Izakaya: Pub Food

Oishinbo a la carte #7

by Tetsu Kariya, Akira Hanasaki (Artist)

The best selling and most beloved food manga of all time!

As part of the celebrations for its 100th anniversary, the publishers of the Tōzai News have commissioned the creation of the "Ultimate Menu," a model meal embodying the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine. This all-important task has been entrusted to journalist Yamaoka Shirō, an inveterate cynic who possesses no initiative--but also an incredibly refined palate and an encyclopedic knowledge of food.

Izakaya occupy the same vital space in the Japanese culinary landscape as tapas bars in Spain or tavernas in Greece. Unpretentious, frequently boisterous, they're places to meet with friends or business partners to unwind over drinks and small dishes that range from hearty standards to refined innovations. In this volume of Oishinbo , Yamaoka and Kurita investigate classic izakaya foods such as edamame and yakitori, devise new dishes to add to the menu of an old shop, and discover how the concept of "play" is essential to the enjoyment of food.

Genres: Manga, Food, Comics, Japan, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Cooking

276 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

雁屋哲
Manga writer and essayist extraordinaire Tetsu Kariya graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974, when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed Oishinbo.

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

And that's a wrap on the series! Or as much as Viz translated, at least. It's interesting that they chose to do this particular theme. Izakaya is a much more nebulous category than anything else they've done. On the whole, not the best collection of chapters, but there are some good ones. I actually liked the story about Yamaoka and Kurita's twins. Surprising, since I've found the soap opera aspects of the series dull at best and annoying in far too many cases. It helped that Yamaoka's father didn't show up at all in this volume. As a whole, I'm glad I read this. I didn't care much for the personal stories, but I loved seeing and learning about the food.

[Neko · Rating 4 out of 5]

So my journey with Oishinbo has come to an end and it feels bitter sweet. I loved reading about all the different foods they eat in Japan and sometimes the history behind it all but Pub Food wasn't so deep.

This has a chapter all about a master beer pourer and he's sadly been fired from the job...Now, it's a reason to do with food (not the beer)...What has happened and can it be fixed up? When I found out why he got fired I was surprised (without giving it away) but it makes me wonder if _____ really exists! And there are many other stories that will make your mouth start to water and wonder if a trip to Japan is on the cards to try all this amazing pub food..

And like usual...

The main characters had their babies, twins, and it's up to both of them to come up with names for each child....It's kinda funny how they discover each babies name (1 girl, 1 male) but at the same time it reminds me how much is lacking in the background of character development because how we've got the 'chopped' edition (as I now like to call it).

It's not such a bad series to read out of order because it pretty much IS out of complete order itself but I think if I was going to introduce anyone to Oishinbo this would be the worst one to use (even though the food looks scrummy).

[Luis Vallejo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha gustado menos que el del Ramen, pero son historia cortas y que cuentan mucho de la cocina japonesa.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the seventh, and last, volume of a "best of" collection of Oishinbo stories collected around a theme. This one is about izakaya, Japanese pubs which serve food in small portions (perhaps analogous to tapas). I was inspired to read this book on my home bookshelf after reading the first couple of volumes of Otherworld Izakaya Nobu.

Although this is the last of a group of books, with episodes drawn from across the whole, very long Oishinbo series, reading it first was less of a problem than I expected, in fact wasn't a problem at all. I'm sure there are long ongoing arcs between the characters, and many of the characters who show up briefly in one episode in this book show up many more times over the course of the series. However, the situations in each story are simple and self-contained enough--a couple naming their fraternal twins, an actor who is having trouble with a scene in which he drinks sake at home, etc.--that I was never lost.

It has a full cast of adults with adult jobs and adult concerns--rather refreshing since a comfortable majority of the manga I have around here is about teens. The character designs are simple and cartoony, and the backgrounds and food are detailed and technical. The artist does a great job creating atmospheric restaurants and showcasing delicious-looking food.

Included in this volume are a short essay by the writer (the artist is a different person) where he talks about his love for izakaya, and detailed cultural notes in a separate section in the back. Both the manga and translation do well in showing the depth and breadth of the cuisine they're presenting, and also making it seem comprehensible and appealing for an unfamiliar reader.

As a side note, there are a couple of incidents in this volume where a customer who is friendly with the owners of a small izakaya either brings a special ingredient that the owner cooks up for them, or even goes behind the counter themself and cooks! Maybe that could happen in the U.S., but I'd never heard of it before, so there are possibly liability issues involved.

I would love to see the whole of Oishinbo translated into English, but this isn't One Piece and 111 volumes is way too much to ask for. That's okay--I'll continue to track down as many foodie manga translations as I can. :)

[Pixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I have read all the volumes, I want to review the whole series. I was turned onto Oishinbo from a mention in Bon Appetit magazine. I love how VIZ brings these gems to the US and prints them back-to-front to preserve the original artwork. In general I am always amazed at how much I like the manga when if I saw the cartoons adapted from them they would seem too juvenile to watch. Something about the drawings in the printed form makes them appealing to all ages. It was also nice that they had photographed illustrations of recipes at the beginning of each volume.

After I read about the series in wiki and understood they were compiling a "best of" and jumping around in the storyline, it made more sense, and the age of some of the stories explained the 80s style, lol. I liked the personalities of the characters and how they interacted. The general storyline of the reporters, their romances, and the father-son rivalry as they searched for their ultimate menu was a good framework for showcasing the food and culture. As interesting as it was, it did not convince me to want to try all of the things they mentioned (whale? fish guts and sperm? No way!) One story convinced to NOT want sushi, after I read how prevalent those parasites are. But it was great to have that window on another culinary culture.

I found it amusing that the words they used to describe and appreciate the food sounded so much like the translations of what they say on the Japanese Iron Chef show. I guess the manga came first. But to me, repeatedly calling things "light and refreshing" or "a strong flavor" is not descriptive at all. Those are generic terms that the Japanese obviously learned to repeat in the context of their own discourse, but to me they are empty terms. Being used to how we describe food and beverages in the US, I got a little tired of that repetition.

What I did not tire of was the way Shiro constantly championed local, organic ingredients, and highlighted how industrial food production, with its artificial fertilizers and pesticides, was compromising the food supply. He always brought it down to the most basic argument: food that has been tampered with like that doesn't taste as good as natural food. I also like the way he kept pointing out that it isn't just where or how you source your food, but when. Sometimes here we are encouraged to buy organic, but I haven't come across any food writers who are willing to say the taste is going to be different based on whether, for instance, a salmon has finished swimming upstream and tired itself out. Shiro took the idea of seasonality to the extreme. Awesome. And very often they cannily won a match by researching where the judge grew up so their offering would engender a Proustian remembrance of meals past (think of the critic in the movie Ratatouille). This takes our concept of terroir to another level of specificity altogether. Again, awesome!

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one problem with the English-language version of Oishinbo is that the volumes are organized thematically, around various types of foods, rather than going through the manga's storyline -- which I suppose is a necessity when you're dealing with a comic that's been running for 27 years. Actually, in MOST of the compilations I've read, this isn't really much of a problem, because the heart of the story (Yamaoka's efforts to create the "Ultimate Menu," and his father's constant belittlement of his talent and his goals) comes through. But that's not the case here; the stories come from all over the place, so in one volume Yamaoka is fending off romantic interest from one coworker and then in another he's planning a wedding to another coworker (who's long been interested in him) and then in still another story they've been married for a while and she's just given birth to twins; the father doesn't even really come into it.

There's some good stories here: The one where Yamaoka finds out the master beer pourer has been fired, the one about the guy who's afraid of potatoes, the one where Yamaoka takes a visiting American executive to a restaurant that specializes in skewered eel... yes, a dozen pages of meticulous close-ups of skewered eel parts! (Really, two of the best reasons to read Oishinbo are the food illustrations and the fact that everybody's emotional intensity is cranked up to 11, so the reaction shots are ALL incredibly hyperbolic, except when Yamaoka is completely bored by the thickheadedness of the world around him and can't muster up any emotion at all.) But this would never be the first Oishinbo book I give to somebody who hasn't read it yet.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm really sad that I have finished this series :( According to Viz it's the final volume they plan to publish, but I sure wish they would do more especially since it's clear that it was so prolific in Japan. Anyway this was a good one with a focus on the unique cuisine served in Japanese pubs. I think I'm going to have to buy this entire series so that when I go to Japan I can use them as reference for hunting for good food. How cool would it be in there was an Oishinbo culinary tour of Japan?

