Talking Izakaya with Mark Robinson
It is New Year’s Day, and I am in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Actors and ex-pats are lined up for mochi. Or watching taiko. Families are huddled around one another eating okonomiyaki.
Past the statue of the Challenger on Astronaut E Onizuka St, stands the Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya, and on this New Year’s Day, it is packed.
Making my way over to the cooking section I find I linger on one book, Izakaya by Mark Robinson. I have been putting fingers between the pages of recipes I think are great, or writing I want to share, and when I realize I have run out of digits, I know I will be buying the book.
It is a real find folks. A must have in your collection. On its pages are real stories of real restaurants, and Mark’s writing will put you at their tables and counters with thoughtful chefs, surrounded by locals who are enjoying the food you can replicate for yourself with clear and concise recipes. All the while the book is made greater by the accompanying photography by James Beard Award nominee, Masashi Kuma.
With the small plates, communal atmosphere, and great drinks, izakaya is a type of venue we in the west are ready for…but just don’t know it yet.
Mark graciously took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions about his book and this unique restaurant/bar combination that inspired it.
THS: Izakaya generally gets translated as “Japanese pub food,” but there seems as much emphasis on the food, as the drinking. If you got the chance to do a dictionary entry for izakaya what would it be?
MR: Izakaya: [ee-ZAH-ka-ya] a Japanese tavern; convivial, sometimes raucous restaurant-bar, traditionally owner-operated. Serves a wide menu of small dishes to be shared, including sashimi and deep-fried foods, with an emphasis on fresh and seasonal fare. Typically has counter seating in front of an open kitchen. Offers a full range of alcoholic drinks, especially shochu (qv) and beer. Can become addictive with regular patronage.
THS: Do you think that the west is ready for izakaya? And what aspects to the culture would make it receptive?
MR: Many Western diners may be tired of being lumped with one dish to work through while looking at what everyone else is having, so I would say small-plate, shared dining has definitely arrived (though the Mediterranean seems to have enjoyed it forever). The word “izakaya” is already in most food lovers’ vocabularies. But the true Japanese izakaya, with its cramped seating, smoke, kitchens that may flout overly stringent Western regulations, food orders spontaneously shouted, and no tipping, will never migrate completely, although some places overseas come close. I think the absence of a tipping culture is a big part of the uniqueness of izakaya. Perhaps because the staff are not expecting a gratuity, there is less sense of a patron-servant relationship; you are treated more like a guest and therefore you behave like one, and unlike a conventional restaurant the scene can be like a party.
THS: You touch on the history of these eating/watering holes and it was surprising to learn that they are actually a modern invention, with major developments and stylistic changes coming in boom times. Does this still hold true?
MR: It’s been a while since we enjoyed a boom! However times of disaster, like now, encourage people to pull together, which fits the sharing spirit of izakaya, though apart from developments in the business model I can’t really see the form changing.
THS: Izakaya is a photography book in its own right. A personal fave is a small yet profound shot of a coat peg, can you talk about that photo and what led to its inclusion?
From Izakaya © 2008 by Mark Robinson, published by Kodansha International. Photos © 2008 by Masashi Kuma
MR: It’s a trace; the worn wall around the coat hook is a written artifact of the countless patrons who have enjoyed themselves here, hanging their coats as they arrive, pulling them down as they leave, presumably satisfied, possibly laughing, each time unwittingly removing some of the building to take home or onto the street. I like this kind of found history.
THS: Between the sheer volume of customers, and the sheer variety of dishes on offer, what can a home cook learn from an izakaya kitchen to help them on a weekday night?
MR: Keep on hand lots of plastic containers of various sizes! Japanese meals are always made up of a range of small dishes and you wonder how the average home cook can throw together such a great range at short notice. The answer of course is they don’t, it would be impossible on the average daily schedule to make everything from scratch, so foods are kept from one meal to the next, and reused and repurposed. That’s how izakaya work, logistically.
THS: Have a favorite recipe from the book, and why?
From Izakaya © 2008 by Mark Robinson, published by Kodansha International. Photos © 2008 by Masashi Kuma
MR: That’s a hard one but probably the Deep-fried Sardine Rocks (p.85, and recipe below). They’re meaty and rich, but also light. Deep-frying gives you the delicious contrast between the crisp outer layer and the airy insides. You don’t have to skin the fish as it says in the recipe, and any other oily fish will substitute.
Deep-fried Sardine Rocks
いわしの岩石揚げ
Iwashi no Ganseki-age
Makes 8 cakes
12 large whole fresh sardines, about 1 2/3 1b. (725g) total
small yellow onion, minced
A
3 scallions, minced
6 shiso leaves, minced
1/4 tsp. minced ginger
1 large egg yolk, beaten
2 tbsp. potato starch
1 tbsp. yellow miso
1/8 tsp. hot mustard
Mild chili peppers, such as Anaheim or shishito, skin pierced
2 tbsp. grated ginger
1. Cut off the heads of the sardines, remove entrails and wash thoroughly. Fillet and remove skin. With a sharp knife (a deba knife is best), mince the fillets. Alternatively, pulse into small chunks in a food processor. Transfer to a sieve and lightly drain excess water.
2. Preheat the oil to 320°F (160°C). In a large bowl, combine the chopped sardines and A. Mix well by hand. Shape into 8 small cones and deep fry until the cones rise to the surface of the oil and are well browned, about 7–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-lined dish to drain excess oil.
3. Deep fry the mild chili peppers and transfer to a paper-lined dish.
4. Arrange the fried sardine cones on a serving plate. Serve with the chili peppers and grated ginger on the side.
THS: In Izakaya, you talk about the kind of opening beer order to settle everyone in a party down, but after that is there a general through line for drink ordering?
MR: No, not at all, you drink what you like. But if you and your friends are interested in sake you’ll probably end up sharing a flask, probably taking turns to nominate a preference if there’s a range to choose from (some izakaya only carry a few).
THS: Is sake on the ropes with the price, mixability, and extended shelf life of shochu?
MR: Sales are not strong in Japan and I don’t get a sense young people are picking up on it, although there are enthusiasts. Right now the big thing among younger drinkers seems to be highballs, usually a mixture of cheap whisky, cheap shochu, flavoring syrup and soda water. Erk! There has been some publicity for the brewers of the northern Tohoku region however, who suffered in the earthquake and tsunami, and hopefully that’s having an impact on their recognition and sales. Good sakes from the region include Nambu Bijin and Denshu.
THS: Is it a man’s world?
MR: Yes and no. Izakaya still tend to be run by men, though there are many izakaya madames. It’s become completely normal in the past decade or so for women patrons to hit an izakaya on their own, and the presence of women has helped change menus; more healthy food, more drink choices. Generally speaking, women have also made izakaya more civilised than the hardcore men-only sake and spartan food bars of old.
THS: What is next for you?
MR: I’m writing, freelance editing, and food consulting. I have a book proposal on Japanese restaurants, another social/food-culture type thing, but it’s yet to be taken up.
A special thanks to Mark and all at Kodansha for making this piece possible. For more information on Mark or to purchase the book, click through to his site.
