Denny’s in Japan
I told my friend that I wanted to get wa-shoku, or traditional Japanese food for breakfast the other day. He was telling me that we should go to the Denny’s by his house, and although I was skeptical, I went with him. Denny’s in Japan has nothing in common with the American counterpart, other than the name. The menu looked really fresh, and shy of a few fried Japanese dishes, really healthy.
Looks to me like a slightly above average Japanese family restaurant. Which is not a bad thing – they tend to be a step above the North American version (i.e. the food is actually cooked, not just deep fried.)
The interesting thing about family restaurants in Japan is that they have diversified into different ethnic versions. You can find a traditional Japanese style family restaurant, a Chinese style, etc, but they all are geared toward the same demographic.
Which, since I have a baby now, I fall under. The places might not be high-class, but at least nobody gives you the evil eye if your baby cries.
@Nigel: I was actually surprised how many healthy choices there were on the menu, and on top of that, the kcal was listed for everything.
As far as the diversification of Japanese food, I actually like Japanese Italian food better than Italian food. It’s kind of sad to admit that, but I feel like it’s a breath of fresh air, and a departure from marinara sauce. Japanese Chinese food is pretty amazing too, especially when you compare it to the abomination that passes for Chinese food in most of America.