Spaghetti in Japan.

[yukio_michael]

I thought I might cook my girlfriend some spaghetti once. I'm part Italian I thought, it's my birthright to cook spaghetti. I Ran the water, put some olive oil in it so that the noodles wouldn't stick to the bottom, & started a smaller second pan for the sauce.

I got fairly cheap sauce at a 99 yen store, but how bad could it be right, I mean, no worse than 'ragu'...? I took the noodles out and ran them through some cold water (to wash off the starch)... then served the noodles with a good deal more sauce than you get in Japan when you're eating Italian...

Mmmm it tastes just like.... CHEF BOY ARDEE??? Exactly. For some reason, more than one spaghetti sauce tastes exactly like what you would find in a can of spaghetti-o's... I'd learned my lesson, and from then on bought jars (diminutive though they were) of sphagetti sauce from the grocer's section at Jusco... but, was this what Japanese thought spaghetti should ever taste like? Anyone have similar experiences?

As for Italian, I do remember in my prefecture there was a restaraunt called Konnichiwa Italian Diner, which was so questionable in it's name that even my girlfriend didn't want to go there.

[Mikawa Ossan]

You speak of "meat sauce". There is some variation, but basically you're right, they all taste pretty much the same. But remember, there are other flavors of spaghetti. Try some of the other sauces at the store.

[yukio_michael]

You speak of "meat sauce". There is some variation, but basically you're right, they all taste pretty much the same. But remember, there are other flavors of spaghetti. Try some of the other sauces at the store.If it came in a jar it turned out to be pretty good. If it came in a plastic pouch, not so good. I don't know why this didn't seem like an obvious thing before, but frankly, if I could buy something for 99en instead of 465en, I bought the 99en product.

[DoctorP]

Please understand that you should never, under any circumstances, buy food items from the Y100 store!

[misa.j]

You can use a can of crushed tomatos and add minced garlic, oregano, black pepper, salt and some wine.

I will assure you it will taste much better than the sauce in a jar.

[yukio_michael]

Please understand that you should never, under any circumstances, buy food items from the Y100 store!But, people are broke these days!

[DoctorP]

Have you noticed how many foods in the Y100 store are past expiration dates? Enough said!

[ArmandV]

Ever thought of making your sauce from scratch?

[yukio_michael]

Have you noticed how many foods in the Y100 store are past expiration dates? Enough said!So, you're saying when pork gets down to 50en it's not safe to eat? I'm in big trouble.
Ever thought of making your sauce from scratch?I'm not skilled enough as a cook or an Italian for that. :(

[epigene]

Very interesting thread!!
So, you're saying when pork gets down to 50en it's not safe to eat? I'm in big trouble.
It's all right! Expiration dates are set to make foods 100% safe for consumers. I've used products that had expiration dates that passed on my kitchen shelves... :hihi: Just cook your pork as soon as you buy it and make sure it's well cooked! :giggle:
I'm not skilled enough as a cook or an Italian for that. :(
If you're using the meat sauce in the plastic bags, just add an extra can of ripe tomatoes, garlic & basil (with salt, pepper and sugar to taste). It's sure to turn out very good!
:cool:

[ArmandV]

Very interesting thread!!
It's all right! Expiration dates are set to make foods 100% safe for consumers. I've used products that had expiration dates that passed on my kitchen shelves... :hihi: Just cook your pork as soon as you buy it and make sure it's well cooked! :giggle:
If you're using the meat sauce in the plastic bags, just add an extra can of ripe tomatoes, garlic & basil (with salt, pepper and sugar to taste). It's sure to turn out very good!
:cool:

And don't forget to add wine into the mix!

[ArmandV]

So, you're saying when pork gets down to 50en it's not safe to eat? I'm in big trouble.
I'm not skilled enough as a cook or an Italian for that. :(

I'm sure if you got an Italian recipe book you can do it. If you can read, then you can follow a recipe.

