| Popularly known as the 'Land of Rising Sun', Japan is | | | | Yakiniku is another popular Japanese way of |
| a vibrant country that offers infinite options for | | | | preparing bite sized meat and veggies on griddles. It |
| eager holidaymakers and adventurous travelers. As I | | | | is actually a Korean-style barbecue, thus more widely |
| have always claimed, the most important aspect of | | | | known. With Yakiniku, translating to "fried meat," |
| Japanese travel is its huge culinary variety. Many | | | | small pieces of meat (not as thin as Shabu-Shabu), |
| scrumptious dishes of this country are popular across | | | | mainly beef and pork, together with raw vegetables |
| the world for their amazing flavor and serving style, | | | | are cooked on a grill platter throughout the period of |
| but since most people are familiar with and/or have | | | | meal, few pieces at a time. Then, these |
| tried only sushi (and perhaps the dishes I've described | | | | mouth-watering chunks of meat are plunged in the |
| in earlier posts), I would like to announce a fresh | | | | sauce/tare, which is made of soy sauce mixed with |
| culinary battle: Shabu-Shabu vs. Yakiniku. These two | | | | fruit juice, garlic, sugar and sake. Once prepared, |
| Japanese food items are guaranteed to leave you | | | | Yakiniku is served with...yep, rice, as well as with |
| mesmerized till the next time you travel in Japan | | | | Korean side dishes like Yukhoe and Kimchi. This |
| (yes, there will most definitely be a next time). | | | | luscious Japanese dish goes oh too well with beer - |
| Shabu-Shabu, literally translating to "swish-swish," is an | | | | be careful. |
| item where thinner, usually higher quality slices of | | | | Due to the increasing popularity of these two culinary |
| meat are "swished" momentarily inside large pots | | | | items of Japan, sometimes it seems like there is a |
| containing steaming water, or seaweed ("combu"), or | | | | sort of competition going on between the two, but |
| salt based soup. They are instantly cooked, after | | | | perhaps I could be making that up to dramatize |
| which they are dipped into one of many sauces, | | | | things. That being said, they do compete for the |
| "tare," to choose from - vinegar, sesame, salt, and | | | | same niche of party or celebration meals, as both are |
| more. As usual, a bowl of hot white rice cooked to | | | | relatively expensive (Shabu-Shabu more than |
| perfection is always there, held in the palm of your | | | | Yakiniku). Interestingly, some people prefer |
| free hand - or in my case gulped down immediately | | | | Shabu-Shabu for lunch, while leaving Yakiniku for |
| and waiting for seconds. Besides the meat, | | | | dinner. I would say that Yakiniku and Japanese |
| Shabu-Shabu restaurants offer seafood and | | | | restaurants serving it are more tourist-friendly, and |
| vegetables as well to cook inside the pots. When | | | | many relate more to the stronger taste of fried BBQ |
| done eating, if still hungry and/or drunk, it is a | | | | meat. On the other hand, you would have to look |
| Japanese custom to add rice or noodles to the now | | | | much harder than your local Korea-town for an |
| rich tasting soup to finish off the meal - and fight off | | | | authentic Shabu-Shabu experience. |
| the following day's hangover. | | | | So, what will it be? |