The Flavours Of Travel Cafes

"Travel cafes," places where you can simultaneously receive travel information about a particular country while dining on that country`s food, are opening up one after another in Tokyo.

Those planning a trip abroad during the school spring vacation or Golden Week holiday period can pick up some valuable tips from these cafes.

Travel Cafe Philippine Tokyo, which opened in July in Iidabashi, is run in cooperation with the Philippine Department of Tourism.

Inside the cafe, a 50" TV screen shows images of tourist sights in Manila, Cebu and other popular destinations.

"Travel concierges," who were trained at the Philippine Embassy and other places, provide visitors basic travel information about the country.

Food served at the place is mainly Philippine cuisine. Cafe manager Tatsuji Kan said he planned the menu after consulting with a well-known restaurant in the Philippines.

One of the dishes, adobo, is a typical example of Philippine home cooking. Torimomo no adobo (chicken thigh adobo), ¥680 (USD5.79), is a dish of chicken thighs that have been cooked for three to four hours with special seasonings, including garlic, soy sauce and vinegar. The meat is tender, with a slight sweet-and-sour taste. Butabara no adobo (pork belly adobo), ¥780 yen, is a little like the Japanese dish kakuni (stewed square-cut pork belly).

According to Kan, the popular lunchtime menu is adobo or another meat dish of the day, garlic rice and salad. It is priced at ¥680. Although it is a travel cafe, a lot of people who do not to plan to visit the Philippines make their way to the place simply to enjoy a good meal.

In November, a similar travel cafe, the New Zealand Travel Cafe opened in Roppongi.

Travel Cafe Co, a Yokohama-based company operating the two cafes, said it was planning to open 10 more travel cafes, each featuring a different nation.

Travel Cafe Bliss in Harajuku is another place where a travel counter and a cafe function in one place. Bliss even arranges tours and sells air tickets as owner Nobuhiro Koga is a licensed travel agent.

"Many people stop by here on their way home from a trip. It is our strength that you can share travel information with people who have just been to your planned destinations," Koga said.

Bliss serves lots of Asian dishes. "Asian rice"--the cafe`s version of nasi goreng Indonesian fried rice--is served with minced pork and vegetables, lightly seasoned with turmeric and other spices. This yellow rice makes a good combination with the meat`s sweetness. Indonesian sambal chili sauce can be added for those who enjoy a spicier flavour.

Bliss features food, music and scenic images of a particular country or region, which changes every month. In April, Albania will be featured. (By Eiji Tabuchi, The Daily Yomiuri/ANN)

Source: www.e.sinchew-i.com (2 April 2007)
-

Arsip Blog

Recent Posts