Japanese Sake : All Japan News,Inc

By Aya Ota

Characteristics of New York City are strongly reflected upon old brick buildings and graffiti on the walls of the Lower East Side. In this town, new hotels, galleries, restaurants, and bars have been appearing one after another in the past few years, and the scene of the town has been rapidly changing. One of them is “Kaikagetsu NYC” that has the Hida-region of Gifu prefecture as their theme, with a brand-new concept.

When you step into the restaurant, being enchanted and led by the elegant swaying paper lanterns hung in the front, its beautiful interior catches your eyes first. You see lamps standing in line like on a street in the space where deep charcoal brown grainy woods, white walls and ceilings are effectively laid out. As you keep walking forward towards the heavy door in the back, you feel like you are walking down the street of the Hida region where old houses stand in line along the streets. A truly relaxing and elegant ambience has been produced there with impressively presented Mino Washi paper and local artifacts, etc.

The dishes served there are dominated by the Hida-region’s local cuisine. Hida beef, a Gifu prefecture specialty, is featured as the main menu item, and they serve a wide variety of both traditional dishes such as “Hida Beef Hoba Yaki” ($60) and “Hida Beef Toban Yaki” ($60), and modern version dishes such as “Hida Beef Curry” ($24) and “Hida Beef Skewers” ($24). The “Hida Beef Nigiri Sushi Sampler” ($35), which is sushi of lightly char-boiled Hida beef, is particularly well received. Variations of possibilities of wagyu beef are exhibited one after another, which surprises and impresses you. As for Japanese sake, it is extremely carefully selected mainly amongst the Hida-region brands. “Tenryou Koshu” Junmai Daiginjo, which has a distinctive aroma, is especially popular, and many customers order it for pairing with Hida beef dishes. There, you can either choose to sit at a table to relax to enjoy a Kaiseki course, or sit at the bar to enjoy sake while having à la carte dishes.

“Their unprecedented unique concept, Hida, and the ingredient, Hida beef, which is very attractive to Americans, must be appealing to New Yorkers,” says Tomoyuki Iwanami, the owner. Mr. Iwanami was born and raised in New York. He has a unique background. He worked in both the music and fashion industries. He was specialized in marketing and branding. The joint effort with Mr. Yasuo Shigeta, CEO, Forrest Fooding, Inc., also his friend of 10 years, who runs 37 various types of restaurants in Japan, started extensive market research about 5 years ago for the main purpose of opening a Japanese fine dining restaurant in New York, which is the center of the world of eatery. What they took most of their time was to look for the location and building. They had their eyes on the Lower East Side since the beginning; however, they felt a special energy and growth potential of this area by seeing the past year’s remarkable changes there, and eventually decided to choose this location. I found out that they had decided on the theme as the Hida region later on. They first determined the condition of the existing real estate candidates, local clientele and their characteristics, etc., and then chose “Kaikagetsu” as their themed restaurant among the running business models of Forrest Fooding Inc.

The strong selling point of “Kaikagetsu NYC” is, no need to say, its particularity about ingredients and cooking style. They brought as many as 3 chefs from Japan, who are experienced and well established in Kaiseki cuisine. Their truly authentic and delicately crafted dishes are very well recognized. The colorful presentation of each dish that makes you feel the present season, looks like a piece of art. Playful arrangements are applied to daily changing ingredients by the chefs, and never bore even the repeating customers. Such strengths of theirs was taken into their branding strategy, and used for choosing the media that are particular about foods and drink, for their advertisements. They also invited concierges of nearby hotels to introduce their concept and dishes so they can recommend the restaurant to the hotel guests. Diligent efforts such as those worked out, and the restaurant has become a place where gourmet customers who want to eat good food, gather despite the location which, you cannot say, is really convenient to reach.

“As a Japanese who was born and raised in New York, I wanted to do something for Japan,” continues Mr. Iwanami. Aside from running the restaurant, he is contributing to the exchange of Japan/US food cultures by hiring novice chefs who are interested in Japanese cuisine, and training them, etc.

I’d really like you to visit this restaurant where you can fully enjoy good old Japanese elegant ambience and local cuisine.


飛騨地方の郷土料理と地酒を、古民家のような雰囲気で味わう
『海華月NYC』

煉瓦造りの古い建物や壁に描かれたグラフィティ…ニューヨークらしさを色濃く遺す街、ロウアーイーストサイド。この数年、ホテルやギャラリー、レストランやバーが次々登場し、急速に変貌を遂げる中、またひとつ個性的な店が誕生した。『海華月NYC』――岐阜県飛騨地方をテーマにした、全く新しいコンセプトの店だ。

店頭で揺れる上品な提灯に誘われるように足を踏み入れると、まず、その内装の美しさに目を奪われる。深い焦げ茶色の木目と白い壁や天井との対比を活かした空間に、街頭のように並ぶランプ。店の奥にある重厚感ある扉に向けて進むと、まるで飛騨地方の古民家が立ち並ぶ街を歩いているかのような気分になる。美濃和紙や民芸品を印象的に配置し、お洒落かつ心からくつろげる雰囲気を演出している。

料理は飛騨地方の郷土料理を取り入れた内容。特に、岐阜県名産の飛騨牛をメニューの核に据え、「飛騨牛の朴葉焼き（$60）」「飛騨牛陶板焼き$60）」などの伝統的な料理から、「飛騨牛のカレー$24）」「飛騨牛の串焼き（（$24）」など現代的な料理まで、幅広く提供する。ごく軽く炙った飛騨牛で握る寿司$35）も好評で、和牛の可能性を次々に見せてくれ、驚かされる。日本酒は飛騨地方の地酒を中心に厳選。特に、純米大吟醸『天領古酒』は個性的な風味があり、飛騨牛とあわせて楽しむ客が多いという。ゆっくりとテーブルに着席して懐石料理コースを満喫したり、バーカウンターに座ってアラカルトをつまみながらお酒を味わったり、さまざまな楽しみ方ができる。

「飛騨という他にないコンセプト、飛騨牛という米国人客に魅力的な食材がニューヨーカーを引きつけている」と話すのは、オーナーの岩波智之氏岩波氏は、ニューヨークで生まれ育ち、音楽やファッション業界出身というユニークな経歴があり、マーケティングやブランディングが専門分野。同氏の十年来の友人であり、日本でさまざまな業態の飲食店を37店舗経営する『フォレストフーディング社』の代表取締役社長・重田保夫氏と提携し、約5年前に「世界の食の中心地・ニューヨークで、高級和食店を開店する」という軸を元に、徹底した市場調査を開始した。最も時間を割いたのは、立地と物件探し。当初からロウアーイーストサイド地区には目を付けていたものの、特にこの1年のめざましい変化を見る中で、他の地域にはないエネルギーや成長性を感じ、この場所に決定したという。「飛騨地方をテーマに据える」ことは、実は、後から決めたことだという。既存物件の状況や、この地域の顧客層や特性などを見極めた上で、フォレストフーディング社が経営する業態から『海華月』を選んだのだという。

『海華月NYC』の強みは、なんと言っても食材と料理にこだわっていること。日本から、懐石料亭で経験と実績を積んだシェフを3人も連れてきており、本格的で丁寧に細工された料理には定評がある。季節感や大事にした彩り豊かな盛り付けは、まるで芸術作品のようだ。毎日の食材に応じて、シェフたちが遊び心あふれるアレンジを施し、常連が何度訪れても飽きさせることがない。その強みをブランディング戦略にも取り入れ、ソフトオープン当初は、食や酒にこだわりの強い媒体を選んで、記事掲載を仕掛けたという。また、近隣のホテルのコンシェルジェを招待し、コンセプトや料理を紹介し、宿泊客に勧めてもらうように働きかけた。こういった地道な戦略が功を奏し、決して交通の便がよい立地とは言えないが、「美味しいものを食べたい」というグルメな客が集う店として注目されている。

「ニューヨークで生まれ育った日本人として、日本のために何かできれば」と岩波氏は続ける。レストラン経営の一方で、和食に興味のあるシェフの卵を見習いとして雇いトレーニングするなど、日米の食文化交流にも貢献する。

古き良き日本の風情や郷土料理を心ゆくまで楽しめる店、ぜひ足を運んでほしい。

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Kaikagetsu NYC
162 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
Tel: 646-590-3900
URL: www.kaikagetsunyc.com

By Keiko Fukuda

Okonomiyaki restaurant, Chinchikurin, stands in front of the Yagura of Japanese Village, the symbol of Little Tokyo. Teppan-yaki tables are laid out in an orderly way in a large space, and their kitchen is an open style. If you get seated at the counter, you can watch Okonomiyaki being made by chefs in front of you.

“Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki is difficult to make because it requires one to make many layers, therefore, although a teppan is installed for each table, we don’t ask customers to cook at the table. Instead, we deliver Okonomiyaki cooked by a chef in the kitchen to the teppan, so the customer can eat while it is still hot,” explains Tsuyoshi Sahara, the manager. Mr. Sahara is from Hiroshima. His family had a teppan at home when he was little, and it was his father, who didn’t usually cook, who took the responsibility whenever Okonomiyaki was chosen for dinner.

The Chinchikurin chain was founded in 1999 in Hiroshima which Mr. Sahara is also from. The chain has developed 10 locations in Hiroshima, and 3 locations in Tokyo as restaurants which offer various izakaya style menus that contain mainly Okonomiyaki and Teppanyaki items. The first overseas location was in the Sawtelle District of West Los Angeles, which opened in January of 2017. The Little Tokyo location opened in March of 2018 after a strong determination of success was felt at the Sawtelle location.

There have been Osaka style Okonomiyaki restaurants in the US; however, there was no place where you could eat Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki. What is the difference between the Osaka style and the Hiroshima style? As mentioned earlier, Hiroshima style has many layers. The Chinchikurin menu explains that in an easy-to-understand way with an illustration. First comes the dough, then fish powder, shredded cabbage, tenkasu (fried tempura batter crumbs), bean sprouts, pork belly slices, soba, eggs, sauce, and dried seaweed flakes are piled on top of each other, pressed down, and grilled, one by one in order. When you take a bite of a piping hot piece, it feels like those ingredients are trying to make an impression in your mouth with each of their tastes and textures.

The most popular menu item is the Chinchikurin yaki ($17.00). It is a signature item in Japan, which is called “Shoburiyaki” in Japan. Boneless short rib of beef is used in Japan, but in the US, ground beef is used for easier acceptance by Americans. On the interview day, I tried the second most popular item, “The Loaded Kaisen ($18.50)”. In addition to the basic ingredients such as cabbage, soba, and eggs, it had plenty of seafood such as shrimp and sliced squid on top.

It is a very satisfying and luxurious menu item both visually and volume wise.

What is indispensable to complete the piece is Hiroshima’s Otafuku brand sauce. This sauce is produced locally at the Otafuku sauce factory in a Los Angeles suburb.

Menu items such as Basil Cheese and Broccoli Shrimp Yaki are unique to the American market. There are 8 kinds in Okonomiyaki alone, and one for vegetarians has been added newly to respond to many requests from the Los Angeles area. There is no need to say that no meat is used for this piece, but even no eggs or fish powder are used. In addition to the Okonomiyaki menu, you can also order Hiroshima style tsukemen and soup-less tantanmen. They are planning to add more appetizers and desserts. Most of their customers are non-Japanese.

What do they do to secure the number of customers? “We don’t use prints or other media advertisements much.

As for the Little Tokyo location, the huge glass windows facing the street is the key, I think. It seems that people get curious watching people inside eating an unfamiliar-looking food in front of an iron grill. We also try to maintain a cheerful ambience of the restaurant at all times.

We train our staff to serve customers cheerfully and as loudly as possible,” says the manager Sahara. As the result of such efforts, the restaurant has become so popular that on weekends, people wait in line in front of the restaurant. They sometimes serve as many as 500 people a day. The 3rd US location is being planned to open soon in Torrance (this information is as of December of 2018).

Such a day may be near that you can eat Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki anywhere in the US.


広島のお好み焼きをアメリカで

リトルトーキョーのシンボル、ジャパニーズビレッジプラザに建つ火の見櫓の正面に店を構えるのが、お好み焼きのちんちくりん。広々とした店内には鉄板焼きテーブルが配置され、キッチンはオープンスタイル。カウンターに陣取れば、お好み焼きをシェフが焼く過程を目の前で見ることができる。

「広島のお好み焼きは何層にもレイヤーが分かれていて、作るのが難しいんです。だから、テーブルに鉄板にあってもお客様に作っていただくのではなく、キッチンでシェフが焼いたお好み焼きをテーブルに移動させて、それを温かい状態で食べていただくための鉄板です」と説明してくれたのは、マネージャーの佐原毅（ルビ：さはらつよし）さん。広島市出身の佐原さんも物心ついた時から家庭には鉄板があり、お好み焼きの日には普段料理をしない父親が腕を振るったそうだ。

さて、ちんちくりんは佐原さんの地元でもある広島で1999年に創業された。お好み焼き、鉄板焼きを中心に多数の居酒屋メニューを揃えた店として、広島に10店舗、東京に3店舗展開している。海外１号店は、2017年1月にオープンしたウエストロサンゼルスのソーテル店。リトルトーキョー店はソーテルで確かな手応えを得た後の2018年3月に店を開けた。

アメリカにはこれまで大阪のお好み焼きの店はあったが、広島のお好み焼きを食べられる店はなかった。大阪スタイルとは何が違うのかと言うと、前述のように、何層も分かれているのが広島のお好み焼きだ。ちんちくりんのメニューに、それがわかりやすく図説されている。まず、生地があり、その上にフィッシュパウダー、キャベツ、天かす、もやし、豚バラ、そば、卵、ソース、さらに青のりと、順番に重ねて押さえて焼き上げる。熱々をいただくと、それぞれの具材の食感が口の中で主張する印象だ。

同店で一番人気のメニューは、ちんちくりん焼き（$17.00）。日本では「しょぶり焼き」と称される看板メニューで、本来であれば牛肉の中落ちを使うそうだが、アメリカではより受け入れやすいように牛ひき肉を使用。そして取材当日、試食したのは２番人気の海鮮スペシャル（The Loaded Kaisen, $18.50）だった。キャベツやそば、卵などのベーシックな具材以外に、エビ、イカが豊富にトッピングされている。見た目にもボリューム的にも豪華で満足度が高い一品。仕上げに欠かせないのが、広島のオタフクソースの存在だ。ロサンゼルス郊外のオタフクソースの現地工場で生産されているものだ。

メニューには。バジルチーズ焼き、ブロッコリーシュリンプなどアメリカならではと思わせるユニークなものも見られる。お好み焼きだけで8種類、さらに、ロサンゼルスでの要望が多いことがわかって、新しく加えたのがベジタリアン向けのお好み焼き。肉はもちろん、卵、フィッシュパウダーも使っていない。

お好み焼き以外にも、広島スタイルのつけ麺と汁無し担々麺も食べられる。また、今後はアペタイザーやデザートも増やしていく意向だ。

顧客はほぼ非日系で占められる。顧客を確保するためにどのような努力をしているのだろうか？「広告や宣伝はあまり利用していません。まず、リトルトーキョー店に関しては、通りに面したガラス張りの作りが大きな武器になっていると思います。鉄板を前に店内にお客様が、あまり見たことがない料理を食べている光景が興味をひくようです。また、店の雰囲気を常に明るくするように努めています。スタッフにも、できるだけ大きな声を出して接客するようにトレーニングをしています」。

こうした努力の末に、週末になると店の前には行列ができるまでになった。１日の来客数が500人に達することもある。近くアメリカ３店舗目のトーランス店も開店予定（取材した2018年12月時点）。広島のお好み焼きが全米各地で食べられるようになる日も近いかもしれない。

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Chinchikurin
350 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-0480
http://www.chinchikurin-usa.com

11:30am-2:00pm, and 5:00pm-11:00pm
Closed on Tuesday

By Kosuke Kuji

The 43rd edition of Japan Week (http://www.iffjapan.or.jp/) organized by the International Friendship Foundation, a non-profit based in Tokyo, was held in Torino, Italy. The welcome reception was held lavishly at the Foyer of Teatro Regio, attended by Japanese and Torino affiliates, totaling approximately 300 guests. Japanese guests dressed in kimonos, while Consul General Amamiya, the Consulate General of Japan in Milan, gave a congratulatory address. The Deputy Mayor and many participants also attended from the Torino side, and the Japanese and Italian attendees intermingled with one another.

During the welcome reception, the “Awa sake” produced by a member sake brewery of both the Nanbubijin Awasake Sparkling and Japan Awasake Association were served to all participants as the welcome toast. Normally, champagne would be served, or Spumante this year, since the event was held in Italy. However, the Japan Awasake Association was behind the effort to serve Awa sake as the welcome toast at the official party!! This is a first, unprecedented feat worldwide!!


