Typical Finnish breakfast-oatmeal with blueberry soup

Going to a new country means that I do try and respect local customs and not embarrass myself (or my half Finnish husband). I have something of a head start as we are close to his Finnish mother and aunt and her family so we have an idea of what the Finnish people are like. I thought that I should brush up on dining etiquette so I found a website that gave me the lowdown on Finns, those curious not-Scandinavian-but-rather-Nordic people that are shy at first but genuine and warm on subsequent meetings. My mother in law theorises that Finns are not used to a lot of social contact and years ago especially in Winter and houses being apart you’d not often come into contact with another person.

Finnish Dining Etiquette

If you are invited to a Finn’s home:

• Arrive on time. Finns are punctual in both business and social situations (this does not apply to my mother in law who is frequently late )
• Remove your outdoor shoes before entering the house.
• Contact the hostess ahead of time to see if she would like you to bring a dish.
• Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served.
• If you are invited for coffee and cake, there may be as many as 7 cakes to sample (woohoo!! Caaaaaaake!!)
• Do not discuss business (fine, I’d rather discuss food).
• Thank the hosts for the hospitality before saying good-bye to the other guests (I should think this is probably logical to everyone but those raised by wolves).

Table Manners

• Wait to be told where to sit (good to know, I tend to view a table place like real estate and try to get the best spot)
• Table manners are Continental - hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
• Always keep your hands visible when eating. Keep your wrists resting on the edge of the table (Interesting! What else would one be doing with their hands? I shudder to think why this rule is in place…)
• Do not begin eating until the hostess invites you to start (must remind hungry husband about this)
• Bread and shrimp are the only foods eaten by hand. Even fruit is eaten with utensils (very Seinfeld Snickers bar episode, I like it)
• Accept second helpings (not a problem here)
• When passing salt and pepper shakers, put them on the table within the person’s reach. Do not give them directly (interesting! seems very Japanese)
• Men should keep their jacket on at meals unless the host removes his (that is, if my husband is wearing a jacket!)
• Finish everything on your plate. Finns do not appreciate waste (why a hungry husband always comes in handy).
• When you have finished eating, place your knife and fork across your plate with the prongs facing down and the handles facing to the right (different to what we do)

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/finland-country-profile.html

I follow with some examples of Finnish food, of course

Finnish food

Kareljan rice pie - delicious when heated

Pineapple chili ice cream-absolutely gorgeous!

Megapussi just means mega large bag! Chips  €2.69

Premium glogg €1.50

Pommac  €2.80

Leippajusstoa and pikelets (Porkkanaohukainen) €2.49 and €1.35

Daim bar ice cream

Blueberry ice cream

Cloudberry ice cream

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What would you say if I invited you to come along to a Haunted Prison themed restaurant, in one of the busiest hubs of Tokyo and told you that you may indeed be scared senseless entering the restaurant and that you’ll be led to a jail cell in handcuffs and then locked up in it for the duration of the meal? Sounds good? Then you’re someone that I would be friends with.

I had been looking forward to The Lockup in Shibuya ever since arriving to Tokyo as I kept hearing how very weird it was. At another location (there are several Lockups throughout Tokyo), apparently you and your party get placed into a darkened room and if you find the secret opening, then you make it into the restaurant. I had no idea what to expect so when we see the sign indicating we are to go to Basement 2, we follow, hesitating. The entrance looms and there is a genuinely spooky atmosphere given by the extremely dark and winding hallways, cold rush of air and cackling and screaming sounds around us. We inch around the corner slowly, as to not to fall (it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen and this would never happen in a litigious country like America or even Australia) and what happens next frightens the hell out of me, a man strapped to an electric chair, Clive Barker from Hellraiser sans pins, rocks back and forth screaming with lights flashing.

