So desserts were done at Henri Charpentier in Ginza, but we still needed some real food for dinner. As it was running pretty late we figured our best bet would be in the restaurants in nearby Tokyo Station, as they typically take orders till later than usual.
For first-timers to Tokyo Station, apart from its main function as Japan's biggest and busiest train station, it is also one huge labyrinth of malls, shops and restaurants spread over a few floors; I reckon one could easily spend a whole afternoon exploring the place. If meeting someone there, be very sure to specify the exact location/exit, or be prepared to go round in circles feeling very lost!
Anyway, with no specific plans, we eventually stumbled upon this Okinawan restaurant Ryutan, and seeing as it stood out from the rest of the usual tempura/tonkatsu/curry/ramen places, we decided to give it a try. Also, I am a huge fan of Okinawan bittergourd, tofu and seaweed. The Okinawan diet is particularly healthy, and the people of this region are known to have the longest life expectancies in all of Japan - well for us it might at least help to reduce the guilt of the desserts we just had!
It turned out that Ryutan actually originates from Okinawa, with branches here in Tokyo Station and Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture. As mentioned before, Okinawan cuisine has a strong regional character that is very different from one's notions of typical mainland Japanese cuisine; they use certain ingredients that are only grown or found in that region, and names of dishes/ingredients/cooking techniques are also heavily influenced by the Okinawan dialect. The food also tends to be more heavily (but naturally) seasoned; some of it tastes very much like Chinese food (particularly the stir-fries), which is hardly surprising considering that Okinawa is actually closer to Taiwan and the eastern coast of China than it is to mainland Japan. Of course, we are not in Okinawa but at least we were in one of its restaurants - the cooking will be authentic and familiar enough, I thought.
We started off with sea grapes or umi-budou (海ぶどう), a seaweed peculiar to Okinawa, and so named due to its appearance, like bunches of miniscule grapes. It is also sometimes known as 'green caviar'. This was eaten au naturel after dipping lightly in ponzu (vinegared citrus sauce). The fresh crunchiness of this seaweed and its subtle briny taste was perfectly complemented by the astringent ponzu, making for an extremely clean and pleasant way to start the feast.
We would realise soon enough that portions here are huge by Japanese standards. In hindsight we had probably ordered too much, though the dishes were all good enough for us to want to finish them. Almost couldn't walk out of the restaurant thereafter though! It's great value for money, and you'll have to come with an empty(-ier) stomach.
Next up, Okinawan omelette (アーサ玉子) made with Okinawan Asa seaweed and dashi broth. These thick-cut slices, greenish on the inside with generous amounts of indigenous seaweed, looked and tasted somewhat different from the usual Japanese tamago-yaki. The texture was firmer, and the flavour was much more savoury and deep, presumably due to the use of seaweed and fuller-bodied Okinawan dashi. (Typical tamago-yaki is much sweeter, and particularly in high-end sushi meals serves as the dessert-like final course.) This Okinawan take on tamago-yaki was a first for both of us, and certainly no less satisfying than what we had been used to.
The staple of Okinawan cuisine arrived next: this was a stir-fry of Okinawan bittergourd, tofu and sliced pork, known locally as goya chanpuru (ゴーヤーチャンプルー). It is also my favourite Okinawan dish. Many people are put off by the taste of bittergourd, but the Okinawan variety is in a class of its own: here, a lovely subtle sweetness replaced the usual bitterness of this vegetable. Bittergourd is really good for you too, and in Chinese medicinal theory possesses strong 'cooling' and detoxifying properties. Okinawan tofu, often known as 'island tofu', is also exceptional in quality, and the huge chunks in this dish certainly didn't disappoint with their firm texture and pure soybean goodness - who'd have thought that tofu could feel this substantial? Stir-fried together with a bit of egg, pork slices and shredded carrot, and finally topped with bonito shreds, a moreish and comforting dish resulted. Not the ingredients people normally associate with being tasty, but that's just how good Okinawan produce is.
More tofu to come, and the following dish was Okinawan tofu agedashi-style (lightly battered then flash-fried), with a thick dashi-based sauce and garnished generously with kinoko mushrooms and shredded nori (島豆腐のキノコあんかけ). The mushrooms added a pleasant earthiness and bite to the already substantial tofu, and the surrounding dashi sauce made the dish even more comforting and tasty. Very simple and effective on the whole.
Now on to the only fish dish of the evening, and this was Okinawan swordfish fillets, deep-fried and seasoned with teriyaki sauce, with wasabi on the side (カジキマグロの唐揚げ). As expected of swordfish, this was extremely firm and meaty in texture. The fish itself was certainly fresh, and the deep-frying then seasoning considerably enhanced its natural delicate taste. A touch of wasabi with each mouthful was essential in balancing the traces of grease and heavy flavours of this dish, and leaving the palate remarkably fresh and clean thereafter.
Finally, a nice warm bowl of noodles to wrap it all up - this is Okinawan soba (沖縄そば) with slices of pork belly, fishcake, and chopped scallions. If not for the distinct dashi base, this bowl of noodles in a clear and light pork broth might easily have been passed off as Chinese. Despite it being called soba, it was very different from the thin buckwheat noodles consumed with tsuyu (a seaweed-based soy sauce) in the rest of Japan; here, the white noodles had been made with wheat, and were also much thicker, with a firmer bite (resembling udon really), and the pork broth also felt similar to shio (salted) ramen broths on the mainland. Furthermore, the pork belly topping had been stewed - not simmered in soy and mirin, like in the chashu of typical ramen - hence maintaining a more natural flavour and somewhat firmer texture. All in all, this bowl of noodles was as interesting as it was tasty and satisfying.
We entered this restaurant expecting a simple, no-frills dinner, and got a lot more (literally!) than we asked for - I can definitely recommend this place if you're looking for an authentic alternative experience whilst in Tokyo.
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