[misa.j]

I Ran the water, put some olive oil in it so that the noodles wouldn't stick to the bottom, & started a smaller second pan for the sauce.
A few more tips about this; olive oil in the hot water is not necessary, in fact, it will prevent the sauce to stick to the noodles by making them slippery. What you need is enough water in a big enough pot and frequent stirring for pasta to be cooked evenly.

I took the noodles out and ran them through some cold water (to wash off the starch)...
You can skip this, too. Starch, salt and cooking liquid will enhance the flavor of the sauce and add body to it.
Taste pasta as it cooks, empty the pot immidiately before it's completely done, concidering the time you mix it with the sauce.

[Minty]

Why don’t you do a search on the internet for recipes, if you want to cook cheaper kind of pasta go for vegetarian ones. You can also select dried pasta that is not a branded one. I have bought cheaper brands of pastas and they don't taste bad because the most important thing is the sauce, more so than the brand of pasta.:42:


I'm not skilled enough as a cook or an Italian for that. :(Don’t you have a relative that is Italian you can ask?

[Uncle Frank]

The first time I ordered spaghetti in Japan, the cook took out some precooked pasta , tossed it in a fry pan , dumped a bunch of ketchup on top and heated it up. NOT what I was expecting, LOL.

Frank

:blush:

[yukio_michael]

Aaah, I'm not that bad of a cook, I prefer my grandmother's cooking really when it comes to Italian, but I'm afraid all of her recipies went with her to her grave... eek.

I have used a can of tomato base to add to sauce, aregano, spices, etc. Personally I'd rather cook chicken, beef, fish, rice dishes than Italian... so if I do, I don't make too much fuss with it.

Normally, I find that when the noodles come out of the water, they are already too wet for me, so I never thought about the oil making them worse, maybe I'll try salt instead.

Though I have always heard that you should wash off the startch... this has been an informative thread for me though, not only that, I'm hungry now.

I think I'll start with the bottle of wine first, two for me... one for the sauce, two for me...

[Minty]

The first time I ordered spaghetti in Japan, the cook took out some precooked pasta , tossed it in a fry pan , dumped a bunch of ketchup on top and heated it up. NOT what I was expecting, LOL.
Frank
:blush:

:lol: You are kidding right?

Aaah, I'm not that bad of a cook, I prefer my grandmother's cooking really when it comes to Italian, but I'm afraid all of her recipies went with her to her grave... eek.
I have used a can of tomato base to add to sauce, aregano, spices, etc. Personally I'd rather cook chicken, beef, fish, rice dishes than Italian... so if I do, I don't make too much fuss with it.
Normally, I find that when the noodles come out of the water, they are already too wet for me, so I never thought about the oil making them worse, maybe I'll try salt instead.
Though I have always heard that you should wash off the startch... this has been an informative thread for me though, not only that, I'm hungry now.
I think I'll start with the bottle of wine first, two for me... one for the sauce, two for me...

My husband is half Italian and his Italian cooking is superb!! :blush: But he uses a lot of ingredients so in total it is not really budget food, but it is also not expensive.

The Olive oil does not make it worse, my husband puts Olive oil and salt in the pasta water, and his family on his dad's side is from Northern Italy. So I think his Italian food is authentic alright. :cool: If your noodles are too wet it means you have overcooked it, the best thing to do is to try it before you take them all out.:haihai:

[yukio_michael]

So I think his Italian food is authentic alright. :cool: If your noodles are too wet it means you have overcooked it, the best thing to do is to try it before you take them all out.:haihai:Hmmm... then I think I'll stick w/ the oil... They aren't mushy--- they've been cooked long enough, and not too long, just that when the water drains off them, and you add the sauce, the residual water on the noodles tends to make it seem like the sauce isn't thick enough...

oddly, leftovers are my favourite part... the sauce/noodle ratio is perfect.

[Minty]

Hmmm... then I think I'll stick w/ the oil... They aren't mushy--- they've been cooked long enough, and not too long, just that when the water drains off them, and you add the sauce, the residual water on the noodles tends to make it seem like the sauce isn't thick enough...
oddly, leftovers are my favourite part... the sauce/noodle ratio is perfect.

I think you didn’t drain the pasta properly. To make the sauce stick to the noodles you need more butter and flour.

