This is Yoon, the store manager. Thank you very much for your continued patronage of our store. In Otsuka, Toshima Ward, Tokyo, where the old town atmosphere and new vitality intersect, we are running a lively Yakiniku restaurant “Jan” every day.
How are you all spending your time these days as we feel the change of seasons? It can be difficult to manage your physical condition during times when the temperature changes rapidly, such as days when you feel a little chilly and then suddenly feeling sweaty and cheerful. At times like these, we strongly hope that you can build up your mental and physical stamina by eating delicious, nutritious meat and warm soup prepared with care.
Well, the theme of today’s blog is exactly“Preparing the soup”is.
Speaking of Yakiniku restaurants, the main feature is, of course, the meat sizzling on the grill.
At “Jan,” we purchase carefully selected meats with an eye for meat, and we put an extraordinary amount of passion into carefully cutting the meat in order to provide you with the highest quality meat in the best possible condition.
However, “soup” is absolutely indispensable between Yakiniku courses, at the end of a meal, or as the perfect accompaniment to Yakiniku. A yakiniku restaurant whose soup is not delicious cannot truly make customers smile.
I have always believed that. This time, I would like to talk a lot about the behind-the-scenes aspects of our soup making process, which are usually not seen by our customers, and the extraordinary care we put into it.
[Jan’s life, endless commitment to soup]
The soups offered at “Jan” are made using commercially available soup bases,We never just warm and serve ready-made food.
Everything is made by hand in our kitchen, taking a tremendous amount of time. Making soup is truly a battle of time, effort, and patience.
The basis of our soups is soup stock, which is made from carefully selected beef bones and tendons, and plenty of flavorful vegetables. The quality of this base soup determines everything. If the base is not solid, no matter how many high-quality seasonings you use afterwards, you won’t be able to create a deep, true flavor.
The preparation of the soup begins early in the morning when it is still dark outside. During the quiet hours when the city of Otsuka is still asleep, I turn on the lights in the kitchen and prepare an extra large pot. The first and most important steps in making soup are “removal of blood” and “removal of scum.” Thoroughly wash the beef bones and beef under running water to thoroughly remove excess blood and dirt. If you neglect this step even a little, the soup will develop a peculiar smell and everything will be ruined. Place the well-prepared bones and meat in a pot and heat with plenty of water. When it boils, a large amount of scum will come to the surface one after another. This scum is carefully skimmed off over and over again while standing next to the pot. If even a little bit of scum remains, the color of the soup will become cloudy and it will have a strong taste, so it is a tense time where no compromises are allowed.
■Preparation: A quiet time to carefully extract the flavor■
Once the scum has completely disappeared and the surface of the soup becomes clear, add plenty of flavorful vegetables such as green onions, ginger, and garlic. This is where the true “stew” begins.
The heat is neither too strong nor too weak, maintaining the perfect temperature so that the soup gently circulates inside the pot. In this state, it is slowly simmered for hours and hours. As time passes, the kitchen becomes filled with an indescribable aroma of the deep richness of beef bones and the sweetness of vegetables. You’ll never get tired of watching the clear water gradually turn golden yellow, and then, as it continues to simmer, turn into a cloudy, deep color with concentrated flavor. This is proof that the best soup will be made, with plenty of flavor and collagen melting from the marrow of the bones.
As the store manager myself, I always get a little nervous when tasting the soup. “Did I make the best soup today?” I asked myself sternly as I took the soup onto a small plate and slowly sipped it into my mouth. The strong richness of the beef, the gentle sweetness that melts from the vegetables, and the refreshing aftertaste without any unpleasant tastes. When you check with your tongue that it has been perfectly balanced, you will feel a sense of accomplishment that will instantly melt away the fatigue you felt from the early morning preparation. This is the basis for all of Jan’s soup dishes, including soups like guppa, yukkejang, and wakame soup.
[Introducing recommended soup menus]
We would like to introduce some of Jan’s proud soup menus that use the finest base soup that has been prepared with great care.
◆ Yukgaejang soup
This yukkejang soup is by far the most popular at our restaurant. The umami of the slowly simmered beef is complemented by the sweetness of plenty of vegetables such as zenmai, bean sprouts, chives, and green onions, which are then combined with a special chili pepper and gochujang-based spicy sauce to create a deep, dry dish.
Not only is it spicy, but the base soup is extremely rich, so you can feel the intense flavor and richness behind the spiciness. It is also a standard style among regular customers to enjoy it with white rice as “Yukkejangkuppa.”
◆ Gomtang soup
A rich soup rich in collagen made by thoroughly simmering beef bones for a long time until they become cloudy. This menu is very popular with people who don’t like spicy food and even small children. When you take a sip, the mellow and creamy beef flavor gently spreads throughout your mouth. Because of the simple seasoning based on salt and pepper, it is a dish that can’t be fooled, and the true quality of the soup is directly conveyed. We have received very happy feedback from female customers who are concerned about beauty and health, saying, “My skin feels different the next day.”
