If you want to dine out for sake and food, an izakaya is the place to go. Izakaya is often translated as Japanese pub, but is one of the unique styles of Japanese restaurants in which to enjoy sake (alcohol including sake, beer, shochu and others) with food to match. Izakaya-ryori (food at izakaya), is usually a small entrée or snack size dished. When ordering sake in Izakaya you also are served tsukidashi, a complementary dish like hors d'oeuvre. Izakaya originated in the Edo Era (1603-1867) as liquor shops that sold sake by volume. Later they started serving sake on the premises as well. Gradually they provided snacks to be served with the drink. Until the 1970s, izakaya had an image of a place for salaried men to drink sake, but these days the image has changed. They have changed the menu, furniture and interiors to attract women and family groups and to become more casual.
Aka-chochin (red lantern) is another word for izakaya because they traditionally hang a red lantern out the front as a sign. However, Yakitori-ya, where staff grill yakitori (skewered chicken) in front of customers - also serve sake and hang red lanterns. Oden-ya restaurants sell oden, a Japanese hotchpotch or stew made in a large pot. Robata-yaki restaurants have robata, a grilling fire place and the robata-yaki chef uses a giant wooden ladle to serve the dished from beside the fireplace.
Ryotei are high-class Japanese restaurants, usually set in a sukiya-style building, which is based on a tea-ceremony arbor with a beautiful Japanese garden. They use ceramics by famous potters and fixtures such as hanging scrolls, paintings and furniture designed by leading artists, which are sometimes changed depending on the season, the occasion or guests. Using premium-quality ingredients, the chefs- who train for a minimum of ten years before they qualify - carefully start preparing some days before. Ryotei provide orthodox Japanese entertainment, such as Geisha and gagaku, traditional Japanese music.
Ryotei provide the best environment to enjoy dining, service and food and are patronized by corporate executives, politicians or VIPs for confidential meetings. Ryotei used to accept only regular customers with a reservation, not passing trade. However, since the Japanese bubble economy had burst, the number of meetings had declined and ryotei have struggled. Their prices used to be so expensive that the majority of people could not afford them and, although some ryotei still are, most now prepare a fixed-price menu to encourage visitors. Some modern Japanese restaurants now also use the prestigious name of ryotei but serve meals in a more casual and vibrant setting - without the super-fine dining.
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Jingisukan - Lamb in Hokkaido-style
In Jingisukan, a special dome-shaped hotplate - like turtle's shell is used to prevent the oil and sauces from pooling and stewing the meat while it's grilling. Jingisukan can be cooked at home with a Jingisukan plate- bought from Asian shops - on a portable gas or electric hotplate at the dining table. This Jingisukan dish has a combination of vegetables and marinated lamb that is meant to be eaten as it is being cooked, as set of hotplate up at the dining table.
Ingredients
- Dipping sauce
- 400g lamb rump, thinly sliced
- Small cube of lamb fat, or vegetable oil
- 1 packet of bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
- garlic chives, chopped, added to bean sprouts.
- 1 brown onion, peeled and sliced in rings.
- 1 carrot, peeled, sliced and precooked in microwave.
- 1 green capsicum, de-seeded and cut into pieces.
- Any other vegetable in season such as cabbage, pumpkin, snow peas, etc.
Steps
1 . Marinate lamb in prepared sauce for at least half an hour. Heat the dome-shaped teppan and spread with lamb fat or oil. Place some bean sprouts with chives, onion, carrot and capsicum on the teppan. Grill for 2-3 minutes or until lightly cooked.
2 . Place some lamb slices on the hotplate and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning once. Drizzle some sauce over the vegetables.
3 . You can eat directly from the dome teppan, continuing to add more ingredients to the hotplate as required. Serve with Jingisukan sauce for dipping.
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