[epigene]

The first time I ordered spaghetti in Japan, the cook took out some precooked pasta , tossed it in a fry pan , dumped a bunch of ketchup on top and heated it up. NOT what I was expecting, LOL.
Frank
:blush:
Frank,

That style of cooking spaghetti is a very old recipe invented in Japan (in the 1960s). Because people weren't used to Italian dishes yet in those days, some cook in Japan created it to match Japanese tastes, imitating the style you cook "yakisoba." It's called the "Napolitan" (no offense to Naples and its citizens). :blush:

It's no longer popular now that the Japanese know more about Italian cuisine but has become "fond memory" among the postwar baby boomers (like my husband). For this reason, it is being reintroduced into menus in restaurants (excluding those that claim to serve authentic Italian, of course :hihi: )

Personally, I'm not fond of it, but my husband prefers it over meat sauce, carbonara, etc. :(

[yukio_michael]

I think you didn’t drain the pasta properly. To make the sauce stick to the noodles you need more butter and flour.I've never used butter or flower when making sphagetti! :okashii:

[jonerik]

http://www.harmful.org/homedespot/newtdr/NEWtdrARCHIVE/engjpg/eitarian.jpg

[yukio_michael]

I think the word Viking in japan refers to the fact that you can go back and get more if you so choose... in different fami-resu they have "Drink Viking", where you go back and refill your glasses...

It comes from the katakana word baikingu バイキング - meaning smorgasbord.

[Minty]

I've never used butter or flower when making sphagetti! :okashii:

Well that's the way Italians do it. If you don't want suggestions don't ask for it. I said flour not flower. I gave my suggestions to help you, but I can see I am wasting my time.

[yukio_michael]

Well that's the way Italians do it. If you don't want suggestions don't ask for it. I said flour not flower. I gave my suggestions to help you, but I can see I am wasting my time.Woah! Take it easy--- I just said I've never used flower or butter... though I did grow up in a big Italian family, and that I thought it was strange, how did a light-hearted conversation about spaghetti escalate into something that someone had to throw down the gauntlet on?

:confused:

[Minty]

Woah! Take it easy--- I just said I've never used flower or butter... though I did grow up in a big Italian family, and that I thought it was strange, how did a light-hearted conversation about spaghetti escalate into something that someone had to throw down the gauntlet on?
:confused:

If you don't mean to make fun of me don't use this:okashii: icon, also once again I didn’t say "flower" but "flour."

Ok, we're cool here. My husband grows up in a small French family but as his parents go to Italy every year for summer vacations, I would say their methods are very authentic Italian way of cooking. However since we obviously have different style of eating habits or cooking habits, I will no longer contribute to further suggestions. Good luck with finding the right way to make your budget pasta.

[yukio_michael]

If you don't mean to make fun of me don't use this:okashii: icon, also once again I didn’t say "flower" but "flour."Sorry, that must have been my misspelling--- I don't want you to think that I thought you meant using flowers.... I don't think of okashii as an insulting phrase, in Japan we would say this when we were talking about language or stories, or tv, or anything...

I grew up amoungst mostly immigrant Italians, who had been in the United States for a while, maybe second or third generation. My experience with what is done in Italy, arguably the 'right way of doing things', I'm sure, is almost nill...

Good luck with finding the right way to make your budget pasta.This thread sort of started with my experiences w/ Japanese pasta... not really 'budget pasta'... I know lots of people who make pasta, and most of them don't consider it to be a very expensive meal, that's part of it's charm... but at the same time when you say budget pasta you make it sound like I'm eating ramen out of a can of tomatos.

[Minty]

Sorry, that must have been my misspelling--- I don't want you to think that I thought you meant using flowers.... I don't think of okashii as an insulting phrase, in Japan we would say this when we were talking about language or stories, or tv, or anything...

Ok maybe I over react.

I grew up amoungst mostly immigrant Italians, who had been in the United States for a while, maybe second or third generation. My experience with what is done in Italy, arguably the 'right way of doing things', I'm sure, is almost nill...

