Restaurant review2

The evaluation of the restaurant "Fuka"

1. Location 7/10
It has a bit distance from the nearest station, so you may have to walk for a while.

2. Atmosphere 10/10
Thanks to the owner's wonderful personality, the atmosphere is homelike, which is pleasing and relaxing to stay.

3. Clerks 10/10
The clerks are also friendly  working in Fuka. They serve either water or corn tea (whichever you like) as soon as you take a sit.

4. Service 9/10
Drinks are served before ordering, and Korean seaweeds are catered after the order. If they are not so busy, they talk with you about Korea, and its cuisine, or any other topic.

5. Facilities 9/10
Everything is clean in the restaurant, including tables and restroom.

6. Foods 27/30
Variety: 9/10
Taste: 9/10
Price: 9/10
As I mentioned on the first review, there are various Korean foods on the menu. The prices are inexpensive, but they, at least the dishes I have ever eaten, are delicious.

Total 72/80

Satisfaction: 9/10
Recommendation: 9/10

Overall: 90/100

Every time I go to Fuka, I enjoy not only the dishes, but also its atmosphere and talking with the owner and the clerks. It is a great place to both eat and stay in.

Restaurant review1

I'll introduce the Korean restaurant "Fuka." Written in Chinese characters, it is "風香."　"風" means wind, which is necessary when making Korean barbecue. "香" means smell, which wind brings. These are where the name comes.












Fuka is the restaurant in Mitaka, Tokyo. It is around 600 meter from Mitaka station, where Chuo Line, Sobu Line, and Tozai Subway Line stop.

The restaurant is open at 11:45 am to 2: 00 pm for lunch on weekdays, and at 5: 00 pm to 1:00 am for dinner every day.

She is the owner of the restaurant. She is so friendly that many people have had great time and come to the restaurant again and again, including me. When one enters the restaurant, she herself comes and takes one to a table. She often talks with customers while waiting for dishes coming. 









One can choose either usual table or a Japanese-style table.

Zashiki(Japanese-style) tables

Next, I'll introduce three Korean traditional foods we can eat at Fuka.

1. Korean lettuce salad

Carrots, onions, and cucumbers are also added. The dressing is actually made in Korea.

2. Jijimgae
It is also called Jeon. The jijimgae on the picture is Asian chive jijimgae. The restaurant serves Natto jijimgae, which is the original one.

3. Samgyetang
It is Korean traditional soup, consisting of chicken, Korean ginseng, rice, and jujube.












Because of its homelike atmosphere, everyone is, I'm sure, able to have great time at Fuka. Furthermore, there are various Korean foods, which are wonderful. Fuka is the best restaurant I have ever been to, and I, hence, highly recommend to go.

Book report3

The second chapter is about "Southern Africa."

 South Africa consists of not only the country of South Africa, but also Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, and Mozambique. In addition to these countries, Madagascar could be included.

 The climate of southern Africa is generally opposite from other regions in Africa since it is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, summer starts around November until April, and winter starts around May until August.

Major foods and ingredients
Beans and greens

Mongo stew

 As well as the other regions in sub-Saharan Africa, various kinds of legumes, such as beans and lentils, are important for meals in southern Africa. Greens are used as relishes with the main starch. Mongo is the name of greens cooked in stew. There are diverse names of greens, such as matapa in Malawi, cacani in Mozambique, and rape in Zambia and Zimbabwe.



Corn
 Corn is nowadays used more often than sorghum and millet in southern Africa. Almost half of the arable land in South Africa is planted with maize.

Amarhewu

 Corn(or maize) is either yellow or white and is not sweet. Corn is usually eaten boiled or roasted. Maize is usually cooked into porridge or maize-rice. Beer like Zulu's amarhewu  is made from corn.

Southern Africa

Book report2

Hello everyone!

This time, I'll write the summary of the first chapter of the book.

The first chapter is about "Western Africa", which is consists of 11 countries along the Guinea Coast from Senegal to Nigeria; Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. Cape Verde could be included, which is the island located in the west of Senegal.

 Since this book considers western Africa widely, Sahelian and semiarid countries, such as Mali and Chad, are included as well.

The baobab tree

Major foods and ingredients

1. Baobab (Adansonia Digitata)

 The tree of baobab bears scented white flowers and has a gourd-shaped hairy fruit. The low and spreading baobab grows in dry savanna areas and has various ways to use. For example, its leaves are used to make soups and relishes. The ashes from its wood can be used as salt. Its seeds taste like almonds, which can be used as a spice.

2. Cola (Kola Vera)

Cola nuts

 Cola nuts are seed kernels from a cocoa tree in west Africa. They contain much caffeine, thus, they are necessary for lives in Africa. before artificial ones were able to get, cola nuts were often used for flavoring foods or drinks, such as Coca-Cola.

On the next post, I'll write about ""Southern Africa."

Western Africa

Book report1

 I'm so sorry for my late posting. Although this is my first time to make a blog, I'll try my best to make a blog that everyone can enjoy.

 This time, I'll write the introduction and outline of the book "Food Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa." I chose this book to read because, since I'm a runner, I'm quite interested in the food and culture in Africa such as Kenya and Ethiopia, where most top middle and long distance runners were born, grow, and live.

This book mainly focuses on two parts
1. the similar and different points of cultural and culinary              landscape in sub-Saharan Africa
2. the conflict between the needs for keeping the traditions and      for flexibility and adaption in culinary realm

 Although there are many things that are unfamiliar for westerners (and surely for Asians), there are many cooking methods which are introduced by sub-Saharan African and which we use nowadays, such as deep-frying, slow cooking, the use of ingredients like peanuts and okra. On the other hand, the food form the new world, such as corn and tomatoes, are essential for sub-Saharan African cuisine and culture. This food is called, "Colombian Exchange."

 The most interesting feature of sub-Saharan Africa's cooking is the fundamental format of a meal. It usually consists of a thick starch or porridge, and people eat them with sauce or stew. Another feature is the multipurpose reliance on the humble gourd or calabash, which have been used for hundreds years or more in sub-Saharan Africa.

On the next post, I'll write about "Western Africa."