Kara-age. Yakitori. Sushi. And snacks – lots of snacks. For many Japanese Australians working in food and wine, the comforts of home come in bite-size pieces. From restaurants and supermarkets to gardens and festivals, it turns out there are plenty of Japanese gems hidden in our own backyard.
While our grand plans for picnics under cherry blossom trees, bento boxes on bullet trains, and 5am ramen in the city that never sleeps are still on hold, the land of the rising sun is not completely out of reach after all.
So just where do you go when you want a taste of Japan? We asked seven prominent Japanese Australians working in food and wine to share their rituals of reconnection and help us uncover the best spots to experience a taste of Japan in Australia.
SAVA GOTO
Tofu maker, Tofu Shoten, Melbourne
After moving here in 2015, Sava Goto found the locally produced tofu wasn’t up to the same standards as the soft, silky cubes found in Japan. So, she decided to do it herself, bringing her newly acquired skills from Japan all the way to Melbourne through her shop, Tofu Shoten.
If I feel like Japanese comfort food, I like going to Aka Siro in Collingwood, it’s so good! My go-to dish is kara-age, I think they’ve got the best in Melbourne. The owners have come in to buy tofu recently and I told them how much I miss their kara-age – I need to go back.
I go to Fuji Mart to buy very particular Japanese things, like gobo (burdock), sake kasu (lees), nigari or a good umeboshi (pickled plum). Something that you can’t get often. I go there and try and find things that they don’t always stock and are difficult to get in Melbourne.
Bu hikaye Gourmet Traveller dergisinin June 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Gourmet Traveller dergisinin June 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
THE SMOKING CAMEL
Each month we explore the origins behind some of Australia's signature drinks and learn how to recreate them.
MEET THE MAKER HELEN XU
As she swings open the doors to a new restaurant and hotel at her Yarra Valley vineyard, we check in with the Helen & Joey Estate winemaker to talk science, Sichuan and the wine brand she runs with husband Joey Zeng.
Fuel to the fire
From chilli to wasabi, there's an art to pairing drinks with spicy foods. SAMANTHA PAYNE breaks it down.
Sri Lankan hoppers
Chef TRAVIN DE HOEDT of Sydney's Kurumba shares his family recipe for this South Asian staple.
The art of...thoughtful feasting
It was a Moroccan tagine that taught ANNA HART to relax her ethics and eat, drink and be merry like a local.
THE NEW COCKTAIL CAPITAL
Mexico City is in its golden era of cocktail culture. Once home to a small handful of recognisable names, today the capital is heaving with globally renowned drinking destinations. And it's leading the charge for North America on awards lists such as World’s 50 Best (last year, Mexico City landed four bars on the list, compared to three in New York City).
Golden age
Time travel may not be possible but JOANNA HUNKIN discovers the next best thing when she pairs the Eastern & Oriental Express with a journey through Veuve Clicquot's private cellar.
48 HOURS IN PHUKET
Beyond beaches and resorts, Thailand's biggest island is a treasure trove of culinary gems. DANI VALENT gets the inside scoop from restaurateur Merica Charungvat.
LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE
Fireplaces, slowness and country scenes. Holidaying hits differently in winter
What is curry?
Cuisine or construct? RUSHANI EPA retraces the history of the saucy, spicy dish across the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora.