Sasebo is known as a city with a rich international flavor due to the large number of immigrants from abroad and the presence of U.S. military bases.
There is also Huis Ten Bosch, a tourist attraction representing Nagasaki Prefecture, and many jazz cafes and foreign bars are open for business.
Sasebo is also an attractive city when it comes to food.
In this article, we would like to explain about such “exquisite gourmet foods in Sasebo.
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Contents
Sasebo is a cosmopolitan city where a unique culture has flourished
Sasebo has long flourished as a “military port.
This is because the topography of Sasebo Bay is so intricate that there was only one entrance and exit.
Therefore, even in the 2022 era, the U.S. military and Maritime Self-Defense Force bases are still located in Sasebo.
The city is a strong reflection of American culture, and a unique food culture, jazz, foreign bars, and a high-colored port town have taken root.
Sasebo’s exquisite cuisine
Let’s take a look at some of the gourmet dishes that have actually become very popular in Sasebo.
If you have never tried them, you should definitely give them a try.
(1)Sasebo Bu5rger
If you were to ask a Japanese person, “What is the most popular gourmet menu in Sasebo? If you ask Japanese people, “What is the most popular gourmet menu in Sasebo?
Although the hamburger is now commonplace in Japan, there was no hamburger food culture in Japan until around 1950.
The opening of hamburger stores near U.S. military bases led to an increase in the number of stores, which gradually spread to other parts of Japan.
In Sasebo, the unique hamburger became a staple and was soon called the “Sasebo Burger.
Today, it is a specialty of Sasebo and is enjoyed not only by locals but also by many tourists.
Incidentally, the taste and size still vary from store to store.
Basically, there are the following definitions
The food is made to order.
Fresh raw vegetables are used (tomatoes, lettuce)
Fresh raw vegetables are used (tomatoes, lettuce).
If all three of these are present, it is unmistakably a Sasebo burger.
Many burgers are quite large, so it is recommended to lightly press the top of the burger before eating.
(2) Lemon Steak
Next to the Sasebo burger, lemon steak is the most well-known gourmet food in Sasebo.
Lemon steak is a menu item popularized by a Western-style restaurant in Sasebo called Restaurant Mon.
It was invented by Hiroshi Higashijima and his brother in response to a request from the owner to invent a steak that would sell even in the summer.
Those brothers later became independent, and the lemon steak gradually spread.
The definition of lemon steak is as follows.
Thinly sliced beef is used instead of thickly sliced beef.
A lemon-flavored soy sauce-based sauce.
Rice is placed on the griddle after the meat is finished and mixed with the sauce.
This is a dish that offers a different taste and way of eating from the typical steak.
(3) 99 oysters
Hiroshima is famous for its oysters, but Sasebo’s Kujuku Oysters are also known as extremely delicious oysters.
Sasebo’s Kujuku Islands have a rias coastline that is rich in plankton.
This makes it an ideal environment for oyster cultivation.
Oysters have the image of being a winter food, but Kujuku Oysters can be enjoyed in summer as well.
They are characterized by their small size and rich flavor.
It is best to eat them directly in Sasebo, or you can order them by mail order and enjoy them.
Although the festival has been canceled in recent years due to the new coronavirus, the “Kujukushima Oyster Eat Oyster Festival” is held at the Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort every November for the fall season and in February for the winter season.
Nagasaki chanpon, Sara udon, and chinese broth ramen can also be enjoyed.
Although not originated in Sasebo, visitors can also enjoy some of Kitakyushu’s best gourmet menus here, such as Nagasaki Champon and Agodashi Ramen.
Nagasaki Champon is the soul food of Nagasaki City, a noodle dish filled with pork and seafood.
The soup is made of chicken and pork bone broth, and the noodles are thick and firm.
Nagasaki is also famous for Sara Udon.
Nagasaki Sara Udon was originally a Nagasaki chanpon delivery dish.
The crispy noodles are topped with a thick red bean paste, but the dish can still be enjoyed over time.
Of course, you can enjoy the crispy texture of the noodles without taking time to eat them, but it is also delicious to eat them after the noodles have softened after a little time after being covered with the bean paste.
The abundant use of vegetables in this noodle dish makes it a good source of nutrients.
The “Ramen noodles with broth made from chub mackerel” is also an excellent dish.
In Nagasaki Prefecture, flying fish is called “Agobashi,” and ramen is made with broth made from the gobashi.
Ago dashi is classified as one of the most expensive dashi among the many types of soup stock.
The rich flavor of the dashi is a perfect match for ramen.
Conclusion
In this article, we have described “Sasebo’s exquisite gourmet food.
When it comes to Sasebo, one cannot miss the Sasebo Burger and Lemon Steak.
While these two specialties are a must, you will get a better feel for Sasebo and Kitakyushu if you try the 99 oysters, Nagasaki chanpon, Nagasaki Sara Udon, and the Agodashi ramen I have introduced here.
Why not try these when you visit Sasebo on vacation or when you emigrate?
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