<\/p>\n

Nagasaki city is famous for many things, non the least is the Chukagai ( or Chinatown ) that is located near the center of the downtown area. You may find it strange that what is called the Chinatown, really only consists of about 4 or 5 square blocks of small gift shops, herbalists, message parlors and restaurants. <\/p>\n

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Castella<\/a> ( Portuguese pound cake ) and glassware make up the majority of the offerings that make Nagasaki famous. But lets go ahead and skip the sweats in favor of a more savory offerings from its Chinese inhabitants, Sara-udon and Champon. Both of these dishes feature a common element in their base, a layer of brittle or crunchy thin noodles that add some texture to the softer noodles and various vegetables above it. <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Champon, the first stop on this unusual sort of mix between Chinese and Japanese cooking. The large ceramic bowl is filled first with what seems to be a rather thick shrimp based dashi (soup or broth or something in this range) that is in fact opaque and not clear like many of its American counterparts. Next a layer of the thinner and crunchy noodles that create the texture layer I was referring to earlier. Next a flouring of some friendly items Cabbage (napa), Carrots, Naruto, Shrimp, Green Onions, Chewy Udon style noodles and some minced pork, because pork belongs in almost everything.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sara-Udon is a slightly different animal but has some of the same parts and pieces. The main differentiator is the lack of soup and the addition of a creamy rue on top of everything making it all sort of hang together under one banner. This creamy emulsifier really helps tie all of the components of the dish together.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Fried rice is a nearly essential addition to many meals in Japan, especially when noodles and the cross cultural context of the dishes. This particular serving was quite a bit more satisfactory than some I had already encountered at the local Ramen shop and the variety of how a single dish is prepared varies from region to region and shop to shop. The complex mixture of oils eggs and veggies is always welcome.<\/p>\n

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I wish I knew the name of this succulent offering but alas it is forgotten. The dish consists of pieces of bread that have been oil and then deep fried to a toast like texture on the outside while cupping a small portion of what appears to be a sort of Chinese meatloaf. The content are quite similar to pan fried dumplings, pork based ground meet with green onions, garlic and breadcrumbs bring a savory regiment of protein to the party.<\/p>\n

Surely not to be missed the Chukagai of Nagasaki is a bit of a wonderland and if you are in the area for a couple of nights, there are plenty of interesting and delicious sights and sensations to experiment with. Upon my return from the area I learned that Champon is not a specialty of Nagasaki city and that the meal we had was average. <\/p>\n

All in all I enjoyed this entry point and found it to be satisfying and unique. The combination of soft or semi-firm noodles amidst some potato chip like crunch is really fun to eat. The sound and texture are a welcome distraction and make for some good eats.<\/p>\n

Z “so full” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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