11. Bon Appétit　【Column: Leap Before You Look】

“What do you miss the most about Japan?”  My answer to this よくある質問 (frequently asked question) should be “my family” (my mom, sister and her family are all living in Japan), but recently, my reply often is “日本の食べ物 (Japanese food).”  Sorry mom, but this includes the food you cook, so forgive me.

Yes, there are many “Japanese” restaurants in the US thanks partly to the belief that 和食は健康に良い (Japanese food is healthy).  However, it is so hard to find a Japanese restaurant I like, especially in the area with a small Japanese/Asian population.

When I first moved to San Francisco from Tokyo かなり昔に (oh-so-many-years ago), I didn’t understand why my Japanese colleagues were going to the Japan Town for lunch.  I wanted to check out Jewish delis that don’t give you butter when ordering a pastrami sandwich, Chinese dim sum not on Grant St. but on Stockton St., Nepalese food you use your fingers on the right hand to eat, and Italian restaurants serving fresh pasta.  日本料理には見向きもしなかった (Japanese food was the last thing I wanted).

Besides, no Japanese food was good enough compared with the “本物 (real thing).”  “California roll” is exactly what it is called – i.e., an invention in California.  “Teriyaki” is a code for “overly sweet sauce.”  And often, despite the fact that they aren’t the “real thing,” they charge more at Japanese restaurants.

But now, I must admit that I miss Japanese food.  Not necessarily a fancy kind, but a simple bowl of soba or ramen noodles.  So, とってもびっくりした (imagine my surprise) when I saw (on TV) a food truck in NYC selling nothing but おにぎり (onigiri)!  That is the number one item on my list to buy at コンビニ (convenience stores) when I’m visiting Japan. 

Next time I’m in NYC, I will have to go find this food truck.  And the 居酒屋 (izakaya) located near ユニクロ (Uniqlo) I visited before and found it authentic.  But ひょっとすると (who knows), after living in the US for so long, my taste buds for Japanese food could have been compromised.  Only way to find out is to go back to Japan more often.  And visit mom.