Night out with Friends

Last weekend, Scott and I went out for dinner and drinks with our friends Yumiko and Dan. Yumiko is Scott's interpreter/friend from work, and Dan is her boyfriend. We went to a traditional Japanese Oden Restaurant- a place we never would have been able to walk into on our own to eat! LOVE those experiences!!

Neither Scott or I knew anything about Oden (never actually had heard of it), but when Yumiko asked what type of food we wanted to eat, we just told her something Japanese. Scott gets to taste test a lot of different Japanese foods at work, at work dinners, lunches, etc. However, I rarely eat out, which means I eat basically the same types of foods that I did in the States. I really wanted to try something different- my only requirements were that it didn't have eyeballs or tenticals...aside from that, I was up for trying whatever!


With Yumiko and Dan

Oden (おでん) is a Japanese winter dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon radish, konnyaku, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy-flavoured dashi broth. Ingredients vary according to region and between each household. Karashi (Japanese mustard) is often used as a condiment.

Oden Cooking

It turned out to be quite delicious..until I ate something that I later learned was mushed Crab INSIDES! Eewwww! Actually, it tasted OK, but just the fact that it was what it was, I opted out of seconds!


Just try and tell me this looks tasty!

We ended up drinking a bit too much Sake, but had a great time...we also got to see what I am personally deeming the WORLD's SMALLEST BATHROOM...!


This is it- I am actually standing in the doorway...try fitting in this, and you will be amazed at how your body can smoosh itself into the tiniest of spaces when necessary!

After dinner we went to two very interesting little bars..well, actually three- we got chased out of one by a pretty Japanese girl wearing really small clothes, thigh high tights (with the garters) and a hat that said SWAT on it...apparently it was a members only place, and we were definitely NOT members (though the two fellas might have been wishing they were!). We went to Nancy's place, which turned out to be a cozy little place playing Pulp Fiction :), and to the Monster Cafe, which was an attempt at an American 50's cafe, that served alcohol...you just never know what you are going to get here! :) Fun night was had by all!