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Reviewed by Penny Kenny Release Date: 1-19-2010 I LOVE this book! I don't even cook and I loved reading this book about how different Japanese pub foods are prepared. I also loved reading about the characters and the character of Japan. The conceit behind the long-running Oishinbo series is that the publishers of the Tōzai News, a Japanese newspaper, have commissioned the creation of the "Ultimate Menu," a compilation of the best in Japanese food. The slacker reporter Yamaoka Shirō has been put in charge of the project. Over the course of the series he and his colleagues travel the country, seeking out the best of the best in specific types of food. Rather than translating the entire series, Viz has put together anthology volumes, collecting stories centered around one type of food or beverage into one book. In "Izakaya," the focus is on pub food - "simple and straightforward" dishes as author Tetsu Kariya puts it. As I said at the beginning of this review, I love this book. Learning about the different foods Yamaoka encounters was fascinating, though I really wish more recipes had been included. The book opens with one for fried sardine fish cake that includes photographs of each step; but it just isn't enough. I really wanted the ones for scallop rice, mushroom pie, and kitsune udon among others. While Kariya does list the ingredients within the story, proportions and cook times are sadly lacking. While food is the focus of "Izakaya," the characters also hold the attention. Yamaoka is a complex guy. He comes across as something of a slacker, though he does care about his work. He has father issues that occasionally impinge on his attempts to create the "Ultimate Menu." He can be clueless about his own relationships, though he can shrewdly assess other people's. In this volume, readers get to see him go from a happy bachelor to an even happier married man with a family. Though the rest of the cast is barely developed, they are good for some comic moments. Their presence in the story also gives Kariya the opportunity to develop discussions on life and character. You see, the world of Oishinbo isn't just about food and eating. It's also about living. One of my favorite chapters, "An Honest Taste," revolves around one of Yamaoka's recently married co-workers. As she says of herself, she's not young and has an established lifestyle. Because of that, a conflict arises between her and her husband. Yamaoka then uses a very specific kind of gratin dish to impart a lesson about marriage to the couple. In "The Ultimate Wedding Outfit," trying a novice chef's experiments helps a rebellious young man define his own career goals. In the wonderful "Potato Hater!", a feud between two old schoolmates leads to a new appreciation of potatoes and a lesson on confronting problems rather than avoiding them. Kariya deftly handles the material, folding lesson and plot together in such a way that it doesn't seem like a heavy-handed morality fable. Akira Hanasaki's art will seem almost crude to those used to shojo manga. The characters are drawn in a flat, simplified style that's slightly reminiscent of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy. Background streets and buildings, as well as the food, however, are very detailed. Someone who knows their izakaya food could probably pick out the dishes just by looking at them. Also included in the volume is a short essay by Kariya explaining the magic of an izakaya. This was enjoyable, as it gives extra detail and helps the reader immerse herself in the Japanese izakaya scene. Oishinbo A la Carte, Izakaya: Pub Food isn't going to be for everyone. It's a mature book in that it deals with working adults in the real world. However, anyone who enjoys food, learning about a different culture, humorous stories, and well-written stories should definitely check this book out. I know I'm going to go hunting for the rest of the volumes in the series. Think you could have written a better review of Oishinbo A la Carte, Izakaya: Pub Food? Write us and we'll probably let you give it a shot! --EiC PC |
22 December 2009
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