I scream my lungs out and then fortifying myself, move on where we encounter other bumps and things designed to scare (I won’t ruin the surprise for those that want to go) and encounter three doors, one door being the correct one, and two others….well let’s not ruin that for you too! If you want to experience entering the LockUp there are a couple of videos on Youtube

Making it into the sanctum of the restaurant, my husband is led by handcuffs to our prison cell (I don’t get handcuffed apparently, only one member of your group is which I think is a bit disappointing). We get our own “prison cell” and are locked in although the door isn’t actually locked and we are free to go but they do pull the doors shut.

We peruse the menu and find some cocktails that tickle our fancy, mainly due to the presentation as we can’t actually read the menu that well and there is no English menu. It’s Izakaya food, which I absolutely love as I like small dishes in a plentiful number so that I can try as many tastes as possible.

A friend translated the cocktail menu for me as it reads as follows:

• Cloning Experiment
• Electric Shock
• Illegal Parking (Injection) [Red Ticket]= pronunciations of Japanese words for ‘parking’ and ‘injection’ are the same
• Bad Loan - your eyeballs have blown up because you’ve lent too much money
• Human Experiment
• Drug Addition (you are already dead)
• Time Bomb Capsules - they may explode after you’ve swallowed them?
  

Test tube cocktail (non alcoholic Y800)

Our cocktails arrive, the first one a non alcoholic number served in a beaker and with 5 test tubes with different flavours and a dropper to add each flavour to the drink. The drink itself is like a carbonated light yogurt drink and the flavours are sweet and tasty. I enjoy this chance to play scientist and “mix” drinks all night.

Syringe drink Y580

The second drink comes also comes in a beaker but this also has a syringe full of red jelly which we squirt into the drink. It has a sweet berry flavour to it and is alcoholic (and strongly so).

Complimentary breadsticks and cheese dip

The drinks also arrive with some breadsticks broken in half in a beaker along with the sweet and savoury cream cheese. It’s curious and not too bad indeed.

BBQ pork with spring onions Y609

Our range of dishes arrives in quick succession. The BBQ pork dish at first looks like it has too much spring onion on top of it but once popped into the mouth, it tastes perfect, the pork beautifully soft and melt in the mouth. It’s a delicate touch for an Izakaya and we are both impressed.

Big Salad Y871
The second dish, a 35cms tall salad in a glass arrives and the waitress serves this up by tipping out the salad onto a bowl and spreading it out. There is finely sliced crunchy daikon, lettuce, cherry tomato and fried chicken pieces with a Japanese Wafu dressing. There’s no egg as per the picture though but we welcome the taste of fresh salad.

Chinese chicken salad Y504

The third dish is actually different from what we had ordered but it’s very good so we don’t mind in the slightest. It’s a chicken and sesame mayo Chinese chicken salad served in a purple cabbage cup. It’s very good, one of my favourite salads ever so we don’t ask what happened to the original dish (not that we could anyway, my Japanese only gets me as far as ordering, not complaining)

Nankotsu Y504

The fourth dish is one of my favourites ever since I first had this in an Izakaya. It’s not always available at every Izakaya and whenever I see it, I always order it. It’s Nankotsu (chicken cartilege), breaded and deep fried so that the bone is no as crunchy as when it is grilled. A sprinkle of Tabasco and it is perfection and this is indeed.

Mince Okonomiyaki Y609
The last dish, a beef mince okonomiyaki is not to my taste. I am also very full so I pass up on this after a first taste. My husband prefers the mince as it is more “moist” than a regular Okonomiyaki whereas I prefer the regular version. This tastes like a lot of mince with some fish flakes on top. My husband on the other hand is hypnotised by the swaying of the fish flakes.

We sit back and watch other parties being led this time by bondage-y style clad waitresses and wish we had more time to try the other Lock Up experiences. Just because a meal tastes better after a fright.

The Lock Up

33-1 Udagawa-cho
(just off Center-gai, Shibuya Grand Tokyo Bldg. B2F)
Tokyo
Tel: +81 (03)-5728-7731
Open:
Monday to Friday 17:00～01:00
Saturday 17:00～05:00
Sunday 17:00～24:00

Shibuya

Cover charge Y525 per person plus tax charge

I’m always after a authentic experience. And anything that is slightly seedy but good and busy always peaks my interest I am almost embarrassed to admit. So when I read about Yurakucho’s Yakitori alley, a small alleyway underneath a train line where commuters and Japanese congregate under rickety stalls that look slightly patched together, I knew we had to visit. It’s small, packed and absolutely fascinating.

