Japanese Cuisine and the British Food Scene
In recent years, Japanese cuisine has taken the UK by storm. In fact, there has been a year-over-year growth of Japanese and sushi restaurants of 524%. It is hard to believe that only a few decades ago, Japanese food was seen by many people as bland at best or, at worst, distasteful. If you are still someone who pictures Japanese restaurants as somewhere to wash down raw fish with hot sake while sitting on a mat on the floor, you might be surprised at the variety of Japanese or Japanese fusion cuisine restaurants in the UK.
Past Reactions to Japanese Dining Traditions
Initially, British people traveling in Japan found the cuisine problematic. In the late 19th century, Britain-Japan experts like Isabella Bird and Basil Hall Chamberlain described Japanese food unfavourably, even going so far as to use words like “insipid”. The attitude stuck for quite a while, and even as recently as the 1990s, Japanese food was considered an oddity to many in the UK. Rather than appreciating its focus on simplicity and balance, people saw Japanese cuisine as lacking flavour. Today, this is no longer the case, and Japanese food can be found jus about anywhere, from supermarkets to high-end restaurants. What brought about the shift? It certainly didn’t hurt that UNESCO chose Japanese food as an intangible cultural heritage in 2013. This recognition threw Japanese cuisine into an international spotlight, and appreciation began to grow for the Japanese focus on seasonality, aesthetics, and respect for ingredients. Foodies soon discovered that the simplicity of Japanese cuisine, involving just a few high-quality components, lends itself well to adaptation and experimentation.
Urban Fusion: Creative Blends Using Japanese Cuisine
In London, you will find all sorts of fusion dining, and Japanese cuisine lends itself beautifully to this kind of scene. Using traditional Japanese techniques while experimenting with global flavours, chefs have found ways to embrace the adaptability of Japanese cuisine while giving it a new spin. Creating Japanese inspired dishes with influences from France, South America, and Mexico may sound like an outrageous idea, but these inventive menus provide exciting, cross-cultural dining experiences. Southeast Asia and Japanese hybrid menus offer diners bold, contemporary flavours, and even traditional British dishes are being given a Japanese twist, just to make things more interesting.
Japanese Chefs and British Cuisine
While we in the UK may have initially misunderstood Japanese cuisine, it is important to note that the misunderstanding was mutual. In Japan, as in many other places where fish and chips and tea are the only familiar items in our cuisine, British dishes have had the reputation of being bland or uninspired. With the popularity of media like Downton Abbey, however, interest in British food and traditions is having a revival in Japan. Unfortunately, some outdated notions remain, but as globalisation continues to bring people together, our countries’ mutual respect and understanding will continue to grow.
Experiencing Maki & Ramen
When you are looking for a lovely Japanese restaurant in the UK, Maki & Ramen has locations in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Aberdeen, and Birmingham, all serving high-quality Japanese food to their local communities. Customers rave about dishes like the grilled nigiri of eel and the green dragon roll, which is a tempura prawn sushi roll topped with avocado and fish roe. Our signature dish, tonkotsu, features an 8 -hour broth that guests describe as “lush”, along with noodles that are made from scratch daily. Whether they are tucking into steak tataki, with its rich, warming broth, or enjoying scrumptious desserts like matcha crème brulée, mochi moons, or banana fritters, the customers delight in the fresh, delicious offerings, served by cheerful staff in a cosy, quirky environment. What many people find surprising a Maki & Ramen is the size of the portions. Despite Japan being known for its small plates, the portions here are quite generous.
Visit Maki & Ramen to Enjoy Japanese Cuisine in the UK
Inspired by the ramen shops of Japan, Maki & Ramen was founded by Teddy Lee, our CEO, in 2015. With a background as a Chef, having studied in a sushi academy in Tokyo, he wanted to introduce high-quality ramen and sushi to our local communities. Today, we have seven other Asian restaurants as well, having extended our reach around the UK. Our team has one objective: to serve delicious, accessible, high-quality Asian food to members of our community. The strength of our community and our shared passion propels us forward, championing the joy and diversity of Japanese cuisine, promoting inclusivity in dining, as well as participating in outreach. Whether they prefer the comforting warmth of our signature Tonkotsu Ramen, or the refined simplicity of our high quality sushi, about 40,000 customers find something that caters to their palate every month. To join us on our culinary adventure, drop by one of our locations, order online, or learn more about all we have to offer by exploring our website.