O Tempura, Oh More, More, More
Also, the world's most intriguing snack. And a vintage menu from a special lunch.
I was bereft a few years ago when I came to the end of Midnight Diner, a strange, gentle and oddly addictive Japanese television show that revolves around a mysterious chef who opens his diner every night at the stroke of twelve. And I am equally sad to have just watched the final episode of The Makanai, another Japanese food show on Netflix with a similarly slow pace. A film critic friend says he thinks the rather naive quality of the story lines is deliberate, and I suspect that’s true. It parallels what the shows are ultimately about: nostalgia for the warm intimacy of the past.
Both shows reminded me of one of my favorite meals on my last trip to Tokyo. Step inside Tempura Tenko and you leave the Tokyo of Lost in Translation, with its towering buildings, neon skyline and efficient transportation. This is the Tokyo of your dreams, a tiny restaurant on an alley lined with charming old-fashioned dwellings.
Inside the chef sits, surrounded by his guests, an actor on a stage as he performs an ancient food ritual, pulling a pristine piece of crisply fried food out of the bubbling pot in front of him. And then another. Each is perfectly cooked, completely grease-free, and each morsel speaks with a singular voice.
This is a long, languorous, gracious meal. The chef's mother pours sake, brings dipping sauces, an acolyte in service of the dining experience. Before the performance itself begins she sets a plate of buri sashimi before you; it is sweet, smooth, cool. Then Chef Hitoshi Arai takes his seat, and he begins to cook.
A few highlights of this show:
Sweet, tiny fried shrimp, which put every other version I've tasted to shame.
Tiny crabs, all crackle and crunch.
Cured squid: a funky flavor so intense it stops you in your tracks as it resonates in your mouth.
Shirako translates as “white children” but the Japanese often use the more poetic “children of the clouds” when describing fish milt. The sperm sac of the cod (or occasionally other fish), it has an extraordinary texture – pillow soft, tender, nearly liquid but not quite– and a rich but gentle taste. Imagine a custard wrapped in a cloud or an almost melted marshmallow. It’s probably a love or hate proposition. I am definitely in the love corner.
Ginko nuts. Soft. Subtle. Irresistible.
Fried fresh ginger. The perfect palate cleanser.
The finale is this single slice which has ruined ordinary melons for me. I've never tasted any fruit so perfect. Ice cold. Juicy. Fragrant. Pure. Hugging the flavor to myself I went out into the alley in a state of intense happiness.
Nancy Silverton served bowls of these Cruschi Peppers at a recent party. Pronounced “crewski,” they’re a specialty of Matera in Basilicata where peperone di Senise are ripened, dried in the sunshine and then fried in olive oil. The result is sweet and crunchy with the mildest bite; I couldn’t stop eating them. I immediately started thinking of all the ways I would use these gorgeous creatures: tangled into spaghetti with some anchovies, sprinkled over chili, tossed into salads… the possibilities are endless.
These beauties aren’t easy to find, but it turns out that Zingerman’s Deli has started selling them.
I think this was 2008, a special lunch in New York City.
Most intriguing dish I ate this week? This Tandoori Spaghetti from Pijja Palace, an exuberant Indian sports bar with an improbably delicious menu. I loved the bright, clean flavor of this pasta with smoked chili, garlic, and charred lime. I loved our server who was smart and funny. And I was surprised that, despite the crowded room, the jostling servers and the banks of televisions, the sound level made conversation easy. It was very delicious and great fun.
Tandoori spaghetti. Little crispy crunchy shrimp waving their little legs in the air. Damn, Reichl, you're good. Used to read you when we were both in the L.A. area, you at the L.A. Times, me getting my doctorate in history at U.C. Riverside. I never had time or money to check out the restaurants you reviewed, so I just lived vicariously through you. Still do!
I share your appreciation of Midnight Diner and The manaki. May I suggest the movie Sweet Bean which is a very tender movie of the same genre.