In Bizarre Foods Tokyo, part of the Delicious Destinations series featuring Andrew Zimmern, the host and his crew visited numerous restaurants in the city, showcasing a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Here is a convenient list of all the addresses and dishes highlighted in this exciting exploration of Tokyo’s food scene.
ANDREW ZIMMERN TOKYO DISH – Sushi
WHAT IS IT?
Sushi, a renowned masterpiece of Japanese seafood craftsmanship, has evolved into a global phenomenon over the past 600 years. Originally consisting of rice, fish, and select ingredients, sushi has now expanded to include a variety of flavors. In the finest sushi establishments, the master chef meticulously prepares each piece to order behind the sushi bar. With utmost precision, the chef expertly combines rice and fish, forming and tightening the sushi four times before elegantly plating it for service.
WHERE IS IT?
Ginza Sushi Ko Honten
6 Chome-3-8 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO
For nearly 2000 years, the people of Eastern Asia have employed lacto-fermentation to preserve fish in fermented rice, a technique that has stood the test of time. The term “sushi” originated from an ancient Japanese word meaning “sour rice.” In the 15th century, this preservation method evolved into a new culinary creation: delicately encasing fresh raw fish with rice, giving birth to the sushi we know today.
ANDREW ZIMMERN NEW TOKYO – Tempura
WHAT IS IT?
Tempura, with its irresistibly crispy coating, offers a tempting culinary experience regardless of the filling. The batter, composed of water, egg, and flour, requires a delicate stirring technique. Gentle mixing prevents lump formation and maintains a light texture. By using cold water, the batter retains its integrity, expanding during frying to create a delightful crispy exterior and a tender interior. Popular choices for tempura include shrimp and Japanese kisu, commonly found in Japanese waters. Additionally, scallops, squid, eel, and fresh vegetables are available options. The chef carefully drips batter into the oil to gauge the temperature, aiming for the ideal range of 170-180 degrees Celsius. After a quick dip in the batter, the ingredients are submerged in the oil, ensuring even cooking through constant flipping and turning. Frying takes less than 2 minutes, and with a few brisk shakes, the perfectly cooked tempura is ready to be savored.
READ MORE: C&C’S COMPLETE QUICK GUIDE FOR THINGS TO DO IN TOKYO
WHERE IS IT?
Ten-ichi
6 Chome-6-5 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO
Tempura is a culinary technique where every morsel, whether fish or vegetables, is coated with a batter and fried in the same pot. This method was adopted from Portuguese missionaries in Japan during the 16th century, who used it to fry fish during Lent. Over time, the Japanese perfected this technique, making it their own and creating a distinctive culinary tradition. In tempura, the texture is just as crucial as the flavor, resulting in a delightful culinary experience.
READ MORE: WHAT TO DO ONE WEEK IN TOKYO: THE BEST ADDRESSES
ANDREW ZIMMERN TOKYO DISH – Ramen
WHAT IS IT?
Ramen, Tokyo’s beloved fast and affordable comfort food, has gained worldwide recognition as a gourmet dish. The first crucial step is preparing the broth, employing a technique common in kitchens worldwide. Pork bones, chicken bones, and pig’s feet are used to create a thickening collagen-rich base. Dried fish, though not a staple in every American kitchen, adds layers of flavor to the simmering stock. By placing dried sardines and mackerel in a burlap bag, their small bones are contained while their flavors mingle in the pot. To counteract the pungent aroma of the pork, the chef incorporates vegetables like ginger or leeks, enhancing the umami taste. In a separate pot, pork thigh is simmered in soy sauce, a popular umami-building ingredient. Once cooked, it is sliced and added to the broth pot along with chicken skin and minced pork, infusing the broth with additional flavor during another hour and a half of cooking. Broken eggshells are used to aid in clarifying the liquid. Tokyo-style ramen is served with noodles in a bowl, accompanied by onions, bamboo shoots, half-boiled egg, and steamed fish cake. In the case of tsukemen-style ramen, the noodles are served separately and dipped into a concentrated version of the same broth.
WHERE IS IT?
Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken – Main Shop
2 Chome-42-8 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0022, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO
In Japan, great emphasis is placed on creating rich and intricate flavors in soups and starch-based dishes, allowing small amounts of protein to yield satisfying meals. One renowned ramen shop in Tokyo dedicates half a day of preparation, incorporating 30 distinct ingredients, to craft their signature broth. This broth serves as the foundation for both their Tokyo-style ramen and tsukemen ramen variations.
ANDREW ZIMMERN BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO DISH – Yakitori
WHAT IS IT?
Yakitori, a popular grilled chicken dish, offers a wide variety of skewered chicken parts accompanied by an extensive selection of ingredients. The standout feature of this cuisine is its robust flavor, as the chicken’s natural characteristics result in a concentrated taste that truly resembles chicken. Chef Wada skillfully utilizes every part of the bird, from making soup with the bones to grilling skewers with the gizzard, heart, and liver. Achieving uniformity is key, with each piece of meat meticulously shaped, sliced, and weighed for perfectly-sized skewers. These skewers, constructed on Japanese bamboo sticks, receive a spritz of sake or a brush of ginger juice before grilling. Depending on the recipe, salt or pepper may be sprinkled, while some meat is marinated in a blend of soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Grilled over special Japanese charcoal, which burns with minimal smoke, flame, and odor, these high-temperature coals ensure a searing heat that seals in the pure flavor without altering it.
WHERE IS IT?
Birdland
Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 4 Chome−2−15 塚本素山ビルディング B1F
Tokyo, Japan
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO
At Birdland, the secret lies not in the sauce or seasoning, but in the exceptional quality of the chicken itself. While the standard commercial chicken found in the American market is basic and potentially risky, Chef Wada opts for the Okukuji Shamo, often referred to as the “Rolls-Royce” of chickens. Raised in free-range conditions, this poultry is akin to Japan’s renowned marbled Kobe beef.
BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO DISH – Kabayaki
WHAT IS IT?
Kabayaki is a grilled eel dish with a sweet and savory sauce. Achieving the perfect kabayaki requires skill and time. The eel’s skin fat needs to be rendered with extreme heat, requiring special charcoals burning at 200 degrees. Tokyo-style kabayaki is steamed after grilling, which is a distinctive feature of the dish. After steaming for 15 minutes, the eel returns to the grill, where it’s brushed with a mixture of soy sauce and mirin. Finally, it’s served on a bed of rice and garnished with a sugar, sake, and soy reduction.
WHERE IS IT?
Matsuyoshi
1 Chome-18-10 Nezu, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0031, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO
Specialty food shops and restaurants excel in doing one thing exceptionally well. There is an old Japanese proverb that states “trying to do two things at once will make you fail at both”. Birdland has perfected the art of yakitori, and this philosophy is applied throughout the city.
READ MORE: MY IMPRESSIONS OF TOKYO: “FASCINATION” IS NOT A WORD STRONG ENOUGH
BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO DISH – Tonkatsu
WHAT IS IT?
Tonkatsu is a deep-fried pork cutlet coated in panko bread crumbs, renowned for its tenderness. The dish has been prepared the same way since the 1930s, with each chef having their own cut preference. The chef uses tenderloin, pounded and reshaped for even cooking. The pork is dredged in flour, dipped in egg, and pressed in panko bread crumbs, made from electricity-shredded bread dough. After being fried until golden brown, it is served with crispy shredded cabbage, mustard, and a sauce similar to sweet Worcestershire.
WHERE IS IT?
Issen
Naoshima, Kagawa District, Kagawa 761-3110, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS TOKYO
Japanese cuisine places seafood on a pedestal due to its geography. With mountainous islands and 70% of its land unsuitable for farming, seafood became a staple. Buddhism, which arrived from Korea 500 years before Christ, brought a dramatic dietary shift with the belief in reincarnation, resulting in people avoiding meat. However, in the mid-1800s, the emperor lifted the 1,200-year-old taboo on eating meat, leading to improved farming and pork becoming the most popular meat in Japan, outselling chicken and beef combined.
