A Taste of Japan: Mitsuwa Market

Gabutto Burger! 

During the last week of May, we were without Daddy as he spent several days in Japan for business. Wanting to share some of the culture that he experienced during his travels, he took us on a trek to Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights for an dinnertime adventure. 

Mitsuwa is a full-sized Japanese grocery store that also includes additional shops, such as a book store, video store, and a food court with numerous menu choices. We wandered the grocery aisles for a while first, especially to enjoy the packaging of the products in the candy aisles. (Wouldn't you know it, the fun doughnut-shaped candy-making kit that Jamieson brought back from his trip was available at the store, as were some of the cookies he brought the kids.)  After browsing, it was time to experience some real Japanese cooking. 

Jamieson had heard good things about the ramen noodle shop Santouka, which was his goal. For the kids we went for something familiar: Gabutto Burger. It was a burger and fries, so they loved it, but the combination of beef, pork and breading made it different from the burgers they usually get at fast food places. We ordered plain burgers for them, but Gabutto offers unique sauces -- a demi-glace and Teriyaki -- to make the burger even more unique. Once the kids were fed, it was time to order for the grownups, but staring at Santouka's detailed menu overwhelmed me. So I told Jamieson to get his order in first. So, he did that and I headed back over to Gabutto to get the Teriyaki tofu burger -- not my most adventurous choice. More on that in a moment. While waiting for my food, I had a bite of Jamieson's ramen. Oh, my. Those "oriental flavor" ramen packets we all get for 20 cents each in college are nothing more than packing peanuts, folks. Real ramen is something mighty tasty. That was a bowl full of noodles of substance with some complex flavors in the soup. Yum. And, that was just food court ramen. 

I enjoyed my tofu burger, but like I said, it wasn't a daring choice. My food was tasty. I was satisfied. But I would have felt like I took better advantage of an interesting food opportunity if I had ordered something more unique. Any food that I couldn't possibly make at home would have meet that criteria. Sometimes, though, as we seek to broaden the kids' cultural and culinary horizons, I unexpectedly find myself to be the most difficult-to-feed member of the group. Why didn't I try those noodles? I was afraid. What has been my experience with fast food, inexpensive Asian food, and (obviously) cheap ramen noodles? Near instant migraines. As much as I want to be a daring diner who eats any odd thing that comes my way, I am so very, very tired of food-induced headaches. So, at the same time I am trying to teach my children to try everything, I am also trying not to eat everything. It's a dining dilemma.

At least Mitsuwa has a good bakery and sells plenty of desserts.  On our way out, we picked up a few things for the ride home: the Koala's March cookies for the kids, Calpico soda for mom and dad, and Mochi Ice Cream, balls of green-tea flavored ice cream covered in sticky rice cakes. Mochi was a bit more stickiness than the kids wanted to have between themselves and their ice cream, but they did attempt a bite. At least we had those cookies. And no one went home hungry. 

(And no one had a headache the next day!) 

One for the road
Mochi: Green Tea ice cream 

Trying Mochi