BALANCE of CULTURE

Official Japanese Noodles: Rome to Honolulu

Surprised something like this hasn't happened already--just shows how I often tend to overestimate what has been done in this world. The Japanese dish known as "yakisoba," a popular pan-fried noodle dish, made its official debut in Rome, Italy this week. Usually considered the birthplace of modern pasta as we know it (though other variations from the Middle East and China also existed), the ancient city got a taste of yakisoba thanks to a recent push of Japanese noodles through the country's embassy. 

Coincidentally, Shirokiya (one of my favorite spots in Honolulu!) recently had an authentic "shoyu ramen" experience--for a couple of weeks only, one of the main ramen stalls near the department store's beer garden upstairs offered this special bowl via the president of the Japan Ramen Association. We caught it on the last day:

Perhaps since I'm not exactly the biggest ramen fan in general, the dish ended up being just ok for me. But it was just cool to taste what the official Japanese ramen organization wants you to taste when eating ramen, right? Culinary experiences like these two seem to be a growing trend from all cultures, lucky for all of us!

Okinawan Izakaya

Traditional Okinawa-style meal at one of my favorite izakayas in the world. This one's in Hawaii, the land where the local izakayas completely blow away the ones in Los Angeles. Yes, every single one of them. Consistently, too!

Anyway the tiny room gets filled with local Japanese groups even during the week, and has pretty crazy wooden block decor I haven't seen in a restaurant since my last time in Japan. You won't find many of your typical izakaya dishes here, but the insider experience of authentic Okinawan cuisine (with Asian fusion food, of course!) is well worth it. We loved their handmade soba noodles (looks quite different from the typical store-bought kind), grilled ahi, tofu salad, and awamori menu. And don't forget the "taco fried rice" our pal made tableside--we're still dreaming about it! Definitely a culinary gem in Oahu.

In-n-Out pops up in Tokyo

This is the kind of "food diplomacy" that just drives people crazy sometimes, and I mean this in a good way. Not government-based, not forced-feeling…just a private endeavor gone global based upon people driving up demand via widespread information-sharing.

Everyone knows if you don't have In-n-Out around you, you're missing out on some good fast food. The Southern California-based burger chain just finished a pop-up shop in a Tokyo ZipZap restaurant space. The lines proved it was a popular event, but sadly it was only up for one day.

This isn't the chain's first international pop-up--both Sydney and Shanghai have been graced with their scrumptious presence as well.

Some items from the Tokyo menu:

Double-Double: ¥700 ($8.46)
Cheeseburger: ¥400 ($4.83)
Hamburger: ¥300 ($3.63)
Potato chips: ¥100 ($1.21)
Medium drink: ¥100 ($1.21)
T-shirt: ¥800 ($9.67)

 

Food blogs around the world

Exploring new and foreign foods is a wonderful way to be introduced to a country's traditions and culture, and I always try to have the most authentic culinary experience possible while traveling abroad.

Back at home though, I often enjoy reading various international food blogs for useful dining tips on future trips, recipes to cook in between travel, and other miscellaneous information.

This international food blog list is a useful place to start your journey of scrumptiousness, where you can find blogs dedicated to cuisines all over the globe, including the Philippines, Mexico, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Malaysia, and more.

Happy eating/cooking!!

BoC Dérive: 12 August 2011

Online Dérive:
EAST AFRICA: At least 3.7 million people, nearly half the Somali population, are now directly at risk of famine and tens of thousands have already perished.

SYRIA: "I guess the Obama administration really was serious abt this whole "leading from behind" thing" -@shadihamid

BOURGEOIS: Some parallels between Britain's riots and A Clockwork Orange.

TRY AGAIN: Yeah, this should "really" solve the protests and riots going on in Britain.

FAIL: The United Nations is set to screen controversial new film The Whistleblower, which implicates one of the most heinous failings of the organization.

RED SOLE: Christian Louboutin has lost the legal battle against Yves Saint Laurent.

BoC's Online Dérive: 24 September 2010

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Giorgio Gucci slams counterfeit goods during a panel discussion in Washington.

A great overview of Korea and Taiwan's food diplomacy by gastronomist Paul Rockower.

