Fukuoka is famous for good chicken. This cuisine is called Yakitori
(chicken barbecue) but many pork and vegetable grills are also
available. They are served on sticks (as seen in photos) and
are served fresh from the grill. Yakitori is best
experienced with your favorite drink (which needless to say must be
alcoholic!). There are many Yakitori restaurants in Fukuoka but our
favorite restaurant is a quaint hole in the wall-ish one
called Yakitori
Fuji (富士) which
is literally 2 feet away from Tojinmachi
(唐人町) Subway station Exit no.1 (Watch out for our feature
on it soon!). The best place for Yakitori however would be
inKurume
City, still in Fukuoka Prefecture. If you have a chance
to stop by Kurume City, make sure to try their legendary
Yakitori.
What to Eat and Where to Eat It in Fukuoka
Nov 3rd, 2009
by Asawa.
Fukuoka is famous for its good food, and if you are visiting Japan
for its food then Fukuoka must be in your itinerary. Every
kind of food product including beef, chicken and pork, fresh
vegetables and fruits, seafood are grown in Kyushu island and are
available throughout the year. Here are some of the famous Hakata
cuisine you must eat when you visit Fukuoka. Skip out on
these is like going to New York and not seeing the Statue of
Liberty.
TONKOTSU RAMEN 豚骨ラーメン(Noodle in Pork Broth)
There are many kinds of Raamen in Japan such as miso raamen and
shoyu raamen (soysauce) but if you order Raamen in Fukuoka, it is
TONKOTSU RAAMEN. Famous Tonkotsu raamen restaurants
are: Ichiran(一蘭)
(Read our article about
it!), Ippudo(一風堂).
Famous as they are, they are used to tourist from overseas and
there are many branches all over Fukuoka. Ganso
Nagahama (元祖長浜) which is located in the Nagahama area is
very popular among locals (and you know the locals know
better).
YAKITORI 焼鳥(Chiken Barbecue)
Fukuoka is famous for good chicken. This cuisine is called Yakitori
(chicken barbecue) but many pork and vegetable grills are also
available. They are served on sticks (as seen in photos) and
are served fresh from the grill. Yakitori is best
experienced with your favorite drink (which needless to say must be
alcoholic!). There are many Yakitori restaurants in Fukuoka but our
favorite restaurant is a quaint hole in the wall-ish one
called Yakitori
Fuji (富士) which
is literally 2 feet away from Tojinmachi
(唐人町) Subway station Exit no.1 (Watch out for our feature
on it soon!). The best place for Yakitori however would be
in Kurume
City, still in Fukuoka Prefecture. If you have a chance
to stop by Kurume City, make sure to try their legendary
Yakitori.
UDON うどん(Wheat noodle)
(From the Minematsuhonke website)
This is Asawa’s favorite food in the world. You can find Udon
anywhere in Japan but Hakata (Fukuoka) Udon is one of the best. The
features of Hakata Udon are thick Udon noodles and soup with
special dashi and
grilled flying fish. Famous restaurants are West（ウエスト） and Noko-Uudon（能古うどん）. West has
many branches in Fukuoka. Nokoudon opened their fast food style
restaurant in the Canal City. Asawa’s favorite
is Minematsuhonke （峰松本家） which
is located in the basement of Fuku-biru in Tenjin.
MOTSUNABE もつ鍋(Hot Pot with Cow’s intestine)
Yamanaka Motsunabe
Motsunabe originated in Fukuoka, and one can only expect to find
the best motsunabe only in Fukuoka. Nabe means
“hot pot”, and Motsu means
“Offal” (usually beef intestines). Put them together and you
know what this dish is all about. The hot pot is filled
with soup, prepared beef or pork offal and boiled for a while right
at your table. Cabbage, garlic and other vegetables are
added. Champon noodles can also be added. Some of you
might find the idea of eating beef innards as strange, but give it
try and you will see why it is such a hit. It doesn’t look and
taste as scary as it sounds. Fukuoka has the most efficient
way of maintaining the freshness of the offal hence the ability to
make the best motsunabe in Japan.
Motsunabe goes well with Shotsuu(焼酎) and beer. Probably the
most interesting place to try it in Fukuoka is in the Akasaka
branch of Motsunabe
Yamanaka. Entering the restaurant deceives you into
thinking you are checking in to a luxurious hotel. Its vast
interiors and amazing bathrooms almost distract you from the star
of the show, the great motsunabe. It begins to look expensive
but you will be amazed with the affordable meals! Visit
their website to
get a glimpse of the interiors. You will have to visit
them personally to get a glimpse and a taste of their famous
motsunabe. Reservations are strongly recommended. Phone:
092-552-6915. (Watch
out for our feature of the restaurant soon!)
GYOZA餃子(Dumpling)
Temujin’s Fried Gyoza
Gyoza is a mixture of minced pork, cabbage, garlic wrapped in thin
dough skins. Japanese Gyoza differs from its Chinese
counterpart by having a richer garlic flavor and thinner
wrap. It is also lightly flavored with salt and soy
sauce.Gyoza was originally from China, and all things Chinese that
entered Japan entered through Kyushu Island. Thus, Fukuoka
can be said to be the birth place of gyoza in Japan.
Gyoza can be purchased already prepared in any Japanese supermarket
if you do not have the patience to make it yourself. Gyoza is
cooked either fried yaki-gyōza (焼き餃子), sui-gyōza (水餃子) or deep fried. Watch
out for out How to Cook Gyoza post soon!
A very popular gyoza resturant in Fukuoka is Temujin (テムジン)
in the Daimyo area. You can check out the walls for
autographs of many famous people who have travelled miles just to
get to Temujin. Address: 2F Donpa Munakata Bldg.
Daimyo, Fukuoka City.
- See more at:
http://www.fukuokadreaming.com/?p=744#more-744