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Restaurant in China Denies Claims of Cockroaches in Its Smoothie

Restaurant in China Denies Claims of Cockroaches in Its Smoothie

On April 20, a woman who ordered a smoothie at a restaurant in China was shocked to discover that it wasn’t just fruit and a little ice that made up her drink. Upon closer inspection, what looked like dead and dying cockroaches could be distinctly seen floating around in the drink. Thoroughly abhorred by the presence of creepy crawlies in her healthy beverage, the woman made a complaint to the restaurant. The waitress who had served it to her, however, refused to accept the claim.

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Curry Udon Topped With Whipped Cream!? It’s Better than You Think!

Curry Udon Topped With Whipped Cream!? It’s Better than You Think!

The dish in the photo above looks like a dessert, something sweet to eat after a meal. But wait!  It is the meal!  It’s udon noodles in curry sauce and topped with whipped cream, to be exact, and it is absolutely delicious!

According to our trusty reporter Mr. Sato (Food Queen Sato, as he calls himself on Twitter), that is, who went to the noodle shop Shodai in Ebisu, Tokyo to taste this revolutionary spin on curry udon.

Curry udon is a standard noodle dish that can be found at just about any udon shop in Japan. It mixes the flavor of udon and curried rice by ladling curry sauce over a bowl of udon noodles. Simple, yet effective.

Throwing whipped cream into the mix doesn’t sound like it would end well.  Usually these kind of things don’t. But what did Mr. Sato think about this unlikely combination?

Check his full report below! Read More

Burger King to Offer All-You-Can-Eat Whopper Buffet in Japan

Burger King to Offer All-You-Can-Eat Whopper Buffet in Japan

Well Japan, you had a good run.

For decades your people have boasted the longest life expectancy in the world, but it looks like American fast food chain Burger King won’t rest until you start dropping a few ranks with some good ‘ol American heart attacks. We saw it first with the “15 strips of bacon for a buck” deal earlier this year—and you know how that ended.

Now Burger King is pulling out the stops with their boldest health-destroying promotion yet: an all-you-can-ear hamburger buffet.

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Instant Ramen Maker Sets up Tiny Restaurant in Shibuya Station: Three Dollar Lunch, Anyone?

Instant Ramen Maker Sets up Tiny Restaurant in Shibuya Station: Three Dollar Lunch, Anyone?

Japanese food manufacturer Nissin, maker of incredibly popular “like fresh” instant noodle brand Raō, has taken the unusual step of opening a tiny restaurant of its own in Shibuya station, Tokyo. The restaurant opened just yesterday and is situated, of all places, in the very centre of the busy Yamanote line platform.

The miniature restaurant’s menu consists of just two items: two flavours of regular, shop-bought instant ramen, each costing just 250 yen (US$3).

Always eager to try out new food and discover interesting new locations, our intrepid RocketNews24 reporters headed down to see the restaurant for themselves.

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Curry Hamburger: Delicious! Nutritious!! Contains Cesium!!! Our Brave Reporter Investigates

Curry Hamburger: Delicious! Nutritious!! Contains Cesium!!! Our Brave Reporter Investigates

It’s not every day that you hear of a dish whose ingredients include a chemical element.

When most people hear of cesium, they probably think of either high school chemistry class or, if you happened to be glued to the TV during last year’s nuclear disaster in Fukushima, the element’s association with radiation…

So when a restaurant in central Tokyo openly advertising a lunch-time curry featuring a “cesium burger” came to our attention, we had to check it out.

Our brave food reporter Kuzo headed into town to find out whether the rumours were true and, if they were, to see what on earth a meal featuring a potentially hazardous chemical substance could taste like…

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New York’s Famous Restaurant Sarabeth’s Opens a Branch in Shinjuku, May Not Have What it Takes to be Popular in Japan

New York’s Famous Restaurant Sarabeth’s Opens a Branch in Shinjuku, May Not Have What it Takes to be Popular in Japan

Sarabeth’s is a popular New York bakery restaurant chain featuring a breakfast menu loved by the locals since 1981, and has become such a huge part of New York food culture that it has influenced movies, TV, and publishing. And now Sarabeth’s has finally arrived in Japan, opening a branch in Shinjuku at the beginning of this month.

Rocketnews24 correspondent/foodie extraordinaire Kuzo went to check it out!

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America! Our Japanese Reporter Approves of Julian Apple Pies, and You Should Too

America! Our Japanese Reporter Approves of Julian Apple Pies, and You Should Too

When travelling to America, most Japanese people usually have one or two “must-eat” foods on their itinerary, the most popular of which are probably hamburger and apple pie.

When our Japanese reporter, Yoshio, visited America last month, he wasted no time in seeking out the former. His haste and curiosity led him to something called the Donut Burger, which, as you might imagine, didn’t go over so well.

Determined not to commit the same mistake with his apple pie, Yoshio had his American acquaintances point him in the direction of the best damn all-American apple pie the country has to offer.

