JapanForum.com  


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
(#1 (permalink))
Old
CKuzushi (Offline)
New to JF
 
Posts: 9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Shinjuku
Finding MSG free restaurants in Tokyo - 09-14-2009, 09:00 AM

How can I avoid 味の素(MSG) in Tokyo without cooking for myself every day? I know some really fancy places that don't use much, but they are wayyy out of my budget.

TIA

PS Sorry if this has already been covered, I tried the search but came up with nadda.


文武両道
Reply With Quote
(#2 (permalink))
Old
MMM's Avatar
MMM (Offline)
JF Ossan
 
Posts: 12,200
Join Date: Jun 2007
09-14-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by CKuzushi View Post
How can I avoid 味の素(MSG) in Tokyo without cooking for myself every day? I know some really fancy places that don't use much, but they are wayyy out of my budget.

TIA

PS Sorry if this has already been covered, I tried the search but came up with nadda.
Maybe I am ignorant, but I have never heard of MSG being used in Japanese food in Japan. The whole point of Japanese cuisine is subtle flavor, and therefore MSG would have the opposite effect.
Reply With Quote
(#3 (permalink))
Old
CKuzushi (Offline)
New to JF
 
Posts: 9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Shinjuku
09-14-2009, 09:13 AM

Yes, I guess you are ignorant.


MSG was invented in Japan, afterall. It is included in almost every sauce in the store as well as added to food in most restaurants. Here it is called aji no moto, as per the kanji and kana I posted above.

It has had wide spread use here in japan since the 40's. America stole it after 45, when the GI's realized that the Imperial Army's rations tasted signifigantly better than the American counterparts.

So, can anyone help out here? Perhaps a list of "health food" restarurants in Kanto?


PS to MMM

Of course if you get nice kaisekiryouri or anything made from scratch here, or eat sushi, you will probably avoid MSG, but I can't afford that everyday.


文武両道
Reply With Quote
(#4 (permalink))
Old
Nyororin's Avatar
Nyororin (Offline)
Mod Extraordinaire
 
Posts: 4,147
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: あま市
Send a message via MSN to Nyororin Send a message via Yahoo to Nyororin
09-14-2009, 09:19 AM

I think you`re going to have a very very hard time.
Even the fanciest restaurants are going to contain MSG - although not sprinkled in. It`s generally extracted from seaweed right there in the shop. Anything with 昆布 or 昆布エキス is also going to contain quite a lot of it...

I think that you`ll probably find the only way to avoid it is to cook for yourself and avoid anything with naturally occurring MSG (ie. Anything containing seaweed).


If anyone is trying to find me… Tamyuun on Instagram is probably the easiest.
Reply With Quote
(#5 (permalink))
Old
CKuzushi (Offline)
New to JF
 
Posts: 9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Shinjuku
yeah, that's what I was thinking - 09-14-2009, 09:32 AM

I am going to keep up the hunt, darn it!

Anyway, the glutamates extracted from kombu are not nearly as bad as the refined MSG (which is, indeed, extracted from Kombu).

I am not adverse to kombu extract as much as the super concentrated glutamates. I think the health ramifications are much different.


文武両道
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




Copyright 2003-2006 Virtual Japan.
SEO by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC6