Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-08
a, JAPANESE RESTAURANT,
'HERE A HUNGRY AMERIoANscAN
DINE IN ORIENTAL STYLE,
Wen Cooked FOod-PoIitc Attend.
nnco-Prctty Table Chinn--Very
Moderate Priccs-No wntcc. Used

| "iuci Ill fh'FcFS Wee6ty gives this
description OF Japanese restaurant re.
Gently opened in New York city:
The dining-room is long, narrow md
high-cciled. ~ quiet paper covers tho
walls, which are ornancntcd here and
there with peculiar Chinese burners, Jap.
nncsc straw hangers, and nbominablo
American chromos. Clumsy chairs and
little tables covered with white oil cloth.
aro arranged on either sidc of the room
Everything is delightfully."- cool, clean,
and fresh looking. Tho floor, walls and
ceiling are innocent of dust or debris.
| The proprietor, cook and waiter aro
Japanese of the purcst typo. They drcs,
neatly in American clothes, and wear
their hair and sparse beard in regular
New York style, but in manners, gait;
carriage and opinion nrc genuine children
OF the Orient. They speak English fair.
iy well, using the low tones, tho hnlf-in.
tonation, and tho musical infection SO
common to tho languages of the East.
The dinncropc with little slices Of dried
smoked, or saltcd fish, served with bright
colorcd vegetables. The next dish il n
fish soup, which ought to be adopted in
our own lnnd for its delicious and whole
some qualities. 1t is mndc from II stock
like our soups, but with the difference
that the Japanese cook makes n stock OK.
clusivcly from fish, ns we lO with meat
The cheaper mild favored fishes nrc boiled
for days, until all the gclntno and solu.
bic clements nrc extracted by tho hot
wntcr, and nothing il left but nero skin
and bone. These nrc strained out, leny.
ing II heavy, transparent, ycll0wish brown
fluid of II very grateful ilnvor and great
nutritivc power. When served, il is
brought on in bowl in which hnvo been
placed II well steamed llllct of blue fish,
weak fish, or salmon, two or tlirco boiled
tree mushrooms, nnd such spices and
other condiments M the chef may fnncy.
The third course is fish, ronsted or
broilcd. IL is served unbrokcn ON n hand
some plnttcr, and decorated in II manner
altogether Eastern The fnvorito stylo
in this respect is to fill one corner Of the
| dish with little blocks of Omelet either
plain or highly seasoned; second cor
ncr, with pile of spinach, with which
have been cooked minute pieces Of ratlisf
skin, carrot, or beet, to given contrast in
color; third corner, with radishcs cut
into curious shapes thnt display the Grim
within; md the fourth, with mushrooms.
inn-tnis (nn exquisite Eastern csculcnD,
or trnllles. This dish when served is a
perfect poem in color. The fourth course
is IN cnlrcc, either Of fish cooked some
thing like the boullibnissc of Mnrscillcs.
of mcat, poultry, or gnmc MS with us. II
is followed by dimuivc fish or meat
| dumplings of which the enclosing dough
il hnrdly as thick ns cardboard, and tho
spiccd lilling Inns been chopped into al
most pulp. Tho roast that succeeds IN
the ordinary American article, though
originally il was II baked stuffed fish. Voge.
tables accompany the various courses, but
in very empirical way, the waiter for
ever removing ono md bringing on nm
other, without rhyme or reason. Besides
| those fnmlinr TO Western palntcs, arc
| picklcd carrots and s0,iscd bccts (both Of
which nrc charming IN appearance, but
mnwlSish if not nn,iscating in ilnvon
tree cm,shroonls, ynms, bnmboo tips,
Chinese potatoes, and watermelon seeds
Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese in
| New York serve no alcoholic beverages
with their meals. At home the rulo is
the opposite, the very poorest using the
rccking and powerful liquors known as
snlSi and snmshui. Like the Chinese,
they use no wntcr, employing ten in its
stcad. This, under the present admins
tration, hns attained m excellence ns high
as that of the finest crops of Oolong and
| Pckoc.
The tableware deserves especial men.
ton. The knives, forks md spoons arc
silver plate and of the best American
make. 1t is only thirty years since these
articles were almost unknown in Japan,
tho chopsticle and the chinn spoon being
the only tableware employed. Tho china
and porcelain nrc altogether Oriental in
appearance and character. The teacups
arc wide and shallow, with brims that,i
instead OF being ilnt, curl up nj one point
into graceful apex, and on the opposite
side sink down into delicate Y-shapcd
hollow. Both inside and out, beneath
the colorcd glazc, are the whorls made
by the potter in "throwing" the cup.
The service of the soup is very curious.
The waiter brings IL bowl to each guest
which is ovid in shape, about six inches in
diameter and five inches in height The
top is channcled, and is covered with a
closely lifting lid almost sauccr-il ap-
Pcarancc. The guest removes the cover
and lays il alongside the bowl, using it as
receptacle for fish bones, vegetable
stems or animal cartilage. When the
course is over, the waiter scizes the cover,
and with II swift turn of the wrist re-
placcs it on the bowl, throwing into the
latter with the same movement the debris
it contains.
All Of the table china in the Japanese
restaurant makes n pleasing contrast to
that usually employed by our own race.
It's color, shape and decoration vary in
iinitely, but are always restful and agreea-
BILE to the eye.
Last Of all, but of equal interest to tho
reader, IS the fact TINT the japanese favor
economy and low prices. superb neal
with them costs not more than quarter
of what it would under American or
European auspices. From first to last
their dinners are good delightful and