Where did that take him? Check his report below to find out!

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Ramen Stand Ranks First for Sweets and Oden, Such Mouth Watering Variety (but what about the ramen?)

Ramen Stand Ranks First for Sweets and Oden, Such Mouth Watering Variety (but what about the ramen?)

Ramen stands can be found all over Japan, and Fukuoka prefecture is no exception. But there probably aren’t many ramen stands out there that are popular with the locals for just about everything but ramen. Maruwamae, located in Kokura, Fukuoka, is one such ramen shop.

According to Tabelogu, a local restaurant review site akin to Yelp, ramen shop Maruwama is ranked first in the city for the best sweets and the best oden. In particular, reviews rave that their ohagi and kinako mochi surpass all cake, cookie, and Japanese sweet shops— a reputation that’s sure to have the competition cringing. Their ramen, by the way, is ranked fourth.

First, for those unfamiliar with the dishes, oden is a winter soup dish consisting of a number of ingredients which are anything from octopus, fish cakes, and boiled eggs, to konbu seaweed, daikon radish, and potatoes; all skewered on wooden sticks and simmered in a huge pot of tasty broth and eaten with yellow mustard. Ohagi and kinako mochi, the sweets available at Maruwamae, are sticky mochi rice cakes covered in sweet bean paste and sweetened soybean flour, respectively.

While oden we could understand, it’s a wonder that a ramen stand is ranked first for sweets, which is why we sent resident RocketFoodie Kuzo to see and taste for himself!

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Nara Noodle Shop’s Revolutionary and Fun Way to Eat Udon From a Draw String Bag!

Nara Noodle Shop’s Revolutionary and Fun Way to Eat Udon From a Draw String Bag!

As fall turns into winter, Japanese people look to food such as hot noodle dishes as a tasty way to warm up.  Udon noodles, in particular, are great during the winter, and nothing beats slurping up a steaming bowl of udon on a cold day.

We discovered a unique way to eat hot udon noodles at Mentouan, a noodle shop in Nara.  When you order a bowl of udon at Mentouan, you are presented with what appears to be a small pouch floating in broth…but you can’t see the noodles!

Following his report of Kyoto’s gigantic one-noodle udon, our resident foodie Kuzo went to Mentouan to try this “invisible udon” for himself. Read More

Kyoto Noodle House Serves One Big, Long Noodle

Kyoto Noodle House Serves One Big, Long Noodle

Udon is one of Japan’s most well-loved noodles dishes, ranking in line with soba and ramen. Everyone has an opinion over which is the tastiest, but those who like a bit of girth in their noodles will probably go for udon, which are traditionally rolled thicker than other Japanese noodles.

If you really want something to chew on, Tawaraya, an established noodle house in Kyoto, makes udon noodles so thick that only one fits inside the bowl.

Our resident foodie, Kuzo, recently took a train out to the ancient capital to try Tawaraya’s udon for himself. Check out his report below!

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Paradise is Lunch at the Foot of a Beautiful Waterfall in a Coconut Plantation in the Philippines

Paradise is Lunch at the Foot of a Beautiful Waterfall in a Coconut Plantation in the Philippines

Villa Escudero is a beautiful hacienda-style resort built inside a working coconut plantation located in the Quezon province of the Phillipines. The resort has become a prime tourist destination for both locals and overseas visitors, who are drawn by the cozy rooms, natural beauty, and unique cultural activities such as bamboo rafting and rural village tours.

Perhaps most unique of all is the Waterfalls Restaurant, where guests can enjoy a meal on bamboo dining tables set at the foot of a small waterfall.

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Our Japanese Reporter Eats Donut Burger in Search of “Real” American Hamburger, “I never want to eat that again”

Our Japanese Reporter Eats Donut Burger in Search of “Real” American Hamburger, “I never want to eat that again”

Before departing on his trip to the United States, our Japanese reporter Yoshio told us that he was looking forward to eating a real American burger. What that meant to him, apparently, was a 50% ground beef and 50% ground bacon patty wedged between two glazed donuts and skewered on a steak knife.

Are you happy now, America? Japan associates you with bacon and glazed donuts. Actually, that sounds about right…

Check out Yoshio’s taste report below!

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Ms. Kitty the Restaurant Entrepreneur at Work in China! We Visit Kitty Lover’s Dream Eatery in Beijing

  • Oct 23, 2012 by
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Ms. Kitty the Restaurant Entrepreneur at Work in China! We Visit Kitty Lover’s Dream Eatery in Beijing

I’m sure most people will agree that Hello Kitty, born nearly 40 years ago in 1974, is a creation that Japan can be proud of. She is now franchised in over 70 countries around the world. And once again, our beloved Ms. Kitty, the busiest and most famous cat in the world, is hard at work, this time at a restaurant in Beijing, China.

