How to Decipher a Japanese Menu

Dining at a traditional Japanese restaurant is an adventure in eating. The foods are fresh, the spices and seasonings offer something different for the palate, and traditional Japanese cuisine is healthy. The names may be unfamiliar, but here are some tips on how to decipher the names of some of the more traditional dishes on a Japanese menu.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look for sushi or sashimi on the menu. Sushi are bits of shrimp, raw fish or egg on top of a small hand-formed clump of rice. Sashimi are bits of raw fish without the rice. Dip sushi or sashimi in soy sauce, the traditional condiment, before eating.

2. See which dishes have the word "yaki" (fried or broiled) as part of the name. Yakitori is fried or grilled chicken on a stick. Yakisoba is a dish of fried noodles with bits of meat and vegetables added.

3. Identify some noodle dishes by an "udon" ending on the name. Udon is a thick noodle. Katsudon is a dish of noodles with a breaded pork cutlet on top. Soba is a thinner noodle made from buckwheat.

4. Check for the crackly texture of the panko breading on tempura, a delectable assortment of deep-fried vegetables and shrimp. A dip is provided for the tempura.

5. Spot "niku" in the name, and you'll be eating a beef dish.

6. Explore a variety of dishes with a bento box. This meal comes in a compartmentalized box and usually includes cooked fish, sashimi, tempura, rice, pickled vegetables and shredded daikon (Japanese white radish).

Tips & Warnings

• If you are in Japan, trying to decipher a Japanese menu may be impossible if you don't read the language. Some larger restaurants provide English menus. Smaller restaurants in Japan often have a window display of wax foods. Say "Sumimasen," (Excuse me), gesture for the waitress to follow you and point to what you want.
• Watch out for a green glob on your plate that resembles guacamole. It's wasabi, a spicy Japanese horseradish that's used as a condiment in soy sauce and has sent many an unwary eater to gulp glasses of water.

Resources

• More About Japanese Dishes

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.