This March, the class of 2016 went to Okinawa for the senior class service trip. Me, being the sadistic devil that I am, is going to show you all the awesome meals and snacks you’ll never be able to try in Sapporo as you suffer in jealousy and hunger. And then you’ll have to go buy something to eat at the Senior snack table. Which means more profit for us! MWHAHAHAHA.
Taco Rice
Taco rice is basically tacos on rice.
Do you ever get tired of having to fill the shell with the ingredients each freaking time? By dumping everything on rice, you won’t have to bother with that anymore. Pure genius.
Habu Soft Cream
Um...yeah. I’m sorry to say this, but habu means ‘venomous snake’. This ice cream is not dangerous by any means though. One thing Okinawa is famous for is the Habushu, liquor stored in a bottle with vipers in it. This ice cream just has a few extracts from that habushu, blended with drops of shikuwasa fruit juice. You may notice slight alcohol tanginess, but only if someone tells you beforehand. |
Hirugi Purple Sweet Potato Manju Bun No, this is not an evil strawberry. This manju, filled with purple sweet potato paste, comes in the shape of hirugi, or mangrove root. The whole bun is flavoured with rum, brown sugar, and salt all produced within Okinawa. It was the perfect treat after working hard in preserving the mangrove forest! |
Purple Sweet Potato Tart Ice Cream
Okay. Let’s break it down.
So 紅いも, pronounced beni-imo, literally means purple sweet potato and is an Okinawan speciality. A pastry chef took this potato and made a tart out of it which became a total hit and is now THE souvenir to buy when you go to Okinawa.
Then some guys working in Meiji the snack company thought it was a good idea to make an ice cream based on the tart. Thus the 紅いもタルトアイス was born.
Not bad, actually!
Fried Papaya Green papaya fruit fried with carrots. It’s sweet, soft, and perfect to eat together with some meat or fish. Awesome local Okinawan meal. |
Chinsuko Ice Cream Like the beni-imo tart one mentioned above, this too is a traditional Okinawan souvenir-turned-ice-cream. Bits of chinsuko, shortbread-like soft biscuit made of lard and flour, are mixed in creamy ice cream creating a very unique texture. I love the harmony of sweet vanilla and the salty cookie. Best thing I’ve eaten in Okinawa imo. |
Okinawan Noodles
Called in 239282034 different names depending on what’s inside, 沖縄そば is actually more of an udon than a soba.
Usually, the noodles are thick and made of flour; in this picture there’s some boneless ribs and ちくわ or fish meat floating around too.
Honestly, you’ll be better off eating miso ramen in Sapporo. The taste is bland unless you add コーレグス (pronounced co-ray-gusu), a crazy spicy sauce thing made by pickling chilli pepper in Awamori liquor.
Of course, there’s much much more awesome and unique food in Okinawa, but I think I’ll stop now - and get myself something to eat. Hope you enjoyed, and have a nice day.