Food like mother used to make

FANS OF such Japanese staples as white fish cooked with sweet-and-sour sauce kurozu will be pleased to learn that Japanese restaurant chain Ootoya has revamped its menu and brought back a couple of all-time favourites guaranteed to please both the eyes and the palate.

Charcoal-grilled fish and pork cutlets are still the stars at this popular chain, which has been operated by Central Restaurants Group for the last three years, but the focus has also shifted to encompass dishes known to be popular with Thai diners.

You won’t find sushi or tempura here as Ootoya prefers to stick to the home-cooking style that has won so many hearts and taste buds. Special eucalyptus charcoals are used to grill the fish to ensure it stays crispy on the outside and soft inside. The same eucalyptus charcoal is also used for the rice, with the charcoal wrapped in a thin cheesecloth sheet that’s placed on top of the grains before they finish cooking to give a tempting aroma and ensure whiteness.

“The first Ootoya shop was established by Eiichi Mitsumori at Ikebukoro in 1958. After World War II, many people moved to work in Tokyo and he believed these people yearned for the home-cooked dishes on which they were raised. The restaurant offered several such dishes at just 50 Yen and so the restaurant also became known as 50 Yen restaurant,” says Nichada Triamchaisri, marketing manager of CRG. 

Ootoya takes its name from the grape orchards owned by Mitsumori’s father and means “big gate”.

The Japanese chain has been in Thailand for more than a decade and was managed by Betagro Ootoya (Thailand) before being taken over by CRG. However, antibiotic-free pork and chicken from Betagro’s S-pure brand are still used in the restaurants. Thailand is currently home to an impressive 47 branches 

“There are two dishes that are only available in Thailand. The first is a rice dish of raw salmon and the other is tofu in kimchi soup. Thais love salmon and we offer fresh salmon slices on top of rice and pickled cucumber. The kimchi soup also pleases the Thai palate thanks to its hot flavour and we use Korean kimchi with home-made tofu,” she says.

Kurozu is black vinegar sauce made from fermented Japanese rice, wheat and apple, giving it a flavour that is both sweet and sour. I tried Fried Madara Fish with Kurozu Sauce (Bt259 a la carte/Bt319 a set) and thoroughly enjoyed the batter-fried white fish fillets cooked with kurozu sauce and mixed vegetables like carrot, broccoli, mushroom and eggplant. If order a set, you’ll also get a bowl of steamed rice, salad, pickled vegetable, steamed egg, and soup. You can choose between steamed rice or mixed-grain rice and can order refills at no extra cost. 

A long-time Ootoya favourite is Tofu Salad (Bt129). The soft tofu is home made fresh everyday and is served with wakame seaweed, iceberg and cos lettuce and topped with small crispy fried fish and sesame, which gives it an excellent balance.

Another favourite is Charcoal Grilled Mackerel (Bt239/Bt299), in which the saba is seasoned with awasezu – a vinegar made by mixing mirin, sake and salt – to overpower the fishy smell. The fish is then charcoal grilled and drizzled with black and white sesame. It comes with hijiki and wakame seaweeds mixed with shoyu sauce and a bowl of grated daikon on the side.

For a rice dish with a salty kick, opt for Rice with Charcoal Grilled Pork and Shoyukoji Sauce (Bt239/Bt269). The pork is marinated with shoyukoji sauce – a traditional condiment elaborated from fermented rice and soy sauce – before being grilled and drizzled with sesame. 

Another dish not to miss is one that’s been synonymous with Ootoya since its opening. The Ootoya Special Dish (Bt189/Bt249) features four pieces of fried chicken, with mashed pumpkin and potato korokke, similar to the French croquette, and a sunny-side up egg with shredded cabbage and dressing. 

Liquid sustenance comes in the form of Deep-fried Breadcrumb Chicken in Red Miso Soup (Bt219/Bt279), also served with a sunny-side up egg and Deep-fried Pork in Egg Soup (Bt229/289) made of tonkatsu (breaded, deep-fried pork cutlets) and egg in shoyu soup.

If there’s room for dessert, opt for Ice Cream in Soybean Milk (Bt65), which can be further sweetened with kuromitsu or dark sugar syrup. 

 

GOURMET ON THE GRILL

Check out the menu at www.Ootoya.co.th or “Ootoyathai” page on Facebook. 

Delivery is provided for minimum orders of Bt200. Call (02) 663 3888.