The Journal
Dining Guides
Ordering advice, portions and planning a Japanese meal.
Miso Soup: What Is Actually In It
Kelp and dried fish make the stock, fermented soybean paste goes in at the end, and the bowl is meant to be lifted rather than spooned.
The Sushi Bar and the Hot Kitchen
A Japanese restaurant is two kitchens sharing a dining room. Once you see the split, the menu reads like a floor plan.
What to Drink With Japanese Food
Dry, cold or astringent. Why green tea is the default, what carbonation does for fried food, and the two things everyone gets wrong about sake.
Vegetarian and Vegan at a Japanese Restaurant
The vegetables are easy; the stock is not. Where the menu opens up, the four things that catch people out, and how to ask.
Eating Japanese Food With Children
Order the edamame before you read the menu. Why the format suits children, what to order first, and how to widen the list.
Japanese Takeout That Actually Travels
Crisp things and soup are the problem; everything else is fine. What to order to take home, what to eat in the restaurant, and why.
Eel Sauce, Spicy Mayo and Ponzu: The Sauces Explained
Dark and sweet, orange and creamy, thin and sharp. What each sauce on a Japanese table is for, and the one thing everyone gets wrong with soy.
Japanese Appetizers: What to Start With
Order one light and one fried, and expect them to arrive with everything else. What is on a Japanese appetiser list and how to pick.
Tempura, Panko and Deep Fried: The Three Kinds of Fried
A thin wet batter, a coarse dry crumb, or the whole roll in the fryer. Four fried techniques on one menu, and what each one actually does.
What Is a Bento Box?
A full meal in a divided tray, and the divisions are the point. What goes in one, how to choose your items, and why it travels so well.