YeinJee's Asian Journal » Japanese Food and Restaurants

Ramen-bot, robots make noodles in Tokyo restaurant

Yein Jee — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:05:30 +0000

A Japanese ramen restaurant in Tokyo, Japan, is experimenting with two robotic-chef to cook the noodles; would be really cool if the whole restaurant’s operation is automated, with robots serving the dishes as well…

Ramen-bot, robots make noodles in Tokyo restaurant from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Heart-shaped watermelons in Japan

Yein Jee — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:07:42 +0000

Hiroichi Kimura, a farmer from Kumamoto, and his wife, have found a way to cultivate heart shaped watermelons.

It took the Kimuras three years to create the perfectly heart-shaped fruit; the couple managed to ship out 20 of the watermelons for the first time this year.

Five of those were for sale at Fukuoka’s Iwataya department store at 15,750 yen (160 USD) apiece [news and image from Asahi, via Japanprobe]

Heart-shaped watermelons in Japan from YeinJee's Asian Blog

KFC’s Colonel Sanders fashionable in Japan

Yein Jee — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:18:51 +0000

Statue of Colonel Sanders, founder (and mascot?) of KFC franchise, gets a bit of fashion makeover in Japan; some are cool, but mostly bizarre…

Valentino Sanders? [photo by Patrick Bolduan]

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KFC’s Colonel Sanders fashionable in Japan from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Kin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant, Tropicana, PJ

Yein Jee — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:38:26 +0000

Lunch at Kin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant at Tropicana Golf & Country Resort last Sunday. First heard about the restaurant from my ex Japanese boss years ago, who recommended the place for its authentic Japanese cuisine…

Somehow it took me years to make my maiden visit, which turned out to be one of the best Japanese meals I’ve ever had; guess it’s better late than never…

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Kin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant, Tropicana, PJ from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Cold Stone Creamery, East Asian style

Yein Jee — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:20:34 +0000

Cold Stone Creamery, an ice-cream parlor franchise from Arizona, USA, is known for its mix-ins and lively service culture where the workers would sing a tune or two when tipped by the customers.

Tipping is not common in Asia though; so I guess the staff would probably sing along whenever they feel like it. Sharing some videos of the staff in action from Cold Stone Creamery outlets in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan…

Japan – Forget ice cream, the girls are champs…

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Cold Stone Creamery, East Asian style from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Dannychoo’s a year worth of Japanese Food in Tokyo

Yein Jee — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:17:39 +0000

Popular blogger Danny Choo made this video sharing 365 pics of Japanese dishes he had in Tokyo; music track is “Chang e Chance” by Primarees. Cool stuff…

Dannychoo’s a year worth of Japanese Food in Tokyo from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Chocolate ramen for Valentine’s Day?

Yein Jee — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:22:08 +0000

Japanese chocolate manufacturer Lotte is teaming up with popular ramen shop Menya Musashi to create a chocolate flavoured ramen (chocolate as garnish to be precise).

The name of the dish is Ghana Miso and will be available until February 15th in honour of Valentine’s Day, where Japanese women would give give men chocolate as an expression of love or friendship [via Cscoutjapan]

Chocolate ramen for Valentine’s Day? from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Japanese woman ate 383 ‘bowls’ of soba in 10 minutes

Yein Jee — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:37:38 +0000

Hatsuyo Sugawara, a 44 year-old Japanese woman, won the 23rd Wanko-soba National Tournament that was held in Morioka City on Sunday (Nov 10) after eating 383 ‘bowls’ of soba noodles in 10 minutes.

Wanko-soba is a famous delicacy in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture; contrary to most soba dishes, wanko-soba is served in small portion… roughly 10-15 bowls of wanko-soba make up a standard bowl of soba.

The contestants had 15 mins to eat as much as they could… Hatsuya’s time was reduced to 10 mins as handicap for being the reigning champ; but she still managed to defend her title rather easily… [via Japantoday and Japanprobe]

Japanese woman ate 383 ‘bowls’ of soba in 10 minutes from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Miele Guide 2008/2009 – Asia’s top 20 restaurants

Yein Jee — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:05:28 +0000

Singapore’s Iggy’s is Asia’s best restaurant according to the Miele Guide which made its grand debut last week. The guide is claimed to be Asia’s first truly independent regional restaurant guide.

The Miele Guide 2008/2009 edition evaluates restaurants in 16 Asian countries… Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The top 20 restaurants according to the Miele Guide 2008/2009…

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Miele Guide 2008/2009 – Asia’s top 20 restaurants from YeinJee's Asian Blog

USD920 for a bunch of premium grapes in Japan

Yein Jee — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:05:16 +0000

A bunch of premium grapes were auctioned for 100,000 yen (~US$920) in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, on Monday (August 11). The bunch weighed around 700g and had 35 grapes, which converts to about $26 per grape.

These expensive grapes are a new variety called the Ruby Roman; nurtured by the Kaga Fruit Land in Ishikawa. It’s said to be the largest grapes in Japan, about 3cm in diameter. The average price for the Ruby Romans at Monday’s auction was about 27,000 yen ($248) per bunch. [via Nikkei]

The Ruby Roman grapes (Image from Rubyroman and Chunichi)

Check out some other expensive Japanese fruits… the Yubari cantaloupes and the Densuke watermelons.

USD920 for a bunch of premium grapes in Japan from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Yubari melon flavoured Kit Kat to save the city?

Yein Jee — Thu, 31 May 2007 09:00:01 +0000

Nestle (Japan) has introduced a new flavour for its Kit Kat wafer bar, filled with powder from the famous Yubari melons; and the company will donate 10 yen to the bankrupting city of Yubari from every pack sold.

Sounds generous, but there’s some catches as pointed out by Stippy… turned out it’s more of a brilliant marketing campaign by Nestle instead of a genuine effort to help the city.

Still, if the product does provide a bit of relieve, I don’t think the local government would mind if it’s genuine or not. It’s cooler though, to spend two million yen to buy two of Yubari’s famous melons instead.

Yubari melon flavoured Kit Kat to save the city? from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Pepsi Ice Cucumber coming soon in Japan

Yein Jee — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:06:29 +0000

Pepsi is planning to release a cucumber-flavoured soda in Japan this summer.

I wonder how it would taste like… a bubbling vegetable juice or Pepsi soda with cucumber flavour? Doubt that I would fancy it either way.

Pepsi Ice Cucumber coming soon in Japan from YeinJee's Asian Blog

$16,000 USD for a pair of Yubari melons

Yein Jee — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:47:04 +0000

A pair of cantaloupes from Yubari, Hokkaido, fetched a whopping 2 million yen (over $16,000 USD) at the first auction of the season at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market.

The price paid by Marui Imai Inc, a Sapporo based department store, has broken the previous record of 800,000 yen.

The two melons were on display at Marui Imai’s flagship outlet; priced at 1 million yen apiece. A spokesman said that the cantaloupes were more for publicity in celebration of their 135th anniversary instead of profit [via Japantimes].

Yubari melons are known for their high quality and sweet taste. The melons are popular summer gifts in Japan; an average Yubari melon could cost $50-100 USD.

Giving gifts to corporate partners and clients is a traditional Japanese custom; it’s usually done twice a year in mid-winter and in mid-summer.

[Update] The record was broken again in 2008 for 2.5 million yen.

$16,000 USD for a pair of Yubari melons from YeinJee's Asian Blog