世界初！！海外のパーティーでawa酒で乾杯！！ その1

公益財団法人国際親善協会が主催する第43回ジャパンウィーク (http://www.iffjapan.or.jp) がイタリアのトリノで開催されました。ウエルカムレセプションがテアトロ・レッジョ・ロビーで日本とトリノの関係者300名近くが参加して盛大に開催されました。日本側参加者は着物や演武で着る衣装で参加、さらに在ミラノ総領事館の雨宮総領事も参加してご祝辞をいただきました。

トリノ側からも副市長をはじめ、多くの参加者があり、日本とイタリアの交流が行われました。そのウエルカムレセプションで、南部美人あわさけスパークリングをはじめ、一般社団法人awa酒協会に加盟する蔵元の「awa酒」が全ての参加者にウエルカムドリンクと乾杯用のお酒として振る舞われました。例年ならばシャンパン、そして今年はイタリアなのでスプマンテなど泡のお酒が振る舞われますが、今年はawa酒協会が協力して、公式なパーティーの場で全てがawa酒でのウエルカムドリンク・乾杯酒の使用となりました。これは世界初の試みです！！

Text Mayumi Schroeder Photo: Elli Sekine

Growth of popularity of sushi in San Francisco’s Bay area in recent years is quite amazing. Many sushi restaurants including sushi bars and revolving sushi places have opened. Among them, one place is particularly attracting people’s attention as a restaurant where true authentic sushi is served. It is “Oma San Francisco Station”, which opened in Japan Town’s West Mall in July of 2018. This place has been featured in various media such as ABC News, Hoodline, and Eater SF as a retaurant where reasonably-priced high-quality sushi omakase courses are offered, and good reviews have been given. Even the Michelin Guide said, “It is wonderful that you can eat this good-quality sushi at this kind of price!”

Wilson Chan, the owner/chef, is Chinese American from Northridge area of Los Angeles County. He has a 16-year career as a chef, and has worked as a skillful chef at many high-quality restaurants such as“Wasabi + Ginger, Kentaro” in Los Angeles area, ”Yuzuki”, “Tsubasa”, ”Kappo Gomi”, and ”Ozaoza” in San Francisco area. For this opportunity of opening his own restaurant, Mr. Chan, who has also worked as an art designer, did everything from designing the modern interior, 3-dimentional art, to the website by himself.

The name of this restaurant, “Oma San Francisco Station”, with a wooden counter for only 8 seats, was named after an image in which, although you are in a metropolitan area, you go to a train station to taste omakase-style sushi. The menu consists of only 3 omakase courses, “Nozomi” ($85), “Hikari” ($55)”, and “Kodama ($30)”. The courses are uniquely named after Japanese bullet trains (Shinkansen). The “Nozomi” consists of 12 nigiri sushi pieces, and 1 hand-roll. The “Hikari” consists of 6 nigiri sushi pieces, and 1 hand-roll. “Kodama” consists of 5 nigiri sushi pieces, and 1 hand-roll. Each course ends with akadashi miso soup. If you felt not quite satisfied with the quantity, you can also add individual nigari sushi pieces of your choice.

As for the ingredients, Mr. Chan himself carefully selects only fresh and seasonal produce. On top of air ordering from Toyosu in advance, he also orders certain seasonal ingredients from even Hokkaido and Kyushu. As for fish, this place has rare kinds such as red bream, rockfish, red snapper, amberjack, and scallops from Iwate prefecture, which are not well known and usually unavailable as popular sushi ingredients. Each ingredient is prepared using uniquely effective methods such as konbu-jime, and aburi (charring), to enhance each ingredient’s characteristics to the fullest. The konbu for konbu-jime method is Rishiri dried kelp from Hokkaido. Mackerels from Hokkaido are marinated in dashi for 2 hours, and red breams are marinated for 6 hours before they are prepared. The ikura (salmon roes) dish I tasted was prepared after marinated in konbu dashi and mirin, and every bite was fresh, and soothing while I could still taste ikura’s natural deep taste and aroma, which slowly spread in my mouth. The charred salmon was very aromatic due to slight charring burn, and its soft texture that melted in my mouth made me feel like getting addicted to it. Simple, yet only highest-quality fish is used, therefore, “no soy sauce is needed”, is true as written in the menu. The best possible sushi has been created here by ultimately bringing out each ingredient‘s umami.

Presently, only sushi kaiseki can be offered because there is no kitchen space, however, he indicated his desire of opening a restaurant with a kitchen in the future. Right now, the seating is limited to 8, and the same-day reservation is not accepted, so making an online reservation in advance is recommended. Otherwise waiting can be very long especially for dinner time due to its popularity.


コンセプトは“都会で立ち寄った駅で食す最高級寿司”
 
　近年におけるサンフランシスコ・ベイエリアでの寿司の人気は目を見張るものがあり、寿司バーや回転寿司など数多くの店舗が広範囲で展開されている。その中で、本格的な寿司が食べられるレストランとして注目されているのがサンフランシスコ日本街のウエスト・モール内に2018年7月にオープンした「Oma San Francisco Station」だ。リーズナブルに高品質の寿司のおまかせコースを食する事が出来るとABC7ニュースやHoodline、Eater SFなどの情報誌に取り上げられレビューでも高い評価を獲得している他、ミシュランガイドでも“この様な高品質の寿司を、この価格で食べられるのは素晴らしい事だ”と記載されている。

　オーナー兼シェフのウィルソン・チャン氏はロサンゼルス市ノースリッジ地区出身のチャイニーズ・アメリカン。シェフとして16年の経験を持ち、ロサンゼルス市の「Wasabi + Ginger, Kentaro」、サンフランシスコ市の「Yuzuki」, 「Tsubasa」,「Kappo Gomi」や「Ozaoza」など数多くのクオリティーの高い店でシェフとして活躍してきた。今回、自分の店を持つにあたりシェフだけでなくアートデザイナーとしての経歴も持つチャン氏は、店内の近代的なデザインや立体アートからレストランのウェブサイトのデザインまで全て自分で作り上げたという。

　8席の木製カウンターのみの当店の名前である“Oma San Francisco Station”は、“都会にありながら、駅に立ち寄って食べるおまかせ寿司”というイメージで付けられたという。メニューはおまかせメニューのみの全3種類。それぞれに“のぞみ（85ドル）”、“ひかり（55ドル）”、“こだま（30ドル）”と新幹線の名前を付けるユニークさだ。“のぞみ”では握り12貫と手巻き1本、“ひかり”では握り8貫と手巻き1本、“こだま”では握り5貫と手巻き1本で、全メニューとも最後に締めとして赤ダシの味噌汁が提供される。食後に物足りなさを感じる人には最後に1品ずつ握り寿司を追加する事もできるという。

　食材は旬で新鮮な物のみをチャン氏が自ら選んで厳選、プレオーダーをして豊洲から空輸される他、九州や北海道からも旬の食材を空輸する徹底ぶり。寿司ネタにはキンメダイ、のどくろ、真鯛、かんぱち、岩手県産の帆立など一般の寿司ネタにはない物も取り揃えており、調理方法も昆布締めや炙りなどで個々の食材の旨さを最大限に生かすように調理されている。昆布締めに使用されているのは利尻昆布で、北海道産の鯖はダシに2時間浸してから、キンメダイは6時間浸してから調理されるという。今回、賞味させて頂いたイクラは昆布ダシと味醂で漬けられてから調理されており、噛む度に新鮮で爽やかな口当たりながらも、イクラそのものの深い味わいが口の中に広がっていく。又、炙りサーモンは若干の焦げがもたらす香ばしさと、柔らかな食感が口の中で溶けるようで病みつきになりそうだ。シンプルだが最高なネタを提供しており、メニューには“醤油は必要なし”と書かれているように、個々の素材の旨味を最大限に引き出した最高級の寿司を作り上げている。

　現在はキッチンが無い為に寿司懐石のみの提供となっているが、将来はキッチン付きの寿司屋を開店したいとチェン氏は意欲を示している。席数が8席と限られおり同日予約を受け付けていない人気店の為、ディナー時には行列が出来る事も多いので事前にオンラインでの予約が推奨される。
 

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Oma San Francisco Station
1737 Post Street., Suite 337, San Francisco, CA 94115
                             
Website: https://www.omasfstation.com
Email: contact@omasfstation.com
 
Mon.- Sun. 12:00pm – 10:00pm
(Last Seating: 8:30pm)

By Aya Ota

Its unique exterior; walls without windows, which make it impossible to peek in, and the thick and heavy door, both of which remind you of a kura (an old-fashioned Japanese building for storage); catches your eyes. This is “Sakagura East Village” which opened its door in September of 2018. As soon as you step inside, its gracious interior space decorated with plentiful of woods and stones, and a small Japanese garden-like space open up in front of you, and you feel as if you suddenly stepped into another world.

