Well actually I’m eaten it, and i do not mean McDonalds. Now over the last 6 weeks some of my comments may seem rather harsh on Japan. If they are, well I am sorry, but its not been easy for me adjusting here and culture shock is not something easy to deal with. My later comments are now more along the lines of observations of just how different things are. This is similiar to my observations on Britian and Ireland when I lived there. Observations and inevitably drawn from comparisons and I would just like to be clear that these comparisons should in no way been taken to infer superior/inferior status. Just different.

So on clearing that up how about a positive note on Japan. Well I have one huge one. The Food is FANTASTIC!! We will leave pricing for another day, but back to core fact, we all need eat and this is a country that know how to eat. I don’t mean in huge quantities like certain american food chains I recall, I mean in sheer quality and variety.

Lets take for example the humble, ever available bento box. Now I get mine from Pororoca across the road, its a supermarket chain here that also does loads of ready food, think waitrose salad bars and deli bars etc, but much better. The selection of different boxes is impressive, but get this, they change on a weekly basis depending on the season. Okay, rice is rice is rice (or is it, another time on that one), but what you sprinkle on the rice can change, at the moment the special is crab rice which is totally yummy, then you get the protein selection changing all the time. Its never huge, but more than adequate. A typical box will contain a pork ball, a piece of salmon, a chuck of chicken, and something else. All in convenient two/three bite sizes. All for the princely prices of £3. When you have finished paying for it you can nuke your tray in one of the microwaves provided in store, if you time it right the box is still hot when you arrive so no nuking required. Talk about fresh.

And they taste fantastic, thats why 6 weeks later I am still getting my lunch there, the variety and taste changes so just when you think you might be getting a little tired of something its been replaced. No more pret-a-manger standardisation, (no wonder they failed here), where the avocado chicken sandwich you had today tastes like it did 4 years ago!.

Today lunch was slightly different with tempura prawns on rice with octapus, cucumber/seaweed pickle. sooo soo yummy, and hopfully healthy! So yep I am Lovin it, and I’ve started to learn how to cook Japanese style myself.

Lets take for example the humble, ever available bento box. Now I get mine from Pororoca across the road, its a supermarket chain here that also does loads of ready food, think waitrose salad bars and deli bars etc, but much better. The selection of different boxes is impressive, but get this, they change on a weekly basis depending on the season. Okay, rice is rice is rice (or is it, another time on that one), but what you sprinkle on the rice can change, at the moment the special is crab rice which is totally yummy, then you get the protein selection changing all the time. Its never huge, but more than adequate. A typical box will contain a pork ball, a piece of salmon, a chuck of chicken, and something else. All in convenient two/three bite sizes. All for the princely prices of £3. When you have finished paying for it you can nuke your tray in one of the microwaves provided in store, if you time it right the box is still hot when you arrive so no nuking required. Talk about fresh.

And they taste fantastic, thats why 6 weeks later I am still getting my lunch there, the variety and taste changes so just when you think you might be getting a little tired of something its been replaced. No more pret-a-manger standardisation, (no wonder they failed here), where the avocado chicken sandwich you had today tastes like it did 4 years ago!.

Today lunch was slightly different with tempura prawns on rice with octapus, cucumber/seaweed pickle. sooo soo yummy, and hopfully healthy! So yep I am Lovin it, and I’ve started to learn how to cook Japanese style myself.