It’s hard to find, we find the Lonely Planet’s map lacking essential details (grrr!) and we get lost during the way. We finally find it and the telltale red lanterns and smokey grill aroma tells us that we have finally arrived at the right place. There are 3 stallholders here each serving their own Yakitori dishes with their own tables. On the walls there are a multitude of Japanese signs, none in English at all, so we ask for an English menu and take a seat at one of the stalls.

We order the: roast Chicken skewer, Chicken meatball skewer, gizzard skewer, pork skewer, nankotsu (bone cartilage) skewer and heart skewer (all Y160 per skewer). We then ask what the waitress recommends and she points at an item on the Japanese specials menu of pork and miso Y460 and also suggests a potato salad Y420. We always get good recommendations when we ask the staff what is good so I always make a point to ask.

Potato Salad Y420

The potato is a typical Japanese potato salad although it is a very good version of it. There are two ice cream scoops of creamy potato salad, which is a combination of a slightly sweet mashed potato with carrot and spring onions as well as small potato chunks.

From left to right.: heart, gizzard, pork skewer Y160 each

The heart skewer is…Im sorry to say unpalatable. I tried to take one bite and released it from my teeth and passed it to my husband. If you happen to like rubbery tough organs, this may be your thing. My husband ate it but more because it was there and has was hungry after we got lost.

The Gizzard Skewer suffers a similar fate. I don’t even know why I ordered it. I think more to try something odd but when push came to shove, I couldn’t eat it.

The pork skewer is slightly better, although the pork pieces are also quite chewy and not quite as tender as I’d like.

From left to right: Nankotsu (2), chicken and meatball skewers Y160 each

The second plate is more successful, the roast chicken skewer is good, especially when the pieces are removed from the stick and dunked into the sauce. The chicken meatball skewer is also good and slightly crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. I’ve had better nankotsu with the bone cartilage being softer, this nankotsu is hard and quite hard to chew.

Pork and Miso skewers Y420

The mystery pork skewers with miso are however perfection. Softly tender and juicy pieces of pork are marinated in a miso sauce which complements it perfectly. If only I could have ordered 6 serves of this, I would have been inordinately pleased.

We leave just as the smoke level rises as more grilled skewers are pressed to the grill. The pork and miso skewers were definitely worth the search.

Yurakcuho Yakitori Alley

Under JR train line near Hibiya station
2-1-10 Yurakucho
Chioyda-ku tokyo

Tel +81 (03) 3508 9454

Despite the range of Thai restaurants on every corner of Kirribilli’s streets (we count 4 in one small space) we resisted and chose to dine at Ainoya, a Japanese restaurant we’ve walked past on our way to Kirribilli markets many a time, always closed during the day. We’re lured by good reports of the food and promises of melt in the mouth Japanese food. The interior is all blonde woods and Japanese paper lanterns. As we’re a table of 6, we are seated in the deep sunken table where we remove our shoes and put them to the side. This causes the men some anguish and confusion but we get there in the end. Service by the smiling owner is lovely but his staff are a little more formal and rigid. When Hot Dog brings a beer out they tell him that he can’t drink it there but the owner smiles and gestures that of course he can. I ask if they can take my new (snow white) coat only to be given a blank look and be told by the waitress “Sorry you’ll have to take that”. Hmmm I don’t relish the idea of folding up my coat to lie on the bench next to me all night but I have no choice.

We peruse the menu and order a selection of dishes to share. We mostly choose entrees as they are what have caught our eye. We order the Salmon and Avocado roll $7 for 4 pieces; Tuna Sashimi $17, Chicken Karaage $12; Aburi Sushi platter (blow torched sushi!) $19; Ika -Tem (Squid tempura with wasabi-mayo sauce) $14; Teriyaki Chicken $18; Wagyu Saikoro Steak $26; Kamo Tataki (Roasted duck with ponzu sauce) $19; Grilled Salmon $28; Ocean Trout with basil sauce $17 and a California Roll $7.

