Kagawa Ippuku: Udon in the Food Court

This shop is one that is in the food court of La La Port Nagoya. Food courts in Japan are not just for the typical burgers and fries, you can find anything from kaisen don (sashimi rice bowls), beef cutlets and ramen to steaks and italian pasta. It’s always so hard to choose what to go for, but on this day of my visit I decided upon udon from a shop called Kanagawa Ippuku.

The udon noodles were nice and chewy as is always preferred (except in some regions such as Ise where soft is considered better). This udon dish has the tsuyu, or broth separate from the noodles which are meant to be dipped. In this case the broth is called tsukejiru, or a soup dip. It coated the cold noodles well, not being too goopy and thick nor too thin. I found it interesting to have two temperatures in the mouth at the same time, the cold noodles and warm broth. The hint of yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) was a good accent to the whole dish. The duck meat had a char on it, probably from a direct flame, that went really nicely with the broth. The accompanying negi (Japanese leek), myoga (also known as Japanese ginger, but doesn't taste like ginger), and ginger paste was nice for a change of flavour and to lighten the dish overall, but I think that in the end, I'd prefer just the tsukejiru and noodles.

Duck tsukejiru udon

The dish could use a couple more slices of duck though, and it didn’t look like the picture on the menu!

Area: 400m from Tokaidori station (Meiko Line) 東海道駅（名港線）
Shop: Kagawa Ippuku 香川一福
Website and Map: https://kagawa-ippuku.com/shopinfo/#nagoya
Hours: 10am-9pm (LO 8:30pm)

The Newest Place for a Shopping Adventure in Nagoya

The newest shopping mall in Nagoya is the talk of the city. With three floors and 217 shops, you're sure to find something that pleases you. You might think that all the malls are the same, just like all the AEON malls out there, but this one, Lalaporte, if even in a small way, seems like it is trying to be different.

First off, the entire interior feels very wide and spacious. I like the carpeted flooring on the upper floors, making a long day of shopping a little more comfortable for the legs.

If you've ever been looking around Japan for a Chapters or Indigo-like store, Lalaporte has the first one that I've seen. Just outside the entrance (on the right of the photo above) is the well-known Japanese book store Tsutaya. This one has a large Starbucks located inside where you can sit down with a warm coffee and read your favourite book without purchasing it.

The collections of stores may seem similar to the Aeon chain of malls, but I like that Lalaporte has a few chic zakka stores (selling home interior and various items), for example Zara Home or Loft. You can find things to use in your home that look modern but are very affordable.

Lastly, the restaurants in this mall stand out since many of them are firsts in the Tokai (central Japan) area. For example, there is a sit-down Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant that is all-you-can-eat. You don't have to fill up on only chicken though, there are salads, pastas, soups and desserts as well. Taiwan sweets are also becoming popular in Japan, and at this mall you can get your hands on some bubble tea. For a Nagoya sweets specialty, uiro (oo-ee-roh), go to the café 'Willows'; I just love that the English name is a play on the Japanese word for the sweet. The food court is not just all about burgers, sandwiches, and quick meals as you may be used to. This food court cooks up steaks on hot plates, puts together extravagant seafood sashimi rice bowls, serves up famous Michelin guide chef ramen and fries up slabs of beef as a different take on tonkatsu (pork cutlet).

Even though a mall is a mall, Lalaporte seems a little more modern and fitting for the generation and times. If you are in the Tokai area, I'd suggest checking it out instead of the widespread chain of Aeon malls. Getting there is easy, it's just a two minute walk from Minato Kuyakusho Station 港区役所. Just make sure to get on a Meijo line (purple city subway line) train that heads towards the tail sticking out of the circular line, otherwise you'll be going in circles!

Will Fried Beef Cutlet Replace Pork Cutlet?

One popular dish in Japan among any age is Tonkatsu, or pork that's been breaded and fried. It is usually served with shredded cabbage and a worchestershire based sauce (the flavour of sauce sometimes depends on the city). The meat is usually tenderized before frying and is marbled or has a portion of fat attached to it so that when bitten into, it is soft and juicy.

Somebody had the idea of preparing beef in the same way, breaded with panko and fried, and the idea has been spreading. Last year, many beef cutlet, or gyukatsu specialty restaurants popped up around here. Recently, I was shopping at a mall just opened this fall in Nagoya (LaLaport), and found one of these specialty stores in the food court so I decided to give it a try.

Beef Cutlet from Kyoto Katsugyu

I think because the mall is still rather new and people are still going to check it out, the food court was pretty busy. I did have to spend time looking for a seat and lining up for my gyukatsu, but I eventually got to sit down and eat. The dish comes with three dipping condiments, a worcestershire sauce based one, a salt and sansho (japanese pepper) mix and a dashi based sauce. I personally found that dipping the meat in the dashi sauce and topping it with a bit of wasabi was the best. It was the lightest flavouring of the three but it didn't overpower the flavour of the fat in the beef. I liked that the rice had barley mixed in giving it a slighty chewier texture. The fourth way to eat the cutlet was by putting it on rice and pouring the little bowl of curry over it. For people that like curry this might be a good way to end the meal, but I wanted to eat my gyukatsu in its simplicity. This set, the regular size ro-su (rib cut) beef was about 1500 yen. Not bad for the price I'd say, but I think I'd prefer either a more course or thicker breading, or a thicker slab of meat so that it stays juicy. Also, gyukatsu doesn't feel like a meal to be enjoyed in a loud and bustling food court.

Because beef is more expensive and isn't as easy to make it as juicy as pork cutlet, I don't think it will replace tonkatsu, but it is definitely something to enjoy as a treat once in a while.

Restaurant: Kyoto Katsu-Gyu 京都勝牛
Area:  Lalaport Mall ららぽーと(Minato-ku area 港区)
Website: http://kyoto-katsugyu.com/
Hours: 10am-9pm (last order 8:45pm)