Cafe Meshi, Cafe Gohan
Japanese Cafe Culture Creates New Food Genre That Embraces All Cuisine
What kind of factors go into choosing a restaurant? You might consider the type of cuisine, the cost, the atmosphere, and the location. There is one key question that might not occur to you but is very important in Japan: is it a cafe? Cafe culture in Japan has evolved so much over the past 10 years that it has achieved an important status within the restaurant world.
Back in 2000, Brutus, a fashionable Japanese lifestyle magazine, featured some cafes in Tokyo. Since then, hundreds of cafes have sprouted up all over the city. Most of the cafes are uniquely designed to reflect the owners’ tastes in food, drinks, services, and interiors. In the beginning stages of cafes; culture, coffee, tea, and atmosphere were the priorities, not the food. Recently, however, there has been an interesting improvement in the quality of the food, as competition among cafes has become more serious.
In Japanese, “cafe meshi” (masculine) and “cafe gohan” (feminine) mean “small dishes served at cafes.” These dishes are heavier than a snack but not as filling as a full meal. What constitutes “cafe meshi” or “cafe gohan”? Yohko Kawaguchi, the author of popular books on cafe culture and host of the most comprehensive website on cafes in Tokyo, says, “The definition of cafe foods is rather vague. Their menus include French, Italian, and Japanese dishes without any conflicts. Best I can say is that they are the foods the owners like to have with coffee.”
Way before the cafe boom, Japan embraced traditional teahouse snacks such as sandwiches, curry with rice, and omuraisu (the word comes from combining “omelet” and “rice”). They are simple, delicious, and convenient. While these classic menus still work for basics, cafe foods include authentic Indian curries, Mexican wraps or Italian salads. One characteristic feature of cafe foods is that they are served on one large plate. This might be because of the space limitations of the cafe tables.
At Spice Cafe in Oshiage, in downtown Tokyo, they serve ethnic dishes from southern India. Owner Kazuki Ito, a backpacker who traveled through 48 countries in three years, explains, “In Japan I found no foods from the southern part of India. I thought this is a niche market.” Meanwhile, Dada Cafe is located in the Yoyogi area of Tokyo in a converted family house typical of those in suburban Tokyo back in the 60s. The owners, who are architects, did a wonderful job recreating a mid-century aesthetic, making great use of their furniture collections.
Recently there have also been more healthful, organic foods on the cafe menus. At Sacra Cafe in Kiyosumi, you can enjoy a tasty chef’s lunch with fresh ingredients from an organic farm in Chiba for 1,000 yen (about $10). This increase in organic options is likely tied to the consuming tendencies and suggestions of women, who account for 80% of all cafe customers.
If you get bored with sushi and tempura, pop into one of these cafes in the neighborhoods of Tokyo, and taste some delicious cafe dishes. You will find new Japanese ingenuity in the food and, as an added bonus, these cafes are guaranteed to be clean and friendly!
——- Reported by Hideo Nakamura
Yohko Kawaguchi’s website:
All About: cafe
http://allabout.co.jp/gourmet/cafegohan/
TOKYO CAFEMANIA
http://homepage3.nifty.com/cafemania/
*Yohko Kawaguchi’s books (Japanese only) are available at www.amazon.co.jp