[fraulein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setelah baca dua seri a la carte, emang rasanya bakal lebih menyenangkan yg kronologis ketimbang tematis, walopun yg tematis masih bisa dibaca tanpa kesulitan berarti.

Mengenai karakter Yamaoka, dipikir-pikir malah cocok yang bandel, berani, blak-blakan, pokoknya tipe2 ekstrovert gini, soalnya justru sesuai dengan tuntutan kerjaannya yg butuh banyak koneksi/kolega/jejaring. Kayaknya juga emang sengaja dibikin klop sama Yuko yang lebih kalem dan tenang. Selain itu, jadi hiburan tersendiri tatkala Yamaoka dengan segala kekampretannya berani mendebat bos besarnya sendiri atau waktu 'dikeroyok' rekan kerjanya klo pas dia melontarkan komentar nyelekit :))

Di tema Izakaya ini menurutku ada dua cerita yang istimewa karena menyinggung keahlian yang berbeda, yaitu cerita si paman master penuang bir dan satu lagi 'sommelier' sake. Lagi2 dibuat kagum karena (ini Jepang banget) di balik sesuatu yang terlihat biasa saja, ternyata ada ketelitian dan usaha besar yang dikerahkan untuk mewujudkannya. Jadi inget lirik lagunya Oasis, The Masterplan: all we know is that we don't know. Semakin menyelami, jadi malah merasa semakin nggak tahu apa-apa karena apa yang kita tahu itu cuma semikronupilnya dari yang kita nggak tahu *buang ingus*

Masalah hidup yang disodorkan di sini (untuk kemudian diselesaikan dengan makanan sebagai solusi/perantaranya) juga relatable dan nggak lebay. Keren banget lah pokokne. Soal makanannya, ndak usa ditanya. Ini serial komik lama kelamaan jangan2 bisa jadi semacem referensi pusaka kuliner tradisional dan modern Jepang :))

Pengen komiknya terbit di sini tapi serialnya kayaknya uda lantang melembad saking uda jalan dua puluhan tahun, pesimis lah. Untuk sementara mau berdoa semoga nanti kapan bisa ada jodoh lagi dapet yg terbitan Viz (yang bekas tentu saja.. hiks). Direkomendasikan sangat.

[Farah Ng · Rating 3 out of 5]

I watch it every night. I curl up in bed and wait for it. I love my Iron Chef. It’s called food porn for a reason. There are way too many unnecessary close-ups and it’s highly addictive. And everything just looks SO much better than when you do it yourself.

Oishinbo: Izakaya: Pub Food puts all the excitement of spectator cooking into manga so it’s no wonder that it’s hugely popular in Japan and around the world. It follows Shiro Yamaoka, a lazy reporter who’s been put to the task of collecting all the best Japanese dishes to be placed on an “Ultimate Menu”. I imagine this would the kind of journalism that would face cuts after the recession but hey, this is a comic book and the Japanese take their cuisine a little more seriously.

For those of you who are familiar with comic books, this one features no heros, no blood, no fights. Oishinbo is a domestic adventure just as Virginia Wolfe wrote domestic epics. I was pretty amused by all the unique Japanese cuisine the book showed though. However, visuals are important to food and I wished it was all in colour but I guess that’s the norm with manga. Oh and the book reads right to left which may throw you off in the beginning.

Also, the recipes were far too simplified for me to actually try. (I’m a terrible cook) If you enjoy food porn or the simple over dramatization of the wild wild world of cooking, add Oishinbo to your menu.

[A'ledyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a GREAT book. Now I am not a long time fan of this series, and I did find the jumping around of plot a bit frustrating, but I very much so enjoyed the teaching of cultural relevance of differe Izakaya foods very enlightening. I Even had a dream because of this book (a rare event)

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good! The review I'd give it is honestly very similar to the review I gave the other volumes. It's a smaller, themed collection of stories (this one about izakayas and pub-related food), edited for English, taken out of the context of a much longer-running manga. For being the final volume collection, I found this one to be less excited than some of the others. Though I will say, I did appreciate how they wrapped up some of the small story lines we'd been introduced to in previous volumes. The notes in the back of the manga are incredibly helpful to provide context for English readers. I personally really love this series so far, but it can be a little dry in parts.

