A good cure for homesickness: new arrivals talk about where to find a taste of home in Munich. Episode 2: Japan. Mitsuyoshi Shinomiya, who hails from Fukuoka in the south of Japan, talks about fermented soybeans, indoor barbecues and slow Germans.
“In Fukuoka, where I grew up, the food is particularly fresh – even by Japanese standards. For example, you can get torisashi, or raw chicken cut into thin sashimi slices, for which the meat must come more or less directly from the abattoir. There’s no such thing abroad, not even in Munich. But the choice here is pretty good.
If I’m feeling homesick, for example, I head to Mitani in Haidhausen (Rablstr. 45). It’s not actually a proper restaurant, but rather an izakaya, a cross between a restaurant and a bar. My favourite is ika natto, a traditional dish with squid and fermented soybeans. As well as the freshness of the ingredients, my hometown is also famous for ramen, or noodle soup, which is currently becoming increasingly popular in Europe and in the USA.
In Munich, I can recommend the ramen in Takumi in the Maxvorstadt district (Heßstr. 71). As in Japan, this place has a bench for everyone who is waiting for a table. Unlike the Japanese, however, the Germans really take their time eating ramen, so you might end up waiting quite a while. You should definitely try tsukemen – a dish for which the soup and noodles are served separately. Gyoza also taste great here: the dough casing of the meatballs is almost as delicate as it is at home.
What could be better than some sushi, washed down with a cool stein of Helles? Ever since working as a barman in Tokyo, I have had a weakness for Japanese whiskies. For example, the smokiest whisky in Munich can be found in Sushi + Soul in the Glockenbach district (Klenzestr. 71). Unlike most Japanese people, I don’t really like singing karaoke, but in Munich, my friends recommend Kaito in the Maxvorstadt district (Gabelsbergerstr. 33). They have a karaoke bar in the basement and a sushi restaurant up above.
For Japanese foods such as dashi – a soup made from bonito tuna and seaweed – I go to Feinkost Mikado (Baaderstr. 12). It is very difficult to get sashimi-quality fish in Munich. A friend of mine recommends the Frischeparadies in the Schlachthof district (Zenettistr. 10e).”
