After so many failed attempts to find Japanese food, I have made up my mind. From now on, I will eat at Japanese Restaurants only if they are owned and Opeated by Japanese and has a Japanese chef, and preferably Japanese waiter/waitresses. Why such a decision?
in Paris, Chinese food is not very popular, there have been lots of complaints about the hygiene in the kitchens and some shady practices of food purchases, in a country these things are so sacred. So, Chinese food is not a particular option for Parisiens when they want ethnic food, also Oriental Food (Maghreb) is popular; so is Creole and Indian Ocean cuisine..remember you are living in a land with excellent local cuisine.. So many chinese turned their restaurants into Cuisine Japonaise.. offering Sushi, Yakitori and Sashimi. as if they are the only Japanese cuisine.. of course these are the ones outsiders can learn quickly.. I have been disappointed with japanese restaurants in Bruxelles, Denver and of course Paris as well as KL..
In an excellent book on the Restaurants of Paris, of the 100 restaurants only one Japanese restaurant is included, no Indian nor Korean nor Chinese are on the list. Now I can see why.. These ethnic foods have become McDonaldized.. cooks from Bangladesh cooking Moghul cuisine, Pondicherry Indians cooking Crepes, chinese and koreans attempting sushi...
So today I give you the first one in the list of Japanese restaurants, owned and operated by Japanese. this one is in Paris, near the Opera Garnier, even the waitress was Japanese, speaking a halting French. Ko Fu Ku. the restaurant and the meal is pictured above.
Having said that the best vietnamese food i have eaten outside Vietnam is in the USA. The best tamoul food in KL..etc etc. I still remember a sign painted over a hole in the wall taqueria, good though, in Merida: Eating right is the privilege of the Intelligent...something like that. Certainly you dont have to be righ to eat well, otherwise why Malaysians are the unhealthiest of all in South East Asia when they have such excellent food?