“I want to pursue the basics of Japanese food culture. I want people to fully enjoy various kinds of Japanese local sake with authentic Japanese cuisine,” says Bon Yagi, CEO of T.I.C. Group. This Group’s motto is “Enjoy Japan without Airfare (You can enjoy authentic Japanese tastes and ambiences without actually going there)”. From true traditional Japanese foods such as sushi and soba to more current foods like curry and ramen, street foods such as takoyaki and rice burgers, Japanese sake bars and tea salons, a total of as many as 13 different kinds of business models are forming their 20 plus Japanese restaurants under the operation of this Group. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he is the person who has been making the history of New York’s Japanese cuisine scene for the last 40 plus years. He was awarded for his contribution. He was selected as one of the 5 winners in the world for the Minister's Award for Overseas Promotion of Japanese Food in 2018.

This place is positioned as a sister restaurant of “Sakagura” in Midtown, which has been running as a popular restaurant where the high number of customers has been sustained for more than 20 years, however, this place deserves more than positioned as the second location of a popular restaurant because it is filled with its own charms.

The person, who creates gracious dishes with plentiful seasonal ingredients imported from all over Japan, is Masaru Kajihara, Executive Chef. He has been displaying his skills at notable kaiseki restaurants in both Japan and the US, such as “Suzuki” in Tsukiji, Tokyo, and “Kyoya”, a New York Times 3-starred restaurant. The “Sakagura Omakase Course” is offered only at the East Village location. The first item of the course, the “Pintxo with Truffled Chicken Pâté and Pepitas on Rice Bread”, specially baked bread with cooked rice mixed in the dough, surprises you. The “Carpaccio Medley” is accentuated with ponzu gelee and salted konbu. The “Wagyu Ishiyaki”, served with sizzling sound and aroma, pleases your five senses fully. To show their particularity about rice and miso, the Japanese cuisine basics, a kamameshi, cooked super high-quality rice from Uonuma, Niigata, with a lot of seafood such as scallops, Snow crab meat, etc., is served accompanied by miso soup using uki-koji miso and nukazuke style pickled vegetables to finish the course.

The Japanese sake selection of nearly 100 different brands from about 80 breweries have been carefully selected by Ryoma Miki, General Manger/sake sommelier. There is even a premium kind of sake you cannot find anywhere else. Recommended pairing with the omakase course is well accepted, and it impresses you even more when the sake that matches each dish perfectly is served in each appropriate container that matches the sake. Many sake connoisseurs visits “Sakagura” which carries the most selection of sake in New York, and they like to order unique brands such as Nama-zake, Kimoto, and Yamahai. The casks of sake piled up high by the wall at the deep end of the restaurant are donated by the breweries from all over Japan. This display shows their passion and aspiration to convey enthusiasms of brewery owners and masters of sake brewers of each brand, and to represent characteristics of each sake to as many people as possible.

A unique event called “Taste of Japan” which started to realize their hope to introduce Japanese local cooking specialties, is particularly noteworthy. Every other month, one of Japan’s regions is picked, and a special menu is created and offered featuring the picked region’s local specialty food and their local sake. For the first time of this regular event, Niigata prefecture was picked, and the highest-quality Uonuma-made rice and miso made by Hakkaisan brewery was used. They are planning to continue this event featuring prefectures such as Nagano, Hyogo, Miyagi, etc. in this respective order.

One big difference of this place from the Midtown location is its interior space. You can sit alone at the counter, you can enjoy and relax in a semi-private space with a friend, or you can even bring a group of 20 to use a private space for a large group. This place can accommodate almost any situation. There are plenty of spaces among the tables, and they are creating an ambience which draw a line between them and other casual and noisy East Village restaurant.
　
“Sakagura East Village” which is like a concentration of the wonderfulness of Japanese food culture, is definitely the kind of restaurant you want to visit again and again.


日本各地の地酒と郷土料理を心ゆくまで楽しめる

窓がなく中を伺い知ることのできない壁に、重厚感ある扉…まさに蔵を思わせる外観に目を奪われる。ここは2018年9月に開店した『酒蔵イーストビレッジ』。一歩足を踏み入れると、木や石をふんだんに使った端正な内装や日本庭園を思わせる箱庭が広がり、一瞬にして別世界になる。

「日本食文化の原点を追求したい。日本各地の地酒を、本格的な和食とともに堪能してほしい」と語るのはT.I.C.グループ最高経営責任者、八木秀峰氏。同グループのモットーは「日本に行かなくても本格的な日本の味や雰囲気を楽しめる」ということ。寿司や蕎麦など本格派和食から、カレーやラーメンなどの現代的和食、たこ焼きやライスバーガーなどのストリートフード、日本酒バーや日本茶サロンなど、実に13種類もの業態で約20店舗もの日本食店を経営している。40年以上の長きにわたり、ニューヨークの日本食の歴史を作ってきた人物と言っても過言ではない。その功績が認められ、2018年には、農林水産省の日本食海外普及功労者表彰受賞者として世界5人のうちの1人に選出された。

同店は、ミッドタウン地区で20年以上も客足が衰えることのない人気店『酒蔵』の姉妹店という位置づけではあるが、単なる2号店にとどまらない魅力にあふれている。

日本各地から取り寄せた四季折々の食材をふんだんに取り入れ、端正な味を作り出すのは料理長の梶原勝氏。東京・築地の『すず木』やニューヨーク・タイムズ三つ星『饗屋』など日米の会席料理店で腕を奮ってきたシェフだ。「酒蔵おまかせコース」はイーストビレッジ店のみの展開。はじめに登場する「お米のパンの鶏トリュフピンチョ」は炊いたごはんを練り込んだ特製のパンに驚かされる。「五種の旨味カルパッチョ」は、ポン酢ジュレや塩昆布がアクセント。ジュージューと音と香りを立てて運ばれてくる「和牛石焼き」は五感をフルに楽しませてくれる。日本食の原点であるコメと味噌にこだわり、〆の一品は、新潟県魚沼産の最高級米にホタテやズワイガニなど海産物をふんだんに炊き込んだ釜飯に、浮き麹味噌を使った味噌汁、ぬか漬けが登場する。

約80の蔵から約100種類にも及ぶ日本酒ラインナップは、ジェネラルマネージャー兼酒ソムリエの三木龍馬氏が厳選したもので、同店にしかないプレミアム酒もある。おまかせコースとのペアリングも好評で、それぞれの料理と酒に合った酒器で飲めるのが感動を増す。ニューヨークで最も多くの日本酒を取りそろえる『酒蔵』には、日本酒通の客が多く、生酒、生酛、山廃など、個性ある酒が好まれるという。店内奥の壁を埋め尽くす一斗樽は、全国の蔵から提供されたものだ。「蔵元や杜氏の酒に対する熱い想い、ひとつひとつの酒に込められた個性を、できるだけ多くの人に伝えたい」という同店の心意気が現れている。

特に注目したいのは、日本各地の郷土料理を伝えたいという意図で開始した「Taste of Japan」という独自企画。約2カ月おきに、ひとつの都道府県に焦点を当て、郷土料理と地酒を組み合わせて楽しめるメニューを提供する。初回の新潟県特集でも、魚沼産の最高級米や八海山が醸造する味噌を取り入れた。この後、長野、兵庫、宮城…と続く予定だという。

ミッドタウン店との違いのひとつは内装だ。一人でカウンターに座ってもよいし、個室風に仕切った空間で二人でくつろぐのもいいし、最大20人で使える個室もあり、どんなシチュエーションにも対応できる。客席間隔もゆったりしており、カジュアルで賑やかな店が多いイーストビレッジ地区の中では、一線を画す雰囲気を醸し出している。
　
日本食文化のすばらしさが凝縮されたような『酒蔵イーストビレッジ』、何度も通いたくなる店だ。

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Sakagura East Village
231 E 9th Street
New York, NY 10003
Tel: 212-979-9678
https://www.sakagura.com/eastvillage

Tue–Thu: 6:00PM–10:45PM
Fri & Sat: 6:00PM–11:45PM

By Keiko Fukuda

An Okinawan restaurant, Habuya Okinawan Dining, was opened in December of 2010 in Tustin. Mere 3 months after the opening, it was featured as “The Best Hidden Japanese Restaurant” in the Los Angeles Times, which gave this restaurant a big boost. Mayumi Burgus from Okinawa, the owner of the restaurant, says, “Back then, people used to form a long line that went over the street corner.” Since then, this place has become a very popular restaurant known to many people, and no longer could be described as a hidden place.