Ok, no problem.

This thread sort of started with my experiences w/ Japanese pasta... not really 'budget pasta'... I know lots of people who make pasta, and most of them don't consider it to be a very expensive meal, that's part of it's charm... but at the same time when you say budget pasta you make it sound like I'm eating ramen out of a can of tomatos.

Well I only used the term budget pasta because:

Please understand that you should never, under any circumstances, buy food items from the Y100 store!


But, people are broke these days!

[Mars Man]

LOL !! Frank, my man !! I just about died laughing at that...the first thing that came to my mind when I read it was, wow...he's that age? I know just what you mean, I had that Napolitan stuff often enough back in '80 when I made my very first trip here. Worse, I even had some ketchup tacos !!

yukio_michael san, that :okashii: face is saying 'あやしい' which, as you probably know already, but just in case, means something more along the lines of suspicious, untrustworthy, strange. It is not 'おかしい' which useage you are correct on.

Now speaking of spagetthi, is Japan the only place in the world where you can get curry spa? (spa is short for spagetthi) I have always wondered. :-)

[yukio_michael]

yukio_michael san, that :okashii: face is saying 'あやしい' which, as you probably know already, but just in case, means something more along the lines of suspicious, untrustworthy, strange. It is not 'おかしい' which useage you are correct on.I sort of noticed that now... though I never paid attention as to the fact that the two didn't match and just thought it was meant to be 'okashii'...　m(_ _)m to Minty... ごめんなさい。

[jlifeintl]

Anyone can make this simple tomato sauce. If you're Italian, you've gotta have a recipe for tomato sauce that you can customize and freeze for months at a time. It's cheap too!!!

Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe



Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 cups


1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

GOOD LUCK ~~

[bezz]

some examples:

http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00029.jpg http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00030.jpg
Left: ground pork, onion and eggplant (miso flavor)
Right: squid and okra (plum flavor)

http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00036.jpg http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00058.jpg
Left: spicy cod roe and winter (enoki) mushroom
Right: sea urchin sauce

[GodEmperorLeto]

General question: Is it difficult to get cans of crushed tomatos and tomato paste in Japan? What about spices like bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, and basil? I assume those spices would be readily available, but you never know.

I think the word Viking in japan refers to the fact that you can go back and get more if you so choose...
That... makes sense. Wow. At least in Japan there aren't any monks or ticked-off Saxon huscarles who will get in your way.

...but at the same time when you say budget pasta you make it sound like I'm eating ramen out of a can of tomatos.
That's awesome. That's going in my quote book.

My husband grows up in a small French family but as his parents go to Italy every year for summer vacations, I would say their methods are very authentic Italian way of cooking.
I imagine there are differences between how Italian Americans cook and old country Italians do. I understand there are also big differences between how Milanese, Genoese, and Venetians cook and how the Neapolitans, Calabreize and Sicilians cook. Being an Italian American of Neapolitan descent, I've been surprised by some of the northern Italian recipies I've seen.

[Kyoko_desu]

Originally Posted by GodEmperorLeto

General question: Is it difficult to get cans of crushed tomatos and tomato paste in Japan? What about spices like bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, and basil? I assume those spices would be readily available, but you never know.
You will easily find cans of crushed tomatos and tomato paste here, but those spices are not really available in small grocery stores in small towns. You can find them in a deparment store in big cities for sure.

[yukio_michael]

http://www.inet-shibata.or.jp/~ytoshi/japan/food/fastfood/baikingu1.jpgThat... makes sense. Wow. At least in Japan there aren't any monks or ticked-off Saxon huscarles who will get in your way.Apparently, the word baikingu ( バイキング ), lit translation: smorgasbord or baikgingu-ryouri ( バイキング料理 ) smorgasbord-style-cooking, is used for any buffet style or drink service where you can go back and refill your glass yoruself, as if you were getting your food from a buffet etc...

I've really only seen this word associated now with drink-services, but I'm sure (obviously from the picture above) it's used for other types of buffet-style meals.

