B Class Gourmet isn´t so bad

In western countries, they have harvest festivals such as Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Thanks Giving, from autumn to winter. As

Monja-yaki, Yakisoba, Oden and Gyoza. Those are called B class gourmet which has been really loved for long years by Japanese people because of its inexpensive price, convenience and taste. Tokyo is indeed a the best city to enjoy both Tokyo's traditional B class gourmet, Monja, and other regions B class gourmet. This time, let us take a short tour to have a bite of B class gourmet. (Oct, 2008)


What is B Class Gourmet?
Speaking about B class gourmet, it indicates the food which tastes very good and is provided inexpensive price. It's not clear who and when named but B class gourmet is low-ranked food as it is compared with A class gourmet such as luxury and expensive restaurants. This is because people tend not to spend money for food after economic crisis after high economic growth. By that, even college students used to spend money at expensive restaurants by working as part time job, however, situation has been changed and many of household suffered from managing their money. At that time, B class gourmet, reasonable and very healthy to wallet, got very popular among people and Ramen boom, considered as 1st B class gourmet, started around 2000. In 2006, the word of B class gourmet was registered as trademark. Needless to say, everyone tells you that now it is also very popular and it became more popular rather than before.


Deep Relation between B Class Gourmet and Tokyo
Tokyo is famous for the one of best gourmet city in which everybody can enjoy international food and regional food like B class gourmet but, I would say it should be sorry for foreign travelers; Tokyo is a huge ultimate kitchen city for Japanese people to enjoy various foods no matter if it is international or domestic local food. People enjoy food like pork rice bowl and omelet curry rice coming from Hokkaido and Soki soba and Goya champloo. Monja, Tokyo's regional B class gourmet, considers it should be the Tokyo local B class gourmet. In Ikebukuro, there is Namja-Town, an amusement restaurant where many of Japanese visitors enjoy its variety of Gyoza (Chinese dumpling). Well, there is no reason to make you wait so let us go cruising on Tokyo B class gourmet.
Related Link
Nanja Town : http://www.namja.jp/  (Japanese)



B Class Gourmet
Oden
It might be different at where you try this but Oden is soy source based soup with stewed ingredients such as radish, fish meat, boiled egg and beef. It doesn't get popular in summer but in winter because this hot soup gives you warmth. The nearest way to see it might be at convenience store. You might want to try Oden at different convenience store and Seven Eleven especially provides the best Oden as fans said. Also, even though it only provides in winter, Izakayas and Japanese restaurants provide it so ask them if it is available. Be careful of its hot soup!

Related Link
Seven Eleven : http://www.sej.co.jp/  (Japanese)

Monja-yaki
This represents Tokyo local B class gourmet. Dissolve flour in water, add some special source, stir with cabbage and pork, fry them on a hot plate and eat it with cooking small paddle (called Hera in Japanese). The way to eat should be different at each spots so you can ask them how to eat. Also, speaking about Monja, Tokyo old town is famous for it, especially Tsukishima, where you see many of Monja restaurants at every corner. Many people visit to eat Monja from far places. Honestly speaking, it doesn't look so delicious but you can customize and enjoy so much with it. Please try!!

Gyoza (Chinese dumpling)
This is originally from Chinese food and people generally eat this at Chinese restaurants. This means Gyoza is so popular national-wide in Japan and there are so many fans around. You can see frozen Gyoza at super market. Utsunomiya city in Tochigi prefecture and Hamamatsu city in Shizuoka prefecture have their local Gyoza which have original taste and looking. It is also famous that Disney Land sells Gyoza Dog (like hot dog) in their amusement park. At Tokyo, even though we can try Gyoza at any of Chinese restaurants, there is food amusement park in Ikebukuro, called Gyoza Stadium, where you can enjoy many of local Gyoza in Japan such as Utsunomiya and Hamamatsu. In addition, Ohsho, provides their good Gyoza with reasonable price, should be interesting to you.

Related Links
Disney Land : http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/index_e.html  (English)
Gyoza Stadium : http://www.namja.jp/gyoza/  (Japanese)
Ohsho : http://www.ohsho.co.jp/  (Japanese)

Yakisoba
This should be classified as noodle, the same as Gyoza, comes from Chinese food, but it has been originally developed in Japan. Tokyo's Yakisoba is thin noodle and noodle could be thick noodle in other regions. Ingredients are pork, cabbage and bean sprout and fry them with noodle. The huge difference from Chinese one is to add and stir with special source. Yakisoba at super market and convenience store could be good and you can try them just like snack but Japanese people eat this at Izakayas as finishing food. Also, there are some famous Yakisoba in Japan such as Yokote Yakisoba, which people add sunny side up egg on, and Fujinomiya Yakisoba, which people like its thick bite.

Hamburger
"Is hamburger from western food like MacDonald and Burger King?" This might be your first question and we know it but hamburger has been developed its own style in Japan. The easiest way to try them is Freshness Burger and Mos Burger, Japanese hamburger chain stores. They are very different from ones overseas and make tastes as Japanese would love. In addition, one of regional hamburger, called Sasebo burger, is now getting popular. ZATS Burger, opens their stores around Nakano, provides Sasebo burger in Tokyo and their special burger with grilled egg are highly loved by local Japanese in Tokyo. During your stay in Japan, why don't you try them when you miss western food?

Related Links
Freshness Burger : http://www.freshnessburger.co.jp/freshnessburger/  (Japanese)
Mos Burger : http://www.mos.co.jp/  (Japanese)
ZATS Burger : http://sasebo-burger.jp/  (Japanese)