The first time I saw the name “Chinsuko,” I thought it was very distinctive and had a bit of a tropical feel. Okinawan sweets seem to like adding a little sea salt. Chinsuko has a rich buttery flavor with a hint of saltiness, making it sweet without being too rich. Overall, it’s pretty good. However, the texture is slightly dry, so it goes down better with some tea or coffee.
OKINAWA NANPUDO Co., Ltd. ”YUKISHIO CHINSUKOU” | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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MOMOYA’s MENMA YAWARAGI
It's great as a snack on its own, perfect as a side dish with rice, or even as an ingredient or seasoning in cooking.
Momoya is a well-known Japanese food brand, and its fukujinzuke is one of its most popular signature products. Fukujinzuke is a Japanese pickle made mainly from pickled vegetables. It has a bright color, a sweet and slightly salty flavor, and a crisp, appetizing texture. It goes especially well with curry rice. A bite of curry with fukujinzuke makes the overall flavor more refreshing and less heavy. The seasoned bamboo shoots are also good, with a light flavor that pairs well with dry noodles or white rice.
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Nankai Soba Namba 3rd Floor
A popular stand-up soba shop known for being "delicious, affordable, and fast." The shop takes pride in its Kansai-style dashi, made from a blend of four carefully selected ingredients, including bonito and urume. This results in a fragrant, clear, and refreshing broth.
When traveling in Japan, I sometimes choose a standing restaurant for a quick and simple meal. Small standing noodle shops like this usually aren't very big and only have space to eat while standing, but you can always see plenty of local office workers coming and going. They use their short lunch breaks to order a bowl of piping-hot noodles, then hurry back to work as soon as they finish. This everyday scene also gives me a sense of the fast pace of life in Japan.
The biggest appeal of standing restaurants is their affordable prices. You can usually get a bowl of hot noodles for less than JPY 500, making them very convenient for travelers looking to save time and money. You can sometimes find these little shops near train stations as well. Especially in the cold winter, when you're walking down the street shivering and see the lights on inside, you can't help but go in. A sip of hot broth not only fills your stomach, but also adds a little warmth to a tiring journey.
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Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street
About 50 stores are lined up in a 150-meter-long arcade. As the name "Doguya-suji" suggests, the stores sell only the tools that support Osaka's food culture, ranging from kitchen equipment used by professionals to tableware for the general public.
As I walked into Doguyasuji Shopping Street, what caught my attention most were the incredibly lifelike food models in the display windows. I had seen Japanese TV programs showing artisans making food models, from choosing materials and shaping them to carefully adding color at the end. Every step requires patience and skill. Seeing the finished products in person this time, I was truly impressed by the artisans' creativity. They looked so realistic that I couldn't help wondering if they were actually edible.
Besides the food models, there are all kinds of beautiful and practical bowls, plates, and utensils to choose from. The dazzling selection was almost overwhelming. What impressed me most was how exquisitely designed even the tiny chopstick rests were. Some were cute and realistic, making even an ordinary meal feel more cheerful!
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