www.tri-met.org/max/index.htm Multicultural Portland - Travel Portland
Sushi display at Uogashi Restaurant

Japanese Cuisine 101

Looking for a place to eat? Visit our online list of restaurants in our self-guided tour

Freshness, simplicity and harmony typify Japanese cuisine. Artistic presentation and perfection of form are highly valued. The Japanese discovered the healthful use of soybeans centuries ago and introduced Northwesterners to tofu (soybean curd), miso (soybean paste) and tamari (fermented soy sauce). Typical dishes include nabemono (simmered in one pot); yakimono (broiled), agemono (deep-fried), aemono (tossed, cold with sauces) and mushimono (steamed). Bento is any combination of these served in a decorative box.

Teriyaki (broiled poultry, fish or meat with a sweet sauce), sushi (vinegared rice) and sashimi (sliced raw fish) are popular in Portland, where fresh fish and vegetables are abundant. Ocha (green tea) has been served since the 9th century and enjoyed in Portland since the earliest Japanese immigrants arrived in the 1880s. Sake (fermented rice alcohol) is usually served warm with appetizers and on special occasions. Hungry yet? The Portland metro area is blessed with a wide array of restaurants that feature Japanese cuisine. Look for a noren, a short curtain hanging over the door, which signals that the kitchen is “open for business."

back