Some of their regular customers I interviewed described the charms of this place as “good ambience” and “authentic Okinawan dishes”, followed by a fantastic comment, “everything they serve here is delicious!” I thought Mayumi was the chef here because she is from Okinawa. But, actually, it is her husband, Hiroki Kimura, who is from Yamagata prefecture, is in charge of cooking. He came to the US after working several years in Japan as a chef, and worked at a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles. He met Mayumi around the time he was thinking about going back to Japan. She told him about her dream of opening an Okinawan restaurant in the US. Coincidentally, Hiroki grew up listening to his grandmother who used to tell him how his great uncle (the grandmother’s brother) survived during the war thanks to the kindness of Okinawan farmers who hid him from the enemy to protect him so he could go home alive. Hiroki, then, developed a sense of someday returning the favor to the people in Okinawa. He thinks back and believes that his becoming a chef, and meeting Mayumi in the US were meant to happen to connect the two points to form this line of events.

“However, 90% of the people I consulted with said, “Okinawan food is not a common everyday food, and succeeding in running an Okinawan restaurant here is unlikely, but I didn’t give up. I tried different things, which included researching for tastes that would be more easily accepted by people who are not Okinawan natives by using bonito or konbu-based dashi instead of tonkotsu, adding menu items other than Okinawan specialty dishes, etc.,” says Hiroki. The Ryukyu Gozen, which was served on my interview day was the Okinawa version of a gorgeous full course menu. It consisted of “Deep Fried Banana Fish”, “Okinawa Mozuku”, “Okinawa sea grapes and Sashimi”, “Stewed Pork Belly”, and “Okinawa soba”. It reminded me of the true local tastes I experienced in Naha. Especially, sea grapes, which should be very rare in the US, is one of hard-to-get precious ingredients. I heard that they try their best to get as much made-in-Okinawa ingredients as possible.

“Our desire to contribute to Okinawa is very strong. Therefore, we naturally promote Okinawa-made products, not only for the food ingredients, but also for sake brands in our drink menu,” says Hiroki. Mayumi continues, “We are the number one seller of the draft version of Orion beer”. Horoki further adds, “The more Okinawan food ingredients people consume in the US, the more Okinawa gets benefited. However, it won’t be meaningful unless this keeps going. Such flow of movement will die down if we fail our restaurant business and end up closing the restaurant. I realize that it is so important to keep up with the success in this business. This is my way of returning the favor to Okinawa for my family”.

The cooking part is relied on Hiroki’s hands, but servicing and marketing part is the responsibility of Mayumi. She came to the US when she was 21 years old.

She was commuting to the Japanese restaurant she worked for taking an hour and a half by bus. While she worked at the restaurant, she was also busy creating Okinawan-themed arts. She came to the US originally to get married, but later got divorced. She kept hanging on her dream of running an Okinawan restaurant while working hard as a single mother, and that dream became real when she met Hiroki. Mayumi’s talent as an artist is now well reflected upon Habuya’s interior space. Colorful Hand-written menus decorate the walls, and items bought in Okinawa, and brought to the restaurant by regular customers fill the place.

Mayumi says, “For customers who are anime fans often describe that his place makes them feel as if they have wondered into the world of “Spirited Away”. This restaurant, which has been increasing the number of customers with its comfortable ambience and delicious food, has welcomed its 8th anniversary in December of 2018.


和食の技効かせた沖縄料理の店

2010年12月にタスティンにオープンした沖縄料理の店、Habuya Okinawan Dining。その３カ月後にロサンゼルスタイムズに「Best Hidden Japanese Restaurant」として紹介されたことが店の大きな転機となった。沖縄出身のオーナー、真弓バーガスさんが言うには「角を曲がった先まで入店を待つ長蛇の列ができた」そうだ。それからは「Hidden」という修飾語が似つかわしくない、誰もが知る繁盛店へと成長した。

何がこの店の魅力かを周囲の常連客に聞くと「雰囲気がいい」「本格的な沖縄料理が食べられる」に続いて、「何を食べても美味しい」という絶賛のコメントが返ってきた。料理を手がけているのはウチナーンチュの真弓さんかと思いきや、実は山形県出身の夫、木村裕樹さん。裕樹さんは料理人として日本で数年の経験を積んだ後に渡米し、ロサンゼルス近郊の日本料理店に勤めた。帰国を控えた頃、真弓さんと知り合い、彼女から「アメリカで沖縄料理店を開けたい」という夢を聞く。裕樹さんは幼い頃から祖母に、大伯父（祖母の兄）が戦時中、沖縄の農家にかくまわれて無事に復員することができたことを聞かされて育った。「いつか沖縄の人に恩返しをしたい」と思うようになり、料理人になった自分がアメリカの地で真弓さんと出会ったことで「点と点が繋がって線になった」と振り返る。

「しかし、相談した人のうちの90％からは『沖縄料理なんて毎日食べるものではないから、店を開けても成功しない』と言われました。それでも諦めず、豚骨よりもかつおや昆布だしを使うなど沖縄の人以外にも食べやすい味を研究したり、また沖縄料理以外のメニューも揃えたりすることで工夫しました」と裕樹さん。

取材当日にいただいた琉球御膳は、グルクンの唐揚げ、もずくの酢の物、海ぶどうと刺身、ラフテー、さらに沖縄ソバとまるで満漢全席の沖縄バージョンのような豪華さ。那覇で食べた本場の味の記憶がよみがえる。特に海ぶどうはアメリカではほとんど口にできない貴重な食材のはず。これらの食材、同店では可能な限り、沖縄産を仕入れているそうだ。

「沖縄に貢献したいという思いが強いので、料理もそうですが、お酒も当然沖縄のものをプッシュしています」と裕樹さんが話すと、「オリオンビールの生ビールの売り上げはうちが全米ナンバーワンです」と真弓さんが続ける。さらに「沖縄産食材をアメリカで食べてもらえばもらうほど、沖縄にお金が行きます。しかし、これは続けなければ意味がありません。店を潰してしまえば、その流れは途絶えてしまう。だから、店を継続させることが非常に大切だと認識しています。このことは私の家族が沖縄から受けた恩返しです」と裕樹さん。

料理は裕樹さんの腕にかかっているが、接客や広報、マーケティングは真弓さんが担う。21歳で渡米した真弓さんは、最初の勤務先である日本食レストランまでバスで片道１時間半をかけて通った。レストランで働くかたわら、沖縄をテーマにしたアート作品製作にも精を出した。渡米の理由は結婚だったが、その後、離婚。シングルマザーとして奮闘しながら沖縄料理店経営の夢を抱き続け、裕樹さんとの出会いで夢は花開いた。そして、真弓さんのアーティストとしての才能が、今はHabuyaの内装にも反映されている。壁を賑やかな手書きメニューが飾り、常連が沖縄で買って持ち込んだというアイテムが所狭しと配置されている。

「アニメファンのお客さんは『千と千尋の神隠し』の世界に迷い込んだよう、と表現しますね」と真弓さん。その居心地の良さと美味なる料理で顧客を増やし続けた同店は、2018年12月、開店８周年を迎えた。

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Habuya Okinawan Dining
14215 Red Hill Ave.,
Tustin, CA 92780
(714)832-3323

Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-2:00pm
5:30pm-11:00pm

Sunday Closed

By Kosuke Kuji

The most important objective of this business trip to Los Angeles was the “30th Japanese Food & Restaurant Expo,” sponsored by Mutual Trading, held at the Pasadena Convention Hall. This business-to-business event, held for the thirtieth time this year, drew 133 food and sake producers, etc., and 2,667 customers in one day, the highest number of exhibitors and attendees in it’s thirty-year history. Nearly seventy-percent of customers are restaurant industry professionals, with twenty-percent of the consumers consisting of Japanese nationals.