◆ Seaweed soup
Wakame soup is a standard among Yakiniku restaurants. Because it’s a classic, “Jan” never cuts corners. Our homemade soup gently envelops the aromatic aroma of high-quality sesame oil and the mineral-rich flavor of seaweed. If you drink it after eating fatty meat such as short ribs, it will refresh your mouth and make it the perfect companion between meals.
■Excellent compatibility with soup! Meat that Jan is proud of■
So far, we have talked passionately about the particularity of our soups, but the soup’s presence shines even further when it has delicious meat. “Jan” offers a wide variety of carefully selected high-quality meats and fresh offal.
for example,“Upper Kalbi”is an exquisite item with beautiful marbling. When lightly grilled on a grill, the sweetness of the fat melts in your mouth and the aroma of the special sauce is irresistible. Immediately after enjoying the ribs, I take a sip of the spicy yukkejang soup. This endless loop of sweetness and spiciness is truly a moment of bliss.
Also,“Jōtanshio”This is a must-try dish when you visit our store. The crispy and pleasant texture and the unique juicy flavor of the tongue that overflows with each bite go perfectly with the simple and gentle flavor of the gomtang soup. The strength of the meat and the gentleness of the soup bring out the best in each other.
Enjoy the full flavor of red meat“Harami”It is also very popular among men and women of all ages. We recommend enjoying the thick and juicy skirt steak with wakame soup, or wrapping it in a sandwich and stuffing your mouth with homemade kimchi is the ultimate luxury.
[Jan’s history with the city of Otsuka, and the bond with customers]
The town of Otsuka, where we have our shop, is a truly warm and wonderful place full of humanity. The Toden Arakawa Line runs leisurely through the city, and while new hotels and commercial facilities are being built in front of the station, just down one alley are old-fashioned shopping streets and delicious privately run restaurants. It is a charming city where the old and the new are in perfect harmony, making you feel excited just walking around.
“Jan” has continued to operate every day in the town of Otsuka, with the warm support of local residents, people returning from work, and customers who travel from far away to visit.
When I’m making soup alone in the quiet kitchen early in the morning, I suddenly see the smiling faces of our past customers. “Yun-san, today’s yukgaejang was also super delicious! I don’t feel like the week is complete without it.”A regular customer who always stops by on his way home from work every week. “Even my kids, who don’t like vegetables, happily drink all of the gomtang soup here,” said a mother with a family, smiling as she showed me her empty bowl. Each and every warm word from a customer relieves the fatigue of preparing the soup and becomes my biggest driving force, “I will definitely make delicious soup tomorrow without compromise.”
We believe that food is not only completed when it is served, but is truly “completed” when it goes into the customer’s mouth and brings out a smile on their face when they realize how delicious it is. As a restaurant owner, nothing would make me happier than if the soup that we prepare with all our heart every day gently warms everyone’s mind and body, giving them energy and vitality for the day ahead.
■If you’re looking for the best cup to warm your mind and body, be sure to visit “Jan” in Otsuka■
Today’s theme was “Preparing Soup” and we would like to show you the behind-the-scenes aspects of “Jan” that we don’t usually show you, and the extraordinary passion he puts into soup.
In a sense, it is a given for Yakiniku restaurants to have good quality meat. However, how much love and effort goes into making soup, kimchi, namul, and other side dishes? I believe that this is where a store’s true value and sincerity toward customers are tested.
In order to continue to be a yakiniku restaurant loved by everyone in Otsuka for a long time, “Jan” will continue to pursue the best taste, never compromising on a single cut of meat or a drop of soup. For those who are tired from a busy day, for those who just want to fill their stomachs with delicious meat, and for those who want to enjoy the finest homemade soup that warms their mind and body. Please come to “Jan” in Otsuka. I, Yoon, and all of our staff are looking forward to your visit with the best smiles and the best food.
Would you like to have Yakiniku for dinner tonight? We welcome family get-togethers, fun drinking parties with friends, banquets with work colleagues, or just the perfect treat for yourself: Yakiniku by yourself. We will do our best to provide hospitality so that the time you spend at “Jan” will be an irreplaceable and delicious memory for everyone.
Thank you very much for reading this long blog till the end. We look forward to the day when we can see your smiling faces.
[Click here for store information and reservations]]
If you want to enjoy the finest yakiniku and carefully handmade soup in Otsuka, be sure to visit “Jan”! We look forward to your visit. To guarantee a seat, we strongly recommend making reservations in advance online or by phone.
・Japanese black beef specialty Yakiniku Stadium Jan Otsuka main store
・Address: 1F SK Building, 2-11-1 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
・Telephone number: 03-3910-9065
・Click here to make a reservation:https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132302/13168261/
Comment