A pit stop in one of Anthony Bourdainâs favorite countries [Today On The Spruce](
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[Today On The Spruce] [The Food That Transports Me to Japan](
[The Food That Transports Me to Japan: What Every Chef (and I) Want Now]( [Kristin Stangl, Editor]( Last weekend I ducked into a movie theater for the first time in nearly two years to watch the newly released Anthony Bourdain documentary, Roadrunner. I read his first book, [Kitchen Confidential](, again and again like a woman possessed. But it was through his journeys around the globe, eating and drinking his way through time zones in shows like A Cookâs Tour, No Reservations, and Parts Unknown, that my love of both food and travel began to crystalize. And where in the world does Bourdain name as the one of the places he would eat for the rest of his life if he had to choose? Japan. In fact, the city of Tokyo played host to Tonyâs very first episode of his very first show. It also happens to be the very first place I plan to venture when trips that big are possible again. I canât wait to [wake up]( in a bustling city like Osaka or Tokyo, or to the lush and remote Kawagoe, and immerse myself in all that Japan has to offer, just as Bourdain did. But while I wait, thereâs no better way to kill time than by [cooking (and eating) like Iâm there](. Sushi and sashimi come to mind first when I think of Japanese cuisine. If [sushi-master Jiro]( taught me anything, itâs that the rice matters as much as the fish. So, Iâll lean on this [sushi rice recipe]( for starters before using the freshest fish my monger can find in order to build a [tuna sashimi]( or [chirashizushi](, bedazzled with pieces of jammy-egg, marinated mushrooms, and crisp cucumber. Then Iâll use any leftover fish in this [spicy tuna bowl](. Noodles, freshly made with a hand-pulling technique that makes the strands dance, is something I will also seek out on my yet-to-be-planned trip to Japan. In the meantime, Iâll make do with [shoyu ramen](, a [cold somen]( for these hot summer days, or [classic miso ramen]( with some store-bought noods. Fried bites are the perfect foil for a crisp Orion beer; these [little fried mashed potato pucks]( (korokke) or [any veggies of your choice]( will do the trick. Donât forget the [dipping sauce](! For something more substantial, the quintessential comfort food katsudon (panko-crusted pork cutlets) reminds me of my Austrian grandmotherâs [schnitzel](. Itâs a small world, after all. For dessert, chewy and flavorful mochi-based confections, in flavors like [grassy matcha green tea]( or [coconut](, are solid choices.. [Pillowy Japanese cheesecake]( will make you think âNew York, who?â And for a wow-worthy ice cream dessert thatâs all about assembly and not about baking, this [honey-butter ice cream filled toast]( is the move. I canât wait to immerse myself in one of Bourdainâs favorite cuisines this weekend and reignite my appetite for travel. - Kristin Stangl
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