These statistics indicate how many non-Japanese professionals and consumers in the U.S. today are working in the Japanese cuisine and sake industry, or consuming Japanese cuisine, indicative of the widespread consumption of Japanese cuisine among non-Japanese consumers. In other words, Japanese cuisine and sake are no longer consumed only by Japanese nationals homesick for their homeland.

Sake producer Nankabijin never received such high customer turnout at their booth as they did this year. Their “Awasake Sparkling,” debut in the U.S. during this expo, was especially popular with many orders received. High-end sparkling Japanese sake is definitely accepted in the U.S. market.

Also, my college classmate from the Tokyo University of Agriculture, currently residing in Los Angeles, attended this expo. It was truly encouraging to receive support in the U.S. from my college classmate.

In the evening, I visited “Chateau Hanare,” the Los Angeles branch restaurant of the Japanese restaurant “Washoku-en,” very popular in New York, along with sake “Houraisen” from Aichi prefecture, and “Tatenokawa” from Yamagata prefecture. I greatly enjoyed the wonderful cuisine prepared by chef Abe, visiting from New York.

The restaurant scene changes quickly in Los Angeles leading California, the most populous state in the U.S., where the market for Japanese cuisine is anticipated to continue growing. We must continue producing even higher quality of sake to bring satisfaction to our U.S. consumers!

P.S. Right after I left, restaurant “Chateau Hanare” welcomed Leonardo DiCaprio as a customer…! Very disappointed to know I missed his visit!


南部美人ロサンゼルスへ その2

今回のロサンゼルス出張の最大の目的でもある共同貿易主催の「第30回レストランエキスポ」がパサディナコンベンションホールで開催されました。今回で30年を迎えたこのアメリカ最大のB to Bイベントは、何と133の食品、お酒などのメーカーが集まり、2667名ものお客様を1日だけで迎えて開催されました。30回の開催で歴代最高の出展者、入場者の数だったそうです。お客様は70％近くがレストラン関係者、お客様全体に占める日本人の割合はたったの20％しかいません。それだけ今のアメリカでは日本人以外が日本食、日本酒をビジネスにしている、食べたい、飲みたいと思っている、ということで、ノンジャパニーズ、アメリカ人への浸透がすさまじい勢いで進んでいるということです。もう日本人が日本を懐かしみながら食べるのが和食や日本酒なのではありません。

南部美人も今年ほどブースにお客さんが来てくれた年は無いくらい忙しかったです。特にこのエキスポにあわせてアメリカデビューを果たした「あわさけスパークリング」。これが大人気で、たくさんの注文をいただきました。アメリカでも確実にスパークリングの日本酒の高価格帯のものが受け入れられています。

さらに、このエキスポには私の東京農業大学時代のロス在住の同級生も来てくれました。本当に農大のつながりがアメリカでも心強く感じます。

夜はNYで大人気のレストラン「和食えん」のロサンゼルス店の「シャトー・ハナレ」に愛知の「蓬莱泉」さんと山形の「楯の川」さんとお邪魔しました。NYから駆けつけている阿部シェフの素晴らしい料理とお酒を楽しみ増した。
どんどん様変わりするロサンゼルス。アメリカ最大の州カリフォルニアをリードして、和食の市場がどんどん伸びていく予感しかありません。私達も今まで以上に高品質なお酒を醸し、アメリカ人の皆さんに喜んでいたけるようにさらに頑張っていきたいと思います！

追伸：シャトー・ハナレさん、私達が帰ったすぐ後にディカプリオがご来店だったそうです・・・。残念、ニアミスでした！

Text: Mayumi Schroede / Photos: Elli Sekine

In the last few years, the development of Japanese restaurants in San Francisco has been very active. “Nabe” has two locations; one in the Sunset District by the Golden Gate Bridge, and the other, in the Marina District’s high-end shopping streets, both of which are San Francisco’s typical tourist spots. Since its opening, this restaurant chain has been featured in many information magazines including The San Francisco Chronicle, Hoodline, and Eater, and has been attracting a lot of attention. The location I based this report on was the Marina location, which is stylish and modern, but has a Japan-like ambience that has been created with a colorful hanging Noren divider, and Japanese sake bottles decorated on the wall like pieces of art.

The family of the owner, Hilwin Wong, is from Hong Kong. She was born and raised in a restaurant industry family—her grandfather has a restaurant in the Tenderloin District, and her father runs a seafood restaurant, hence she naturally became interested in the restaurant business. For the first 3 years after graduating college, she worked for Cathay Pacific Airlines as a flight attendant.

During that time, she visited many Asian countries and ate at many local restaurants, which got her charmed by delicious Japanese cuisine and its presentation skills. She decided to get into the restaurant business, quit the airline job, and opened the first location in the Sunset District in December of 2012 with the co-owner, Kevin. Then, in November of 2016, the second location in the Marina District opened. She is already thinking about the opening of the third location.

With their motto, “simple, but the best and freshest ingredients”, their collective, well-researched menu based on customers’ needs was born under the consultation of Chef Isamu Kanai. The dashi for all 7 kinds of their nabe is made in-house using Japanese kelp konbu and bonito shavings. Furthermore, original soups such as miso and spicy miso add deeper flavors to the nabe dishes. The meat they use is completely free of anti-biotics and growth hormones. The beef is the highest grade A5 beef from Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture, and the kurobuta pork is procured directly from a farm in Idaho. To retain freshness, all the meat blocks are sliced off after receiving orders. Their particularity shows in everything else as well. The vegetables for the nabe are all organic, and tofu is GMO-free.

All the servers have been trained on how to skim off the scum from the soup, when to add dashi, and when to add vegetables or meats in order for the customers to eat everything in the best cooked condition.

Their pots used in the Nabe restaurants are China-originated divided pots, so you can enjoy 2 kinds of nabe at the same time. According to Mr. Won, the top 3 nabe dishes are #1, Kamonanban ($26), #2, Shabu Shabu ($24), and #3, Ishikari Nabe ($26). Mr. Won also said, “In order to satisfy customers’ stomachs, I would like them to enjoy nabe with matching rice and noodles.ˮ They serve sirataki, udon, ramen, etc. with the nabe. He also said, “We value our ‘no waste’ concept, so I would like them to make zousui (gruel) using the leftover soup to enjoy until the last drop of the nabe”.

This time, I tasted the recommended 2 kinds, “Kamonanban (with soba)”, and “Shabu Shabu (with udon)”. The duck meat for the “Kamonanban” is procured from Maple Leaf Farm in Indiana. Slightly-thick slices of the duck meat are soft, and the rich juice flows out into your mouth with every bite. Mr. Won tells the secret. “To utilize the power of the ingredients, nothing extra should be added.

Just marinade the meat with mirin and shoyu dashi.” As for “Shabu Shabu”, the soup soaks into the thin-sliced Miyazaki wagyu well, and you can enjoy vegetables and meat in 2 different ways with 2 kinds of house-made sauce, ponzu, and goma (sesame) miso. After enjoying the nabe fully, you make rich zousui with the leftover flavorful soup, which was produced by the vegetables and meat, to finish up. This will raise your satisfaction level to maximum.

They carry not only many brands of Japanese sake to match the nabe dishes, but also a local draft beer called “Harajuku Girl Yuzu Lager” of a local beer factory, HolyCraft. You cannot find this rare find anywhere else. Its citrus-flavored refreshing taste is very popular. I highly recommend one to try the nabe dishes, which is perfect for the coming season, along with sake.


