deshita, which means "That was a lovely meal, thank you."
JAPANESE FOOD
Ordering
Ordering Japanese food can be a rather intimidating job. English menus are rare, and even when you know the main type of food being served (or can at least order by the "show and tell" method), ordering appetizers and side dishes is always difficult. The simplest solution is to order a set menu, called a kosu (course) or teishoku. Most restaurants will offer some sort of course. Ordering this way also gives you a general idea of how much your meal will cost.
If you want to order a la carte, the general practice is first to order an appetizer (often sashimi), then a few side dishes, followed by the entree, with soup and rice finishing the meal. We have listed a few common appetizer and side-dish menu items, and explained some general cooking terms. Following is a list of seasonal fish.
The restaurants have been divided by type of food. We've included entree menus and listed a few side dishes common to that particular type of cooking. Restaurant prices are as of Summer 1993.
• General Menu
| Kosu | A full-course meal, as in Western restaurants. |
| Teishoku | Set menu—including a main dish with rice, soup, and pickles. Home cooking, tempura, tonkatsu, and unagi are usually offered this way. Teishoku sometimes is offered in three grades: nami (regular), jo (choice), and tokujo (deluxe). |
| Tsumami | Starters and side dishes. |
| morokyu | Cold cucumber served with a thick miso sauce. |
| itawasa | Sliced fish cake, served with soy sauce (add wasabi—green horseradish, if you wish). |
| sashimi | Raw fish |
| kinpira | Fried burdock root and carrots in a sauce seasoned with soy, sugar, and red pepper. |
| hijiki | Seaweed simmered in a soy and sugar sauce. |
| hiyayakko | Cold tofu served with chopped leeks, grated ginger, and soy sauce. |
| Gohan | Rice |
| onigiri | Rice balls (often triangular in shape) wrapped in dried seaweed. The center will be filled with ume (pickled sour plum), saké (salmon), or tarako (cooked codfish roe). |
| yaki-onigiri | Grilled onigiri seasoned with soy sauce. |
| ochazuke | A bowl of rice with tea or sometimes fish stock poured over it. Comes with saké, tsukemono (pickles), or nori (dried seaweed). |
| kamameshi | Steamed and seasoned rice with vegetables and a choice of chicken, crab, salmon, etc. |
| zosui | Rice that has been boiled in a seasoned soup, with kani (crab), kaki (oysters), egg, and various vegetables mixed in. |
| Shiru | Soup, usually with chopped leeks, bean curd, and seaweed. |
| misoshiru | Made with yellow (white) or brown (red) fermented soybean paste. |
| osuimono | Clear soup made with dried bonito flakes and konbu (seaweed.) |
| Yakimono | Fried or grilled foods. |
| robata-yaki | Usually, food cooked over an open grill. |
| sumibi-yaki | Food grilled over a charcoal hearth. |
| teppan-yaki | Food grilled over a flat grill. |
| ishi-yaki | Food cooked on hot stones. |
| shio-yaki | A grilling method using salt. |
| teriyaki | A grilling method for meat or fish that has been marinated and basted with sweet sauce. |
| Nimono | Usually fish or vegetables that have been boiled with soy sauce, sugar, and saké. |
| Mushimono | Foods that have been steamed. |
| chawan-mushi | Steamed egg with fish stock, similar to a custard. |
| -don (or -donburi) | Don means a pottery bowl, and by association any meal served in a bowl with rice. These are common lunch meals: tendon (tempura on rice) or oyako-donburi (chicken and egg on rice). |
| -ju | Means food served in a lacquered box, usually a small box with rice and something on top, such as tenju (tempura on rice). |
| • Seasonal Fish | |
| Spring | |
| hirame | halibut/flounder |
| mutsu | bluefish |
| hamachi | yellowtail (young) |
| sayori | halfbeak |
| tai | sea bream |
| shira-uo | whitebait |
| nishin | herring |
| Summer | |
| kuruma-ebi | large prawn |
| isaki | grunt |
| aji | horse mackerel |
| kisu | sillago/smelt |
| awabi | abalone |
| anago | conger eel |
| ayu | river trout |
| masu | trout |
| ainame | rock trout |
| ika | squid |
| katsuo | bonito |
| Autumn | |
| saba |
mackerel
|