[Matthew Lachkovic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read quite a few in the series, and I didn't like this volume nearly as much as others. It was interesting, but it didn't "stick to my ribs" like other books have. Until I had checked out the series again, I had forgotten this volume even existed. Aside from the slight bit of story in here, I'd say you could pretty much skip this volume.

I read it a few years ago and again recently. It didn't leave me a great impression this nor last time. Re-readability is lacking simply because I didn't care much for the book.

[Nacie]

This was nostalgic. My uncle gave me and my sister 3 of these collected volumes probably 10 years ago. It was comforting to be back in the world of ambiguous 90s(?) Japanese food where the lesson is always that the best dishes are simple and come from the perfect fresh local ingredients and people with lots of practice and knowledge of tradition. I will never forget learning that brown rice actually does taste bad often if it’s grown with pesticides and they can’t properly wash it out(from the oishinbo: rice volume). That justified my disdain for brown rice and became ammo for arguing with parents. From this book the fact that stands out the most is that somewhere in Japan they grow black edamame. Some day!!

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last of the series on pub foods....or food at a beer garden...however you want to translate an izakaya. Yamaoka is still always right and can solve any problem....now he is married and has twins...the order of these stories is out of wack....and it is interesting to see what people in Japan think is tasty finger food....

Read if you enjoy Japanese food and want to know more about the food culture. Order does not matter.

I cannot believe I read them all!! Yay!

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here, in this volume, we enter the world of Japanese pubs and learn there is a master of beer pouring, that edamame goes well with beer (and can be black), that booze comes bottled with a snake, that one place can specialize in cooking different parts of eels, the different ways to cook potatoes, and the challenges of finding names for the babies. A homeless man makes his appearance, provides advice on food, and is greeted as an old friend, even though he is missing his two front teeth.

[Bettina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just fine!
The book was always there for me to pick up when bored or needed distraction - but didn't beguile as much as the others. Good though, as the series is. I do now forever want some smoked chicken with wine vinegar and herbs with a Shunnoten Junmaishu "Takazasu" sake, warmed to 108 degrees.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, the characters are one-note and so are the stories - so what? It's fun and silly and entertaining, plus it goes into surprising depth about Japanese food and food culture. The drawings are an interesting mix, with the main characters looking very anime and the others drawn in a more realistic style. The scenery and especially the food are likewise very realistically drawn.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every volume of this series is fantastic, though I don't always know what to say about them. I learn SO MUCH in each volume and the series is responsible for me seeking out food & drink I've read about and broadening my horizons as a result. Highly recommended! All of them!

[Rhita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how this book immersed me in the Japanese culture and reminded me of the many nights I spent with Japanese colleagues going to Izakayas after work. Unique dishes and appreciation for relationships and work Dynamics. I didn't read any of the other ones but I definitely will!

[Kamilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some may say choosing a manga as my final book in the 2019 challenge is cheating... well too bad! This was a really fun read that I took on holiday and all through the hectic holiday season.
It also convinced me to try warming my sake next time!

Happy New Year everyone!

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each story is good, but in this book the fact that the chronology is screwed up really starts to mess with the theme. They are single, married, with kids, and single again in the stories. Messes with your head a bit.

[Erin L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another interesting look at Japanese food and the traditions around it. It's interesting to read about how the rituals around the food enhance the experience and flavor.

[Reese · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t like that the chapters for this English translation series are arranged thematically instead of being in chronological order. The backstory of the characters didn’t make any sense.

[Finlay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cheesy storyline, just like the others, but this one was especially thin on the food details.

[Loz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still enjoyable. A bit repetitive in format, a definitely collected out of publication order, but fun and informative. Good stuff.

[Pedro Marroquín · Rating 3 out of 5]

Último libro de esta serie y no es el mejor. Tapas japonesas que no se ven mucho por aquí e historia que salta temporalmente de un lado a otro (algo que tampoco importa mucho). Para completistas. C+

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

More focus on the character relationships inside this volume. Now I want to eat izakaya now with sake!

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended as an intro to Izakaya culture and food lovers alike.

[Merenwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there were more collections of this manga!

[Tiemen Zwaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmmm...tasty.