人気ブログランキング | 話題のタグを見る

MonoBlogue...

MonologueになりそうなBlogなので、MonoBlogue... 先回りし過ぎかな?^^;
Shrimp wanton noodle @ "糖朝" in Tokyo
This is a following report to Wan Tan (雲呑) in Japan.

Following a suggestion in a former comment from Hong Kong, I called at "糖朝" or "Sweet Dynasty" restaurant in Tokyo last evening. The branch I have heard of is in Aoyama, a fashionable area next to Shibuya, but further information had suggested that I should have to wait in a queue for half an hour or so. Fortunately they have opened 3 other branches in Tokyo, each one of them is on the floors of Takashimaya department store, their business partner in Japan.

Shrimp wanton noodle @ \"糖朝\" in Tokyo_b0044345_1701174.jpgShrimp wanton noodle @ \"糖朝\" in Tokyo_b0044345_16593396.jpgIt was 15 minutes walk from my office to the main store of Takashimaya, one of the most prestigious department stores in Japan. Between the main building and the annex, chauffeured black limousines were waiting. 糖朝 was on the 6th floor (5th in the British style) of the annex, just next to Shiseido Parlour on the same floor.

Shrimp wanton noodle @ \"糖朝\" in Tokyo_b0044345_1704968.jpgMy "mission" was to appreciate their wanton that is reportedly good as a wanton in Japan. There were several variations of wanton on the menu, i.e. "shrimp wanton soup", "boiled shrimp wanton", "Hong Kong noodle with shrimp wanton (shrimp wanton noodle in soup)" and "mixed noodle with shrimp wanton (without soup)". I asked a waitress and she told me that the wanton itself is the same in each kind of dish and that "wanton soup" and "wanton noodle" are sharing the same soup. I chose a shrimp wanton noodle.

Shrimp wanton noodle @ \"糖朝\" in Tokyo_b0044345_1712965.jpg
The bowl of the noodle was a little small. Perhaps it was intended to be suitable for ladies, or their strategy to keep the room for sweets in the stomach of their customers. The soup was light but also soy source based, and good smell of dried shrimps was rising with the steam. The noodle they called "Hong Kong noodle (香港麺)" was much thinner than the common Chinese noodles in Japan.

Shrimp wanton noodle @ \"糖朝\" in Tokyo_b0044345_1721733.jpgThe wantons are... much better than those in Chinatown or Ramen restaurants! Large shrimps were richly used in the filling, and they were very elastic. The skin was much thinner and smoother. I thought the skin could be a little more elastic but it was acceptable in any way. As a whole, it was good "shrimp wanton" different from "pork wanton with shrimp" which I had in Chinatown the other day! :D
When I tried the noodle, slight smell of ammonia was felt. It might have come both from noodle and form dried shrimp used in soup base. However, small drips of vinegar killed the ammonium as well as made the wanton and the soup testier.

Shrimp wanton noodle @ \"糖朝\" in Tokyo_b0044345_1725445.jpgI have fallen in their trick. Having finished the wanton noodle, I ordered a "豆腐花の黒ごま汁粉がけ (soft tofu with sweet black sesame sauce)". Fairly well! :) It came in warm and was really smooth and soft. I've never thought of tofu as 甜品/sweets, though some snacks like "豆腐田楽" (tofu-dengaku: a drained and baked tofu with miso on a side) were prepared as a traditional oyatsu in rural areas in Japan.

At the casher, I asked a clerk how they could make such jell-like or mousse-like tofu, wondering if they are using little agar (寒天) or something. Kindly enough, the shop manager himself came to me and passionately explained about their effort and creativity as follows. We had a really interesting conversation for 10 minutes or more. :D

(1) 豆腐花
Their 豆腐花 was made only from soybean milk, but coagulant is different. In Japan we usually use "bittern (苦汁)", a by-product in the process of refining salt from the sea, as a additive to soybean milk to make tofu. However, they use edible lime as coagulant for 豆腐花, and in Japan, they found a substitute of original edible lime, because Japanese medical law does not allow lime in foods. And as for the procedure, they heat the soybean milk after they take order. That is why they can serve fresh, soft and smooth 豆腐花, he said.

(2) Shrimp wanton
Perhaps, if they use big fresh shrimps from the fishery market ever morning, it would easy for them to make a tasty shrimp filling for wanton. However, if they do that, they could never serve their wantons for such affordable prices. Actually they use larger dried shrimps, but they soak them in 梘水 (a kind of potassium carbonate solution used in the dough of Chinese noodles) overnight. It was quite amazing for me to find that they were dried shrimps in the filling and that 梘水 could make them so elastic and tasty!!
He added that their soup is also special one. They use bones for soup stocks as usual, but also use dried shrimps, dried octopuses, some dried fishes and even some Lo-han-kuo (羅漢果) for a subtle and natural sweetener. @o@

The menus and prices they have at their branches in Japan can be seen here (as of 2003. Now more items are listed on the menu).

I don't know how they succeed in realizing their original taste, quality and policy in Tokyo, not knowing the original one. However, they have their branch also in Taipei now. At least, they seem to have succeeded in being accepted by wider customers in Asia.

This is WNN (Wanton News Network), I'm whitebleach from Tokyo. :D
by whitebleach | 2004-11-06 17:42 | Foods
<< 黒白(豆腐花芝麻糊): a h... Destination: Fi... >>


by whitebleach
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
最新のトラックバック
以前の記事
カテゴリ
Links
ライフログ
その他のジャンル
ファン
記事ランキング
ブログジャンル
画像一覧