"The general rule of thumb is 'the least punctuation the better.'" Yep, it's National Punctuation Day.

Do you think that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's UN speech may have just helped Israel?

This Saturday evening: GLOW, the highly anticipated dusk-til-dawn public art event, returns to Santa Monica.

Healthy > Foodie

Here's an utterly scathing article from the NY Post regarding actress Gwyneth Paltrow's "faux" claim of being a "foodie." The reason for the writer's blatant skepticism (which is putting it nicely)? Paltrow's thin figure and "squeamish" eating habits. Can thin people be foodies, or does an individual have to have some junk in the trunk to qualify as one? Do foodies have to have a large appetite and a love for greasy meats and cheeses? Just something to think about.

Too hungry to be a "real" foodie?

From NY Post:

 

Then consider Paltrow’s mysterious, nutrition-related ailments. The budding chef is the same girl who fainted and had to be checked into Mount Sinai two years ago, reportedly as a result of a strict juice-and-salad cleanse. And last month she divulged — via her lifestyle Web site, GOOP — that her doctor told her she had “the beginning stages of osteopenia,” as well as “the lowest [Vitamin D levels] they had ever seen.”

Sounds like the afflictions of the undernourished, not a rich movie star and self-proclaimed foodie who owns every possible frying device.

Her foodie routine looks like a poorly cast role, and she’s not playing her part very convincingly. “I can’t pretend to be somebody who makes $25,000 a year,” she once said. And she can’t pretend to be a girl who loves to eat, either.

Stick a fork in it, Gwyneth — this act’s done.

 

So are you looking forward to her upcoming cookbook titled "My Father's Daughter," complete with family recipes for corn chowder with bacon, pancakes, chicken dumplings, french fries and pizza?

I personally disagree with the notion that one can't have a lean figure and a simultaneous love for rich foods (and no purging either, please!). But tall and lanky chef/writer/network star Anthony Bourdain - who isn't at all what one would call chubby - seems to be hostile towards Paltrow's foray into foodie-ism not for her similarly willowy figure, but because she's "that one b*tch who refuses to eat ham."

Here's an idea: can we just not take food so seriously? Unless we're talking about access to food rights in third and fourth world countries (or how the culinary experience can be a bridge between different cultures), I just don't see what all this food-based bickering is truly about (besides a bunch of average joes acting as though they have ownership over categories of sustenance or something stupendously psychotic like that). Then again, maybe I'm just another non-ham eating you-know-what.

Unfortunately, it looks like this debate - as well as the term "foodie" - won't be going anywhere for a while! Can you imagine if people devoted the same amount of energy and effort into their health instead of "foodie-ism"?

A New Jersey restauranteur wins the hearts and stomachs of NK diplomats

Take a look at restauranteur Robert Egan and his unofficial BBQ diplomacy with North Korean United Nations diplomats.

Technorati Tags: balance of culture, north korea, united nations, bbq diplomacy, robert egan, restaurant

BoC's Online Dérive

BFF: Salati the leopard and Tommy the Golden Retriever

South Africa's police force cross their fingers for an early US loss at the World Cup. The reason: Barack Obama (and the intense security that must handle his presence).

Delta Airlines loses a passenger's dog and offers them a $200 credit as compensation. Yep, you read that correctly.

A list of 40 mouthwatering Thai dishes we love to crave.

More unacceptable TSA nonsense. And I'm not referring to the full-body scan part at all.

"Second guessing life decisions at the reservoir!" Watch this hilarious video about Silver Lake's 'Daddy' scene. It's all so true, haha...

BoC's Online Dérive

My latest Huffington Post piece on Treme, cultural diplomacy and the international exhibition.

A North Korean military delegation leader told Chinese officials that Pyongyang had nothing to do with South Korea's ship sinking last month.

Taking a trip to hip Tel Aviv anytime soon? Check out Art + Hotel, a new boutique hotel that has allocated each of its 5 floors to an Israeli artist.

Another problem with KFC: "KFC's packaging is coming from the worst of the worst forest practices. This is the epitome of bad corporate behavior."

A Cleveland playhouse honors Tupac's memory on stage: “50 Cent is kind of like our Tupac. But there won’t be a 50 Cent musical. Tupac’s death is what made him this legend.”