Anyway, if you find yourself in Japan needing something quick to eat and want to try something different from McDonald’s, give Mos Burger a shot– I don’t think it will disappoint. In my opinion they are probably one of the top “fast food”choices around.