9 nostalgic Japanese foods
Boom! Just one look and you're eight again. If you're Japanese, that is. When you reflect on childhood, what brings back the fondest memories?
Friends? Of course.
Family? Hmm ... perhaps.
How about food? Absolutely.
Most kids may not be connoisseurs, but they're never afraid to tell you what they like on the table.
And, when kids become adults, those same foods are the good-eating stuff memories are made of.
Here are a few classic Japanese dishes an entire country looks back on with delight.
Baby castella
A far cry from the pastry first brought to Japanese shores in the 16th century, this bite-size, bastardized version of a Portuguese cake is a perennial favorite with kids.
The aroma draws them in, but it's the baking utensils that seal the deal.
The cooking apparatus (see top image) vaguely resembles muffin pans, each concave mold a receptacle for the aromatic dough.
Experienced merchants land each dollop of batter with the flair of a circus showman, while children stand transfixed until the delectable morsels spill out.
Where to get it: Yoyogi Park in Tokyo is always dependable, with several stands between Harajuku Station and the festival grounds entrance.
Far from the tongue-torching spice levels of India and Southeast Asia, most Japanese curry fans prefer their roux mild or even sweet; often adding grated apples or honey.
Most commonly cooked with carrots and onions, Japanese curry is also utilized as a nutrient delivery system for vegetable-averse kids.
Add spinach. Add broccoli. Add anything -- curry fools even the most finicky eaters.
The dish is especially popular with working parents because it cooks fast, takes only one pot to prepare and allows them to clear the refrigerator of anything reaching an expiry date.
Where to get it: Fast-food versions work in a pinch, or try the Club of Famous Curry Diners, where you can try five different kinds, including spicier international versions -- 2-7-1, Yurakucho Itocia Plaza B1/F; +81 (0) 3 3211 0616; open daily 11 a.m-11 p.m.
The best stuff, of course, is made at home. Japan's most famous brand is Vermont Curry. Cook this with your favorite meat or vegetables and voila: instant yum.
It seems simple enough: fried rice sheathed in an omelet casing. What's the big deal?
Perhaps the soft, bright exterior makes it more inviting to the younger set. Or perhaps it's the secret ingredient: ketchup.
Yes, kids' favorite condiment is often mixed into the rice, and for added flair, many parents embellish it with a red smiley face across its golden center.
Where to get it: The Rakeru family-restaurant chain is reasonably priced and found throughout Tokyo.
The name refers to grilled sea bream, but taiyaki holds a second (and sweeter) meaning in Japan.
It's also the name of a popular pastry that resembles its namesake fish. Taiyaki are baked in molds like the baby castella, but with sweet bean paste or custard placed in the center. Surprisingly good.
Where to get it: A personal favorite is the Taiyaki Daruma stand in Aikihabara -- 1/F Sakai Suehiro Building, 6-14-2 Sotokanda Chiyoda ku; +81 (0) 3 5818 1103; open daily noon-8 p.m.
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