Yes, China is no exception when it comes to Hello Kitty’s popularity, and one of our reporters from Pouch recently had the chance to visit a Hello Kitty themed restaurant in the fashionable Sanlitun area of Beijing. And just in case you’re wondering, sure, we all know rip-offs are big business in China, but this shop is a legitimate operation officially recognized by Sanrio. So, let’s see what the aptly named “Dreams Restaurant (夢幻主題餐庁)” is like. Read More

Biryani Restaurant in the Middle of Tokyo Offers a Delightful Taste of Spice with Your Rice, Open One Day a Week

  • Oct 18, 2012 by
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Biryani Restaurant in the Middle of Tokyo Offers a Delightful Taste of Spice with Your Rice, Open One Day a Week

We Japanese love rice; we’re quite obsessed with rice, in fact. We all have our favorite brand of rice, depending on the specific type of rice and the location it was grown (yes, location is very important and can greatly affect the price of the rice), and some people shell out a fortune to buy super-expensive “high-end” brand rice. But not many Japanese people are familiar with biryani, the spicy flavored rice common in India and some Muslim countries as well.

One of our reporters at the Pouch site recently had the chance to taste some excellent biryani right in the middle of Tokyo and shares with us her experience. Her report follows below. Read More

Cockroaches Ending 2012 Season with a Bang, Stories of our Black Buddies Coming Fast and Furious

Cockroaches Ending 2012 Season with a Bang, Stories of our Black Buddies Coming Fast and Furious

As the summer cools back down to a comfortable autumn, the cockroach index has slid to a 1 across much of Japan. But before they go to sleep in many parts of the world, it looks like our little black friends are squirming their way into the headlines to give us something to remember them by.

We’ve all probably heard the tale of Edward Archbold who mysteriously died after winning a cockroach eating contest in the USA.  However, in China, roaches making quite a stir – by getting stirred into the food.

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Educational Dining – Learn Your Cuts of Beef as You Eat!

Educational Dining – Learn Your Cuts of Beef as You Eat!

Going into a Yakiniku restaurant (a Korean-style BBQ joint) in Japan, you’re usually greeted/slapped in the face with a long menu with many different choices – various parts from various edible animals. Actually, unless you have some strong or specific dislikes, choosing at random can still be a very delicious and fun experience. You may even start to remember which cuts of meat you prefer. One restaurant has now come up with a clever way you can enjoy a taster from all the various parts of a cow while learning exactly where they all came from. Read More

Oops! Chinese Mob Ravages Japanese Restaurant During Anti-Japan Protest, Later Finds Out it was Owned by Chinese

Oops! Chinese Mob Ravages Japanese Restaurant During Anti-Japan Protest, Later Finds Out it was Owned by Chinese

Anti-Japanese demonstrations have been sweeping across China since Sunday in response to Japanese activists unfurling Japanese flags on a disputed island in the South China Sea, four days after Chinese activists landed on the same island.

Undoubtedly the most high-profile of the protests was in Shenzen, where some Chinese protesters burned Japanese flags and even turned violent, vandalizing Japanese cars and breaking into a local Japanese restaurant.

What the angry Chinese mob didn’t realize was that, like most Japanese eateries outside of Japan, the restaurant they ravaged was owned and operated by Chinese.

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Yakuza Themed Restaurant Operating in Bangkok, Still Not Sure Why Thailand Digs the Yakuza

Yakuza Themed Restaurant Operating in Bangkok, Still Not Sure Why Thailand Digs the Yakuza

There seems to be something about the yakuza that appeals to the people of Thailand.  First, we witnessed a brand of possibly yakuza themed tea: Chakuza.  Now we are presented with Yakuzaaa Man Man Japanese Kitchen, which seems to be a hit with local youths and foreigners.  You might be thinking from the name that it’s a gay restaurant, but it’s not.

At least I’m pretty sure it’s not…

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Korean Couple Refuse to Pay for Food at a Taiwan Restaurant Because “That’s not How it’s Done in Korea”

Korean Couple Refuse to Pay for Food at a Taiwan Restaurant Because “That’s not How it’s Done in Korea”

A lot of people have ways to get out of paying a restaurant bill.  Some put hair or other foreign matter into their dishes, while others just run out of the place after eating.  However, this might have been the first time that people have claimed diplomatic dinning immunity to save a few bucks. And it worked.

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Resident Evil Restaurant Opens in Tokyo, Scantily Clad Girls Dance in Front of Killer Mutants

Resident Evil Restaurant Opens in Tokyo, Scantily Clad Girls Dance in Front of Killer Mutants

If you see anyone wearing a trench coat lumbering through the streets of Tokyo muttering “S.T.A.R.S…” this summer, chances are they’re either a deadly mutant bent on revenge or a satisfied (yet inappropriately-dressed) customer of Biohazard Café & Grill S.T.A.R.S, a new Resident Evil themed restaurant that opened in Shibuya on July 13.

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