I love Japanese food. Anyone who has eaten with me is acutely aware of this fact, as I have probably dragged him or her to my ‘go-to’ place to eat my ‘go-to meal.’ (In SF, this was the wasabi edamame potato salad at Delica in the Ferry Building.) Fortunately for my friends here in China, my compulsive ‘eating Japanese food’ behavior is less pronounced, given that my options for decently-priced yet clean sushi is far scarcer. It means though that when I do find a restaurant I like, I am supremely … blissfully happy.
The restaurant that has recently elicited this emotion is 满腹满足 (Man fu man zhu), a small, completely unassuming Japanese eatery on a street which I often frequent. If it weren’t for a colleague’s recommendation, I would have never noticed it. It has no English name, no windows, and there is little to boast about the interior – clean, classic, but otherwise ordinary wooden tables. The food though is remarkably delicious and for someone who loves Japanese food, I found myself smitten by my meal, sighing with satisfaction at every bite.
The owner is Shanghainese but had apparently spent a good deal of time in Japan, developing not only fluency in the language but a love for the food – and it was quite apparent. He recommended we eat the dinner set because he could pair the best seasonal foods in an appropriately balanced manner for us. He looked earnest and almost animated, so A and I decided to give it a shot. We chose the 200 RMB per person set, which little did we know was a 9-course menu (Yes, it is an incredible deal).
That meal, from start to finish included …
The restaurant that has recently elicited this emotion is 满腹满足 (Man fu man zhu), a small, completely unassuming Japanese eatery on a street which I often frequent. If it weren’t for a colleague’s recommendation, I would have never noticed it. It has no English name, no windows, and there is little to boast about the interior – clean, classic, but otherwise ordinary wooden tables. The food though is remarkably delicious and for someone who loves Japanese food, I found myself smitten by my meal, sighing with satisfaction at every bite.
The owner is Shanghainese but had apparently spent a good deal of time in Japan, developing not only fluency in the language but a love for the food – and it was quite apparent. He recommended we eat the dinner set because he could pair the best seasonal foods in an appropriately balanced manner for us. He looked earnest and almost animated, so A and I decided to give it a shot. We chose the 200 RMB per person set, which little did we know was a 9-course menu (Yes, it is an incredible deal).
That meal, from start to finish included …
(1) A cold vegetable salad assortment – green sprouts, bonito-covered bamboo, and pickled seaweed
(2) Tempura-battered “unagi-roll” – with soba noodles instead of rice, sitting in a mild fish broth (This dish was one of my favorites)
(3) 3-piece sashimi selection
(4) Oven-baked miso cod with a side of pickled carrots/radishes
(5) Tempura assortment with a salt rather than a sweet broth dip
(6) Lotus root stuffed with a shrimp-pork filling topped with grated daikon and sprouts
(7) Japanese version of a ‘lion head meatball’ in a daikon soup
(8) Sesame and plum onigiri ball
(9) Caramel flan
It sounds like a lot of food, and it was, although rest assured that each portion was quite small. I loved the meal. The taste was incredible – the food fresh and cooked perfectly. Moreover, several of the dishes surprised me in their unique construction such as the “unagi roll,” which replaced the rice with noodles before it was deep-fried. In other visits, I’ve eaten a potato croquette battered in flakes of tofu skin rather than tempura batter. Most of all though, the restaurant reminds me of why I love Japanese food. The cuisine celebrates the original taste of the ingredient, relying on freshness rather than heavy sauces or extreme preparation to mask flavors. It also pays attention to minute details, with garnishes that balance flavor, colors that liven up presentation, and dishware that seems individually customized to the particular food that is presented in front of you.
In that meal, everything just seemed ‘right’ and ‘in balance’ – a beautiful, delicious, healthy, and leisurely meal that delights your eyes, your taste buds, your health, your mood, and at this price … your wallet!
It sounds like a lot of food, and it was, although rest assured that each portion was quite small. I loved the meal. The taste was incredible – the food fresh and cooked perfectly. Moreover, several of the dishes surprised me in their unique construction such as the “unagi roll,” which replaced the rice with noodles before it was deep-fried. In other visits, I’ve eaten a potato croquette battered in flakes of tofu skin rather than tempura batter. Most of all though, the restaurant reminds me of why I love Japanese food. The cuisine celebrates the original taste of the ingredient, relying on freshness rather than heavy sauces or extreme preparation to mask flavors. It also pays attention to minute details, with garnishes that balance flavor, colors that liven up presentation, and dishware that seems individually customized to the particular food that is presented in front of you.
In that meal, everything just seemed ‘right’ and ‘in balance’ – a beautiful, delicious, healthy, and leisurely meal that delights your eyes, your taste buds, your health, your mood, and at this price … your wallet!
满腹满足 (Man fu man zhu)
395 Da gu lu (大沽路395号, 近石门一路)
+86 21 6327 0605
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