良質食材にこだわったシンプルな「Nabe」がブレーク中

　ここ数年、日本食レストランの展開の勢いが目覚ましいサンフランシスコ市で、代表的な観光地であるゴールデンゲートパーク沿いのサンセット地区と高級ショッピング街のマリーナ地区の2箇所に店舗を構える「Nabe」。開店以来、サンフランシスコ・クロニクル紙やHoodline、Eaterなど多くの情報誌に掲載される今注目のレストランだ。今回取材したマリーナ地区の店舗はお洒落でモダンな作りだが、和風で色彩豊かな暖簾やアートの様に壁に飾られた日本酒のボトルが和の雰囲気を醸し出している。

　オーナーのヒルウィン・ウォン氏の一家は香港出身で、祖父がテンダーロイン地区にレストランを、父親もシーフード・レストランを営む飲食業の家系に生まれ育ち自然とレストラン経営に興味を持つようになった。大学卒業後の約3年間はスチュワーデスとしてキャセイパシフィック航空に勤務し、その際にアジア諸国を訪れレストランを食べ歩き日本食の美味しさとプレゼンテーションに惹きつけられたという。その後、レストラン経営を決意しスチュワーデスを退職、共同オーナーのケビン氏と共に2012年12月にサンセット地区に第1店舗をオープンした。その後、2016年11月に第2店舗目となるマリーナ地区店を開店、将来は第3店舗目のオープンも視野に入れている。

　「シンプルだが最高で新鮮な食材を」をモットーに、カナイ・イサム氏がコンサルタントシェフを務め、客のニーズに応え研究を重ねた集大成のメニューが誕生した。全7種類ある鍋のダシは全て自家製で真昆布や鰹節を使っており、他にも味噌や辛味噌などのオリジナルスープが鍋を味わい深いものにしている。使用する肉は抗生物質や成長ホルモンを一切使っておらず、牛肉は宮崎県から最高級のグレードA5の宮崎和牛の肉を、黒豚肉はアイダホ州の農家から直接仕入れており、肉は鮮度を保つ為に注文を受けてからスライスされる。鍋に使用する野菜も全てオーガニックで、豆腐はGMOフリーのものを使用する徹底ぶり。サーバー全員が灰汁の取り方やダシ追加の頃合い、野菜や肉を入れるタイミングなどトレーニングを受けており、客が食材を最高の状態で食べれるように配慮されている。

　「Nabe」で使用する鍋は中国発祥の仕切り鍋で、2種類の鍋を同時に楽しめるようになっている。ウォン氏によると、鍋の人気トップ3は1位が「鴨南蛮鍋（26ドル）」、2位が「しゃぶしゃぶ（24ドル）」で3位が「石狩鍋（26ドル）」だという。更にウォン氏は「お客様の胃袋を満足させる為、鍋にあった米・麺類をマッチングして楽しんで頂く」と、シラタキやうどん、ラーメンなどを鍋と共に提供している。また「“もったいない”というコンセプトを大事にしており、最後に残ったスープを雑炊にして最後の1滴まで鍋を楽しんで欲しい」と語る。

　そこで今回、お勧めの「鴨南蛮鍋（蕎麦付）」と「しゃぶしゃぶ（うどん付）」の2つを賞味させて頂いた。「鴨南蛮」の鴨肉はインディアナ州のメープルリーフ農場から仕入れている。少し厚めにスライスされているが柔らかい鴨肉は噛む度に濃厚な旨味が染み出し、その秘訣は「素材の力を活かし余計な物は一切加えず、味醂や醤油ダシを染み込ませただけ」とウォン氏。「しゃぶしゃぶ」は薄くスライスされた宮崎和牛にスープが良く染み込み、自家製のポン酢とゴマ味噌の2種類のタレで野菜と肉の味わいを2段階に分けて楽しむ事が出来る。鍋を堪能した後は、野菜と肉の旨味が染み込んだスープで作る贅沢な雑炊で満足度が一気に上がる。

　鍋に合わせた日本酒も多く取り揃えている他、ドラフトビールでは他店では見かけない地元ビール工場HolyCraft社の「Harajuku Girl Yuzu ラガー」を仕入れており、柑橘系の爽やかな口当たりが好評だ。これから季節にピッタリの鍋料理、お酒も併せて是非お試し頂きたい。

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Nabe
（Sunset District）1325 9th Avenue / Tel: (415) 731-2658
（Marina District）2151 Lombard Street / Tel: (415) 447-6199

Website: www.nabesf.com
Email: info@nabesf.com

Mon.-Thu. & Sun. 5:00pm – 10pm
Fri. & Sat. 5:00pm – 10:30pm

By Yuji Matsumoto

While restaurants serve a lot of wine and champagne during the holidays, it’s unfortunately still uncommon to see sake served during the holidays. However, when considering the compatibility with the food served, sake is truly the winner in my opinion. Enjoyed in a wide range of emperatures, hot sake is perfect to warm both the heart and mind. A small change in presentation enhances the enjoyable experience of drinking sake.

First, let’s start with the glass. Let’s put aside the usual small sake glass and use white wine glasses to enhance the luxurious appearance on the dinner table.

Also, let’s use the white wine cooler to keep the sake chilled. For those who prefer sparkling wine like champagne, I highly recommend serving sake in a fruit glass. Also, I recommend trying flavored sake that is commonly enjoyed during the holidays. For those who prefer hot sake, I recommend the sake set with bottles heated with candles, sold in local stores. These sake sets goes great together with western dishware.

I recommend chilled kimoto sake for assorted cheese plates, and sparkling wine with caviar and other appetizers. For those who don’t enjoy much alcohol, I recommend flavored (lyche, apple, and yuzu-flavored) sake.


ホリデーシーズンの日本酒

この時期ワインやシャンペンは多くレストランでも出るようになるが、日本酒となるとややこれらにおされ気味になるのが残念である。

しかし、食との相性を考えると日本酒が勝ると思う。しかも温度帯も広く、寒い時期には燗酒を飲みことにより身体とも暖めてくれるのがうれしい。

ちょっとした演出により、おしゃれに日本酒を飲むことができる。

まずは、グラス。いつもの小さい日本酒グラスではなく白ワインのグラスを使用することにより、食卓に豪華さが増す。また、同じく白ワインクーラーで使うものを併用して日本酒を冷たくキープするのに使用してみる。シャンペンなどの発砲酒が好みならフルートグラスで提供してみると面白い。また、同じくフレイバー酒もこの時期に好まれるのでぜひトライしていただきたい。

燗が好きな方は、市販で買えるロウソクで暖める燗セットをお勧めする。これなら、洋食の食卓にもとてもマッチするのである。

チーズの盛り合わせには、冷やしたキモト系の酒、キャビアなどのアペタイザーにはスパークリング酒。アルコールが苦手な人は、フレイバー（ライチ、リンゴ、柚子）酒をお勧めする。


假期季節的清酒

在這時期，許多餐廳均會出現葡萄酒和香檳；但遺憾當談及清酒時會有一種被前述酒類蓋過其氣勢的感覺。
然而，考慮與料理的配合度時，便會覺得清酒勝於其他酒類。而且清酒的溫度範圍寬廣，在寒冷天氣品嘗熱清酒以溫暖身體，頗感快意。
通過少許心思，便能時尚地品嘗清酒。
首先是酒杯。通過使用白葡萄酒杯而非平時使用的小清酒酒杯，能為餐桌增添奢華感。此外，與前者相同，嘗試併用用於冷卻白葡萄酒的儀器，用以將清酒保冷。若你喜歡香檳等發泡酒，能嘗試使用香檳杯盛載，別有韻味。另外加香酒作為此期寵兒，務必一嘗。
鐘情熱酒的人士，推薦使用市面上的蠟燭用作加熱。與西餐的餐桌極為配襯。
以冷藏生酛清酒配搭各種各樣的奶酪；以氣泡酒配搭魚子醬等前菜。不擅長酒精的人，推薦加香酒（荔枝，蘋果，柚子）。


홀리데이 시즌의 니혼슈

이 시기에는 레스토랑에서 와인이나 샴페인을 많이 소개하곤 하는데, 니혼슈(일본 전통술, 청주류)가 이러한 주류에 다소 밀리는 것 같아 안타깝습니다.
그러나 음식과의 궁합을 생각한다면 니혼슈가 좀 더 나은 것 같습니다. 더군다나 온도를 다양하게 선택할 수 있어서, 추울 때는 간자케(따뜻하게 데운 술)를 마시면 몸을 따뜻하게 해줘서 기분도 좋아집니다.
조금만 연출한다면 더욱 멋지게 니혼슈를 즐길 수 있습니다.
우선, 유리잔을 준비해 봅시다. 평소에 사용하는 작은 술잔이 아니라 화이트 와인잔을 사용하면 식탁에 고급스러움을 더할 수 있습니다. 그리고 화이트 와인용 쿨러로 니혼슈를 차갑게 유지하는데 이용해보면 좋습니다. 샴페인같은 발포주를 좋아한다면 플룻잔에 담아보는 것도 재미있습니다. 그리고 역시 이 시기에 많이 찾으시는 과일맛 주류도 한 번 도전해 보셨으면 합니다. 간자케를 좋아하시는 분들은 양초로 따뜻하게 마실 수 있도록 만들어진 세트 제품을 추천합니다. 이 세트라면 서양식 식탁과도 잘 어울릴 것입니다.
모듬 치즈에는 차가운 기모토계의 주류를, 캐비어 등의 애피타이저에는 스파클링 주류를. 술이 약하신 분들에게는 과일맛 (리치, 사과, 유자) 주류를 추천한다.



