Kani Nabe Doraku Deksa?...
Tuesday 28 October 2008 by Dr Maytel
...is what I wandered around Shinjuku saying to perplexed looking Japanese policemen....(something about my squashed kiwi vowels just doesn't translate well in Japanese)
We were looking for a Japanese restaurant that specialises in crab done several ways. Ever since our last trip to Japan where I spotted several of these restaurants (they are a chain) but never managed to indulge my crab fetish its been on the list of "to eats"
Although we wandered around for nearly an hour looking for it, it wasn't until I decided to go into Zara to check out clothing that we spotted that it was in the same building, 4th floor.
Giant Mechanical Crab
From the moment you enter this place it is made perfectly clear that they are serious about crab
Live Crabs
We choose a set menu which appeared to be huge and plenty for two, plus a cloudy sake.....purely through a series of pointing at photos and elaborate hand gestures an flailing of hands. God I love the freedom of being a tourist for four days, not having to learn the language and reverting back to universals such as pointing and nodding. Communication was a success and a series of trays began to arrive at our table.
Place setting including crab scrapper
Crab egg pate
Steamed crab
Crab Sashimi
This was unbelievable, fresh, sweet and almost creamy
Table top charcoal grilled crab
Simple and gave off that irresistible smell of seafood shells being roasted
Crab Nabe (Hotpot)
Rice Soup
Green Tea Icecream
Mildly helpful link in Japanese
We were looking for a Japanese restaurant that specialises in crab done several ways. Ever since our last trip to Japan where I spotted several of these restaurants (they are a chain) but never managed to indulge my crab fetish its been on the list of "to eats"
Although we wandered around for nearly an hour looking for it, it wasn't until I decided to go into Zara to check out clothing that we spotted that it was in the same building, 4th floor.
Giant Mechanical Crab
From the moment you enter this place it is made perfectly clear that they are serious about crab
Live Crabs
We choose a set menu which appeared to be huge and plenty for two, plus a cloudy sake.....purely through a series of pointing at photos and elaborate hand gestures an flailing of hands. God I love the freedom of being a tourist for four days, not having to learn the language and reverting back to universals such as pointing and nodding. Communication was a success and a series of trays began to arrive at our table.
Place setting including crab scrapper
Crab egg pate
Steamed crab
Crab Sashimi
This was unbelievable, fresh, sweet and almost creamy
Table top charcoal grilled crab
Simple and gave off that irresistible smell of seafood shells being roasted
Crab Nabe (Hotpot)
Rice Soup
Green Tea Icecream
Mildly helpful link in Japanese
ahhh...... Japan. the sashimi looks rockin.
PS: you were asking the Policemen "Is this the Kani Nabe Doraku?" or "Are you the Kani Nabe Doraku?"
(a noun or name + desu ka can be interpreted both ways -)
I have no idea, I just knew the name of the restaurant and I knew that deska meant question....so I figured if I said the restaurant and then deska that I would get somewhere....????
I haven't been to Kani Doraku myself but I like that giant crab that moves on the store front.
There was an urban legend that there is actually somebody pedaling the bicycle inside to move those crab legs.
Besides,
desu = "to be"
ka = question particle
so,,, if you added
doko = where
you could have made a sentence
"Kani Doraku (wa) doko desu ka?"
(where is Kani Doraku?)
wa = subject marker