Tuna Sashimi $17

We’re not kept waiting long until the food comes out. The first to arrive is the Tuna Sashimi. I’m much more partial to Salmon Sashimi personally but the pale pink two-toned tuna sashimi is gorgeously fresh.

Ika -Tem (Squid tempura with wasabi-mayo sauce) $14

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Growing up in Australia at 158cms I’ve never been tall. I’ve always sat on the bottom row of the school photos, and always needed to ask for help reaching the top supermarket shelves. I prefer the term petite to short. So it was a surprise to me when I lived in Japan a few years back that I could actually see the tops of people’s heads. The heads were usually the oba-sans (middle aged matrons) or salarymen but I finally felt what it was like to be able to feel tall. I mentioned that this was only the middle aged people as the youth of Japan, particularly the men, are getting taller. I assume the wider and more varied and more Western influenced diet is responsible for this.

Visiting Takeru, a Japanese eatery that serves food that the younger Japanese eat out -western style pizza and pasta with a Japanese twist, with a lot of cheese just further emphasises the new Japanese diet. We’re preparing for our holiday to Tokyo in June this year and this helps get us excited about it. And before you ask, this place has nothing to do with the Japanese world champion of hot dog eating, competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi

We’re visiting on a Sunday night at 8.45pm and it’s not too busy. They want us to share a table even though there are a few tables free, I suppose just in case there is an influx! I already know what I want to try-the Japanese style pizza and pasta which I miss so much. The pasta sauces include all of the usual suspects like squid ink, kinoko, scallops, clams, bolognaise and cod roe. There is also ramen and the usual Japanese ramen, katsu, meat and salmon dishes offered on the well worn menu. We select the Omochi curry gratin (rice cakes gratin with curry sauce) $6.20, wafu pizza with chicken and mochi rice cakes ($9.90) and Sake cream spaghetti with the Sake being salmon rather than the alcohol ($9.90).

Salmon cream pasta $9.90

The pasta arrives first, and fairly quickly on a large square plate. It’s linguine rather than spaghetti and has small chunks of salmon interspersed throughout the creamy sauce. It’s good, the pasta well cooked and exactly like the cream sauce in Japan and the salmon chunks, at first looking a little few and far between are revealed under the linguine. And just like a Tokyo Izakaya table, it comes with optional parmesan and Tabasco sauce (Japan started me on my love of Tabasco).

Omochi Curry gratin $6.20

The Omochi curry gratin and the pizza arrive next together. The Omochi, set on a cast iron hot plate, are gorgeously stretchy underneath the curry sauce which at first seems too plentiful for the amount of mochi but when you stretch out the small discs, it’s about right. The cheese gratin is plentiful and the curry sauce is authentically Japanese curry, that is the cubed variety that is fairly mild, not my favourite type of curry if I can be frank but authenticity is what I am after and it is very much like what I used to have in Tokyo.

Wafu pizza $9.90

The pizza is sampled next. It’s on a round of Lebanese bread which is a little disappointing. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made pizza at home for a quick snack on Lebanese bread but I was hoping for real pizza dough. The topping, a combination of tender, melt in the mouth chicken which is absolutely delicious, halved stretchy mochi rice balls and a tangy sauce which is all doused in a liberal splattering of mayo is delicious, if impossible to eat. The fabulous sauce, which is a little too plentiful for the thin base slides down hands and onto chins while eating. Overall, it’s not quite like Japanese pizzas that I’ve tried but it’s still quirky and unusual enough for me to want to finish half of it.

We feel full to bursting after this cheese and dairy fest. Oh did I forget to mention that the Japanese youth, aside from being taller are also a little rounder than their previous generation?

Takeru Japanese Casual Dining

10/11 330 Sussex Street Sydney 2000
Tel: +61 (02) 9283-3522
Open 7 days