| I have always been impressed with Japanese | | | | improve the dining experience. The Japanese also |
| cuisine and culture. This article will discuss on its | | | | use soup stock with either seaweed or dried |
| aspects and why Singaporeans find it so familiar, | | | | bonito. If you are looking for a traditional approach |
| so much so that aspects of their culture seem to | | | | to eating Japanese food, then look out for |
| resonate with us. Firstly, they are rice eaters, just | | | | restaurants that have the 'Kaiseki' eating |
| like us. In Singapore the staple diet of all the | | | | experience, with is a formal way to present |
| major cultures is rice. It is the centre of our dining | | | | Japanese cuisine. It is slightly different that the |
| experience and side dishes are just used to | | | | Chinese style in the fact that the sequence of the |
| complement the rice and make it more delicious. | | | | services are decided by the cooking methods. |
| Japanese rice is short grain and usually sticky. | | | | In Japan, these sort of restaurants are |
| They normally do not do anything to the rice | | | | accompanied by music and performances by |
| because they perceived that it was important for | | | | traditional Geisha or Japanese dancers. I doubt |
| the diner to experience the taste of the rice. A | | | | you can find the same thing in Singapore, but |
| typical Japanese meal would consist of rice, miso | | | | there are many Japanese restaurants in this |
| soup and some side complementing dishes to | | | | country that offer a slightly tweaked version of |
| complete the fair. They are also not heavy on | | | | this eating experience, adding customability to the |
| seasoning and salt, because the Japanese believe | | | | food and making it less formal. If you need to |
| that they take away the authentic taste of the | | | | know what foods to try, just as the house chef |
| food. As you can see, Japanese culture and | | | | or cook - Japanese cooks are usually extremely |
| cuisine interplay one another, and the whole | | | | friendly and will recommend easy to eat foods |
| concept behind it is simplicity and purity. They | | | | for first timers. In addition to the |
| believe that too much seasoning, too much | | | | tête-à-tête with cook, what is |
| condiments and spices and cooking, came in the | | | | good for answer is the proximity sandwiched |
| way of one's ability to truly enjoy the natural | | | | between where food is made and where it is |
| taste of the food. This is why they usually | | | | eaten. The less the time amid food preparation |
| enjoyed their food raw and with minimal cooking. | | | | and eating, the better is the taste. |
| However, their simplicity did not prevent them | | | | Once you find your favourite dishes you can try |
| from using soya sauce, which plays a very | | | | them in other restaurants and you will know |
| important role in the Japanese kitchen. | | | | whether they are of good quality or not. This will |
| Usually, the clearer type of soya cause is used to | | | | be your introduction to Japanese cuisine and |
| enhance the flavour and used as a seasoning to | | | | culture - right in the heart of Singapore. |