[JimmySeal]

The literal translation of バイキング is Viking, but バイキング料理 translates to smorgasbord in my dictionary (it still literally means Viking cuisine which is quite different from 海賊料理 - pirate cuisine). I think it's funny that if you drop the last syllable off of バイキング you get ばい菌 (bacteria). After all, the Japanese are a pun-loving people. In any case, I wouldn't touch a 980 yen all-you-can-eat buffet with a 29 1/2 foot pole.

There's a chain of Italian restaurants in Japan called Capricciosa. They serve brick oven pizza and a whole lot of other tasty eats. You can ask around to see if there's one in your area.

[yukio_michael]

In any case, I wouldn't touch a 980 yen all-you-can-eat buffet with a 29 1/2 foot pole.I think I'd rather eat cheap fami-resu pasta for 980en, than spend a lot of money for goya/natto topped gormet pasta!

[JimmySeal]

Spend money on food now, save money on hospitals later.

Besides, I wouldn't discourage you from getting a 980 yen meal at a family restaurant, but all-you-can-eat for 980? That's a bit dodgy.

[GodEmperorLeto]

Spend money on food now, save money on hospitals later.
Amen, brother!

Besides, I wouldn't discourage you from getting a 980 yen meal at a family restaurant, but all-you-can-eat for 980? That's a bit dodgy.
What's that? $8.60? Yeah. I wouldn't trust a buffet under $12.00.

There's a chain of Italian restaurants in Japan called Capricciosa. They serve brick oven pizza and a whole lot of other tasty eats. You can ask around to see if there's one in your area.
I always had this half-baked dream of opening a Philly cheesesteak shop in Japan. But considering that a cheesesteak is non-Japanese food in every sense (tons of beef, grease, cheese, and bread) I'm not sure it'd go over well. Half the Japanese students I've tutored love the things, the other half are indifferent at best.

Apparently, the word baikingu ( バイキング ), lit translation: smorgasbord or baikgingu-ryouri ( バイキング料理 ) smorgasbord-style-cooking, is used for any buffet style or drink service where you can go back and refill your glass yoruself, as if you were getting your food from a buffet etc...

That's why it makes sense. I mean, if the Vikings sacked your monastery/village one year, chances are, they'd come back again next year for more plunder. I'm just highly amused by the Japanese usage of the word, because I always associate the word Viking with tons of violence, big swords/axes, and Valhalla.

You will easily find cans of crushed tomatos and tomato paste here, but those spices are not really available in small grocery stores in small towns. You can find them in a deparment store in big cities for sure.
That's a relief. As much as I enjoy Japanese food, I grew up on pasta and tomato sauce, and I'd really end up missing it when I finally leave for Japan if I couldn't make some myself there.

[bezz]

http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00066.jpg http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00045.jpg
Left: cod roe and dill
Right: shiitake, maitake and shimeji mushrooms

[Cue]

There's a chain of Italian restaurants in Japan called Capricciosa. They serve brick oven pizza and a whole lot of other tasty eats. You can ask around to see if there's one in your area.
Oh that's one of my favorite places to eat Carbonara...

Another favorite place is "Goemon", a chain of spaghetti restaurants... This place is remarkable, as they serve in Japanese style, you need to eat spagetti with chopstics... XD
http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a044607/img/a044607pm3_a.jpg

*drools*


Q

[bezz]

It's called the "Napolitan" (no offense to Naples and its citizens). :blush:Somewhat similar is a Nagoya local specialty "ankake spaghetti" typically with Italian sausage, onion and green pepper, very thick noodles. Not plain ketchup but special meat sauce invented by Hiroshi Yamaoka in 1960 that tastes a little spicy.
He opened his own restaurant in 1963:

Spaghetti House Yokoi (est. 1963)
Santo Bldg. 2nd flr., 3-10-11 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 460-0008 Japan
phone: +81(52)241-5571

http://www.ncvb.or.jp/umya/nagoyameibutsu/image/ankake.jpg

[bezz]

Apparently, the word baikingu (バイキング), lit translation: smorgasbord or baikgingu-ryouri (バイキング料理) smorgasbord-style-cooking, is used for any buffet style or drink service where you can go back and refill your glass yoruself, as if you were getting your food from a buffet etc...A link page (http://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/cgi-bin/imperial_hp/index_e.cgi?ac1=ETR&Page=hpd_view) says,"Viking" in contemporary Japanese means buffet, an adoption of the name of Japan's very first buffet dining restaurant in 1953, the Imperial Hotel's Viking smorgasbord.related post (http://www.jref.com/forum/showpost.php?p=80102)

[bezz]

http://kodawari.lin.go.jp/ryori/karada/image/mc3111.jpg
Mozzarella spaghetti flavored with soy and perilla

[bezz]

The first time I ordered spaghetti in Japan, the cook took out some precooked pasta , tossed it in a fry pan , dumped a bunch of ketchup on top and heated it up. NOT what I was expecting, LOL.That style of cooking spaghetti is a very old recipe invented in Japan (in the 1960s). Because people weren't used to Italian dishes yet in those days, some cook in Japan created it to match Japanese tastes, imitating the style you cook "yakisoba." It's called the "Napolitan" (no offense to Naples and its citizens). :blush:which looks like:

http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00151.jpg

[bezz]

http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00146.jpg http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00136.jpg
Left: Spaghetti in udon/soba soup, egg drop
Right: Natto&okra spaghetti

[Cue]

Thank you, Bezz-san, for the update.
I love looking at this thread as well as other food threads you post, but you know what, you're very good at making me sooooo hungry! xD

I've tried Ankake one some time ago, too. It was rather spicy with a lot of black pepper, but it was great all the same. I loved it. :-)

Okay, now I'm ready to have some spaghetti for today's lunch.
*goes to check what she has in the fridge*

[GodEmperorLeto]

I discovered that teriyaki sauce goes well on tortellini, especially if you sautee grilled chicken and sliced mild sausage in it. Toss in a little bit of garlic and it is actually really good.

Anyway, I'm not surprised the Japanese don't know Italian food, because Italian Americans born in the U.S. don't know it. It was adapted as soon as the original Italians stepped off of the boat. Nevertheless, we've managed to keep the tradition pretty stable, and we are utilizing the cooking principles our ancestors brought over from the Old Country, right? I hope...

Anyway, my Japanese friend made spaghetti with store-bought "meat-flavored sauce" that she mixed chopped onions and mushrooms into. She made me promise to teach her how to make "Italian gravy" after she tried some of mine. I told her it isn't a bad thing for her not to know, she isn't from America. Now, if she couldn't make a maki roll, she'd have problems.

Anyway, funny anecdotes aside, food should be experimented with. Different people grow up eating different stuff and develop different tastes. Stuff should be mixed and matched along cultural lines. That's how Italian-AMERICAN cooking started. It's just got to be done right. No gravy out of a jar. That's disgusting. Yuck. Tony Soprano would be most displeased.

[bezz]

http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00161.jpg http://www.pasta.or.jp/recipe/images/recipe_img/recipe_img_00140.jpg
Left: Non-spicy (regular) cod roe spaghetti
Right: Grated yam & udon/soba soup spaghetti, spicy cod roe & scallion topping

[Goldiegirl]

Bacon seems to be popular in addition in spaghetti in Japan. I was suprised, but it tasted ok...I picked out the bacon...it was difficult to find spaghetti with a meatless, fishless sauce. I even ordered spaghetti mozarella and sure enough it had bacon in it! :) Those were the only words I could read so the menu may have listed what else was in the recipe but I wouldn't have known.

[ArmandV]

Any good Italian restaurants in Tokyo?

[lukino]

Anyone can make this simple tomato sauce. If you're Italian, you've gotta have a recipe for tomato sauce that you can customize and freeze for months at a time. It's cheap too!!!
Simple Tomato Sauce Recipe
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 cups
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
GOOD LUCK ~~
hey guys.. i m an italian chef
that recipe might be correct. i wouldn't add garlic anyway. if it s too acidic, add a bit of sodium bicarbonate ( a very very little amount).:-)

[bakaKanadajin]

Any good Italian restaurants in Tokyo?

