Eating Out in Japan Like The Locals

Japan has always been a destination that has the stigma of being expensive, and certainly I’d agree some things are very expensive. But like most places you visit you’ll find high end and low end options, especially when it comes to food and more specific eating out.

The Japanese love eating out, probably due to the size of there homes and kitchens, everything is on the small scale with space being a premium. Our apartment in Sembayashi-omiya is a prime example. It is very small but still an average size for Osaka and inline with the rest of Japan. I enjoy cooking at home especially as we can save heaps, saying that though, you’re not going to find me cooking at home in Japan.

Day 33 – April 5th, 2014.

 

“Eating out like locals in Japan”

We wake up late and eventually head out for lunch around 11.30am to our usual. We are always greeted very happily from the chef and team. They all seem to do each other’s job, cook, serve, cashier and clear tables, it’s a great concept. They all wear the same, shirt, white plastic apron, white wellington boots. The food is cheap and comes real quick. They turn over lots of tables in a flash, people don’t hang around, they eat and go, maybe because it’s lunch time, Im not sure. The only down side is that people can smoke at the tables. This is not uncommon here in Japan.

Lunch in our favourite ramen place in Sembayashi-omiya

Lunch in our favourite ramen place in Sembayashi-omiya

 

As for the health and hygiene regulations, well I tell you those back in Australia would have a field day in many places. But hey, it works here and the food is awesome. Sometimes I really do think that with so many rules and regulations we have taken away the freedom of cooking and serving, also the ability to open up a small eatery without all the red tape.

It just reminds me of the time when we were in that stage of having to comply with all the HACCAP rules and the council requirements, boy have they got a lot to answer for. I’m sure many eateries would still be in business if it wasn’t for the rules and regulations of todays era. Anyway enough ranting and back to enjoying…

“Cheap lunch in Japan of ramen, rice and chicken ‘karaage”

Cheap lunch in Japan of ramen, rice and chicken 'karaage'

Cheap lunch in Japan of ramen, rice and chicken ‘karaage’

 

We pay and leave feeling very full and happy and head back home to do some more work. This week we have quite a bit on and need to focus.

“Discipline is required when you work for yourself”

There’s no one else to complete the tasks for you and if you don’t do it then you’ll surely go belly up. Moni and I are very focussed and know what is required for us to enjoy this lifestyle of a ‘location independent’, it can not just be one long holiday and saying that we work hard and play hard. It’s all about finding the right balance.

It starts to rain and we are happy to be in our warm pad with the reverse air-conditioner pumping out, however, time has flown and we now need to go and eat, so after finishing up on work we wrap up and head out to the small eatery to try the ‘octopus balls’ which we had promised the ladies last week when we poked our heads in for a look. Unfortunately the place was full and no more space so we made for the Indian again as we enjoyed it very much the other night.

Again this place was empty, although a few more people turned up later of which I think a couple were family. We enjoyed our curries with rice and garlic naan. The same chef was happy to see us and took our order. Funny thing was, that we bumped into him on his push bike after we had finished our lunch on our way home earlier today, small town, well not really but we do stand out as tourists in a totally Japanese area..lol.

Indian restaurant in Japan with delicious curry

Indian restaurant in Japan with delicious curry

 

After enjoying the meals we pay and make our way home in the rain, most places are closed up now yet people on bikes keep whizzing by. Getting around by bike seems the way to go. I would be safe in saying that this is the most I’ve ever seen people riding bikes to a fro, of all the places I’ve been so far, they share the footpath with walkers so it can be very dangerous, it certainly pays to look all around.

Back at home we have some tea before retiring to bed.

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