Mexican food in Japan
 

Okay, so it's not like I'm going to Japan to eat Mexican food, but how easy is it to get a damn taco (not たこ）　

Do Japanese people even have a taste for Mexican food?


Is Taco-Bell (as unauthentic it may be) in Japan?

I don't think Mexican food is big in Japan.

Hate to burst your bubble.

Or, I should say, I hate to burst your taco

Hehehehehehe.....

:happypika:

i wish they taco bell i love taco bell

I have yet to meet someone in Japan who didn`t absolutely love Taco Bell if they`d eaten it in the US.
But for some reason there are none in Japan off of military bases.

There are a number of smaller "Mexican" restaurants, and pretty much everyone knows what a taco is - but it has yet to hit mainstream. I have to say, it`s getting closer though as you can now find all the ingredients at a regular grocery store now. Pizza places also offer "taco pizza".

Just a matter of time, I presume.

If you are in Tokyo, you can try Zest Cantina. Their food is pretty good, especially their tacos. They have locations in Odaiba, Roppongi, and Ebisu.

There is another place near Asakusa (I can't remember it's name). It's across the river, on the main road a few blocks past the Asahi building (the one with the big gold "poop" on top of it).

if a taco bursts....just the 1st image in my mind is...ewww....

wouldn't you want to say "Hate to crunch your taco?"

lol

The large cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka, will have a few Mexican restaurants, of varying quality. Outside of the main cities, your chances of finding a Mexican restaurant that is very slim, and the chance that it's even close to authentic is even slimmer. (Unless you like tako in your taco...)

Lol, this pretty much answered my question.



I'm not even going to be looking for it (considering I'll be too busy eating everything Japanese)-- just curious.


What other form of cuisine is popular there? French?

From the guide books I've been reading French is quite popular in Tokyo. Italian too but it won't taste the same. I'll find out for myself in a few weeks.

I thought you had been to Japan?

I don't know about the rest of Japan but in Hiroshima other ethnic foods that are popular include Korean, Indian, Itallian, and American. With the exception of American food, there were numerous restaurants serving each to choose from. Aside from the fast food chains, there were only 3 places that served American food and these were styled as American bars but were probably the most popular restraunts among locals and foreigners while I was there.

He was in Fukui. It`s a different world up there. :mtongue:
"東京があって、日本があって、そして福井がある。" - to quote my husband. :D

By faaaaar, the absolute biggest is Chinese restaurants. They are everywhere, and they have all the typical favorites like green onion pork, sweet and sour chicken, broccoli beef, pot stickers, etc.

Every other nationality's food trails way behind in popularity, though Indian, Korean, American, and Italian can often be found. But be warned, the Italian food is very different. At our 1st prefectural meeting, very soon after I first arrived in Japan, we went to an Italian place. It looked great, nice decorations and all, and I figured I'd be safe ordering the plain old, no-frills spaghetti. Well, it was a rather dark restaurant, hard to see by the candle light, but some of the noodles seemed to be undercooked and chewy, while others were fine. And they tasted weird too... I asked someone what it was, and sure enough, tako. Yep, octopus in the basic spaghetti instead of meatballs or sausage.

Oh, and just WAIT until you see the terrible things they can do to a pizza over there... corn, tuna, seaweed, and baker's mayonnaise on a pizza? Only in Japan.

But I did have great Italian food 1 time over there, in Kobe. So it is possible to find, just not common.

don't forget the onsen tamago( half -cooked egg) on top of your pasta :D

I have been to Japan, but for some reason I didn't really pay much attention to other types of food...

(I ate at a Chinese restaurant once, great service... But I hardly consider that exotic foreign cuisine)

Ahaha.. so true...

When I arrived at my host-families they had Watermelon, Fried Chicken, Pizza with corn and everything else they considered "American"

Little did they know I didn't come to their house to eat KFC, lol

I heard there was a Taco Bell somewhere in Tokyo. In Osaka, the Mexican food was bad. I made my own. There is a place called "Chico and Charlie's" near Umeda that was OK.
I liked the Indian and Thai food there. Also, Shakey's Pizza was good if they had some out that didn't have something weird on it (it was a buffet).
Hard Rock cafe and Outback were great, but expensive.

Ill try to look in my notes because i did eat at one Mexican restaurant with guacamole and everything that is worth mentioning. Even mexican beer and juice. The owner was a Japanesse guy in love with Mexico. Small restaurants but good none the less. If im not mistaken it was in Nikko. Not VERY good but good enuff to satisfy my urge for a nice plate of nachos, tacos, salsa and guacamole. ill let you know ...

Unfortunately, there are none off of US bases. In other words, if you`re not in the military or working on base - completely out of access.

Around here, there is Jerry's Uno - which is more of a bar than an eatery as they boast their beer selection rather than food... Which has decent tacos and burritos.

Although I like Mexican Food I've never even been to a Taco Bell. I don't think they exist in the UK. Are they authentic in anyway from Taco Bell or just sloppy fast food?

Taco Bell is a disgrace to authentic Mexican food... but it's sinfully delicious ;)



Long live the Crunchwrap!

There is an El Torito near Shinjuku Station and another one at Sunshine in Ikebukuro.