Honestly, if you're looking for cheap Italian eats, Saizeriya isn't half bad. I've eaten there a number of times. The foods a tad greasy and you get what you pay for, but honestly the quality isn't bad for the price. They've got a wide variety of dishes, the wine is 100en a glass, I mean if you're looking for quick Italian food in Japan or a place to pre-drink or kill some time before first train, this place gets my stamp of approval lol.
http://www.saizeriya.co.jp/format_obj/logo.gif

[epigene]

Any good Italian restaurants in Tokyo?
Because of the rage over Italian food in Japan, there are countless Italian restaurants, from old-timers like Sabatini (Aoyama, Roppongi, etc.), Antonio's (Daikanyama, etc.), and Nicholas (Roppongi) and new ones opened by Italian chefs who have settled in Japan.

Saizeriya is great for budget-minded young people, but I recommend this place if you are willing to pay:
Ristorante da Nino (http://www.ristorante-da-nino.jp/index1_files/ct.htm)

Sicilian-style restaurant located in Minami-Aoyama (near Nogizaka Station). I went with friends and found the food delightful! :cool:

[undrentide]

Something between the posh restaurants and Saizeriya - I'd like to recommend La Verde.
Food is great and their prices are reasonable.
I sometimes go to the one in Aoyama, but you can also find it in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama, etc.
http://www.la-speranza.sakura.ne.jp/shoplist.html

[Balling]

saizeriya is awesome

but if you need some on the quick like
Family mart/7 and i holdings/lawsons all have great spaghetti

[TokyoRose]

A few more tips about this; olive oil in the hot water is not necessary, in fact, it will prevent the sauce to stick to the noodles by making them slippery. What you need is enough water in a big enough pot and frequent stirring for pasta to be cooked evenly.
You can skip this, too. Starch, salt and cooking liquid will enhance the flavor of the sauce and add body to it.
Taste pasta as it cooks, empty the pot immidiately before it's completely done, concidering the time you mix it with the sauce.

ah... great minds think alike! ;)
i've also experimented by cooking the pasta in carbonara sauce - to save time and washing up. the result is not as starchy as I'd imagined. however when i try to do the same with tomato based sauce, sauce is thicker and not as tasty...
anybody else has similar experience?

[Dogen Z]

Cicada in Minami Azabu is superb! :wave: It's not cheap but it's still a great value. :-) Can't wait to go there again. It's not strictly Italian--it's Mediterranean, so even better. :p

[gaijinalways]

Bunryu is aother Italian delight. Don't let the japanese name put you off, the owner lived in Italy for 20 years before returning to open two restaurants in Tokyo (Takadanobaba and Ikebukuro) that use Italian and japanese chefs trained in Italy. Very reasonable lunch specials (980 yen includes a salad, pasta of your choice, and cofffee) and great dinners but then you're looking to drop a few bucks. The Italian teachers I know recommend it to their students.

Link with map to the Ikebukuro restaurant.

http://www.tradina.com/0339823230/map.html

There's also another Italian restaurant of note in Takadanobaba called Taverna. Unfortunately, they don't take credit cards, which makes it less enjoyable.

Scroll down in this web page and you'll see a review on Taverna. The earlier mentioned L'Amitie; is also a good choice for inexpensive French, but sometimes with a Japanese touch. Still, very resaonable, but you do often need to book (even for dinners often) as it's very popular.

http://www.secret-japan.com/forum/takadanobaba-restaurants-european-food-t172.html

[Chidoriashi]

Saizeriya is ok, but i would prefer Fazolis (fast food Italian chain in the States) to it any day.

On a different note, sometimes i feel like finding good Italian/Western food in Japan outside of Tokyo or maybe other big cities is really hard. Many common menu items (in the West) are hard to find and the preparation usually has a Japanese/Asian twist.. But then again, making Western-style food that Westerners prefer would not be as profitable here in Japan I suppose.

[bammbamm&pebbles]

Anyone,spaghetti with mayo ( お味の方はいかがでしたか ) ?!