※這篇文章使用機器翻譯成中文。我們會用作今後參考,如果可以的話,請給我們意見。請聯繫alljapannews@gmail.com）

※이 기사는 기계 번역을 이용하여 한국어로 번역되었습니다. 앞으로 참고하겠사오니 alljapannews@gmail.com으로 연락주시기 바랍니다.


※この記事は機械翻訳を使って中国語に翻訳されています。今後の参考にさせていただきますので、よければご意見ください。alljapannews@gmail.comまでお願いします。

※この記事は機械翻訳を使って韓国語に翻訳されています。今後の参考にさせていただきますので、よければご意見ください。alljapannews@gmail.comまでお願いします。

By Aya Ota

In a street corner of the West Village where old buildings provide a classy ambience, you will find a richly thick wooden door. Once you step in, there is a space which gives you both nostalgic and new feelings at the same time. You feel as if you have gone back to a different era. This is “Bar Moga”, a cocktail bar which has replicated the images of 1920’s Japan.

“Moga” is short for modern girls. In the 1920’s in Japan (from the Taisho era to the early Showa era), brand-new cultures and fashions were being born one after another under the influences of the Western cultures. Young women at that time, who were leading the world of fashion, were called “Moga”. This bar which has replicated a unique and classic, yet also modern worldview of that time has been well received by New Yorkers, and is being visited by a lot of customers every day. The word, “Moga”, also symbolizes a better status for women in society, so many women, and women groups like to visit this bar.

The most popular items in this bar are its original cocktails. Those unique, and full-of-character cocktails contain Japan-made whiskey and shochu brands, and are accentuated by Japanese ingredients such as yuzu, shiso, shichimi, and yuzu-kosho. Those cocktails also have names such as “Naomi”, “Princess Mononoke”, “Kunoichi”, etc., to give Japan-like impacts. Many customers order Japanese whisky and sake brands. As for sake, “Iki na Onna (Tedorigawa Daiginjo)” brand is especially popular. They provide short and effective translations to Japanese sake brands that they carry, and the translation, “Lady Luck”, is extremely well-received.

This place is unique because, although being a drink bar, it also offers a very comprehensive food menu. Its concept is “Yoshoku comfort food”. For Japanese people, the place gives a nostalgic feel, which makes you reminisce of your childhood, and for Americans, it offers a new unknown genre. Takanori Akiyama, Executive Chef of “All Blue” Group which runs the restaurant, and Shintaro Eleazar Okuda, Chef de Cuisine, created many authentic Yoshoku menu items after multiple trials and errors.

The “Omu Rice ($18), their signature dish, is superb. When you slice into its top, soft-cooked egg omelet slowly runs out, and coats the chicken rice underneath. The house-made Demi-glace sauce has been created to offer the same quality and taste of Japan’s long-lasting Yoshoku restaurants. The chicken rice is flavored with the house Demi-Glace sauce with a touch of house ketchup, and the taste is loved by people of all ages. “Moga Mini Rice Burgers ($14)” is so surprisingly authentically made. Cooked rice mixed with potato starch is formed into the shape of buns, and Kobe beef, flavored with sweet and spicy teriyaki sauce is sandwiched between the buns. Shiso accentuates the burger, and gives it a refreshing taste. Sakura-buta pork is used for the katsu on the“Katsu Sando ($16)”, and they are the only restaurant in the East Coast that uses it. The thickly-sliced pork coated with raw panko, and fried slowly, is very tender, and the juice from the meat flows out and fills your mouth when you bite into it. The house miso katsu sauce that is a mixture of 5 different misos including Nagoya Haccho miso, has been cooked for 4 hours, and coats the fried pork katsu which is sandwiched between Japanese sandwich bread slices.

Every food menu item is addictingly delicious, and makes you want to order the same thing over and over again, but also want to try a different dish at the same time, making you suffer from the dilemma.

Some American customers ask whether they serve sushi, but they end up being satisfied once their concept is explained, and taste the food. They originally planned to serve a 70/30 drink/food percentage ratio, but the food menu is so popular, and now accounts for almost 40%. 　

They pursue the Japan-like service as well. They want every customer to be sitting down, so sometimes, you have to wait outside. It is also nice that the jazz music they play in the restaurant is not loud, so you can talk comfortably.
I bet everybody mysteriously feels nostalgic, and comfortable in this stylish bar. I strongly suggest that you visit this place, and enjoy the non-routine and out-of-ordinary time.


日本の1920年代の世界観を再現…ドリンクだけでなく食事も自慢のバー
『Bar Moga』

古い建物が並び趣あるウェストヴィレッジの街の一角、重厚感ある木の扉を押して足を踏み入れると、懐かしさと新しさを同時に感じるような空間が広がる。まるで違う時代にタイムスリップしたかのようだ。ここは、日本の1920年代をイメージしたカクテルバー『Bar Moga』だ。

“Moga“とはモダンガールの略。日本では、1920年代（大正から昭和時代初期）に西洋文化の影響を受け、新しい文化やファッションが次々に生まれた。当時、その流行の最先端をいく若い女性たちのことを“Moga”と呼んだ。クラシックでもありモダンでもあるこの独特な世界観を再現したバーは、ニューヨーカーたちにも受け入れられ、連日多くの客で賑わっている。“Moga”は、女性の社会進出を象徴する言葉でもあることから、女性客や女性団体の利用も多いという。

　同店の一番人気はオリジナル・カクテルだ。日本産ウィスキーや焼酎を取り入れ、柚や紫蘇、七味や柚胡椒など和食材でアクセントを付けた個性あふれる内容だ。ネーミングも『Naomi』『Princess Mononoke』『Kunoichi』など日本らしさを印象づけている。日本産ウィスキーや日本酒を飲む客も多く、特に日本酒は『いきな女（手取川大吟醸）』が好まれる。同店では日本酒銘柄に気の利いた短い英訳を付けているが、「Lady Luck」という英語名が好評なようだ。

　同店はバーでありながら、食事メニューが充実しているのが特徴的だ。コンセプトは「日本の洋食」。日本人にとっては子供時代を思い出す懐かしさがあり、米国人客にとっては未知のジャンルだ。同店を運営するレストラングループ『All Blue』で総料理長を務める秋山剛徳氏と、同店の料理長を務める奥田慎太郎エレアザル氏が試行錯誤を重ね、一見カジュアルに見えるが、本格的な洋食メニューの数々を考案した。

シグニチャーの「オムライス」（18ドル）は絶品だ。ナイフを入れると半熟卵がとろりと流れ出し、チキンライスを包み込む。自家製のデミグラスソースは、日本の老舗洋食屋で提供されているような風味を追求した。チキンライスは、自家製デミグラスソースに、さらに自家製ケチャップを加え味付けしてあり、子供から大人まで愛される味だ。「ライスバーガー」（14ドル）はその本格ぶりに驚かされる。炊いたコメに片栗粉を混ぜてバンズ状に成形し、甘辛いテリヤキ風ソースで味付けした神戸牛を挟んでいる。紫蘇がアクセントになり、さっぱりと食べられる。「カツサンド」（16ドル）は、東海岸では唯一同店でしか使っていないというサクラブタを使用。生パン粉をつけてじっくりあげた豚肉は分厚いけれど柔らかく、一口頬張ると肉汁があふれ出る。名古屋の八丁味噌をはじめとする5種類の味噌を合わせて4時間かけて作る自家製の味噌カツソースに絡めて、日本の食パンで挟む。どれも、やみつきになる美味しさで、何度も同じメニューを食べたくなるし、他のメニューも頼んでみたいという葛藤に悩まされる。

　米国人客の中には「寿司はないか」と聞く客もいるというが、コンセプトを説明して食べてもらうと、誰もが満足するという。同店は、当初からドリンク70％、フード30％という割合で計画していたが、フードの人気が高く、今では、フードの割合が40％近くなっているということにも納得できる。
　
サービス面でも日本らしさを追求しており、客には必ず着席してもらうため、時には店の外に客が待つこともある。ジャズの音量も控えめで静かに話すことができるのもうれしい。

　不思議に誰もが懐かしさと居心地の良さを感じる、でもお洒落なバー。ぜひ足を運び非日常を味わってはいかがだろうか。

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Bar Moga
128 W Houston Street
New York, NY 10012
Tel: 929-399-5853
www.barmoga.com
Sun-Thursday: 5PM-12AM
Fri-Sat: 5PM-2AM