Jan 14, 2026
Japanese food abroad, awesome or not quite right
What's your experience of Japanese food abroad, whether in your home country or other countries you've visited? Most of my experiences in Vancouver, Canada, matched the quality and attention to detail you'd expect in Japan. Have you had mediocre or inauthentic Japanese cuisine in your travels? Tell us about your hits and misses. The photo - a matcha latte in Vancouver, Canada.
Best Answer
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on Jan 14
It's been a while since I've been back in Australia, but I think it heavily depends on where you go as to the caliber (or lack thereof) of Japanese eats. I do think a lot of stuff is geared towards Aussie tastebuds, so to speak, and that typically involves things like katsu, tempura, and the like. The safer, more cooked foods ;) Cities are better than smaller towns to get more authentic stuff, but I think that's the case just about anywhere in the world for any kind of cuisine. People of my parent's generation typically were a meat and three veg kind of eating style, whereas younger people are more inclined to try different cuisines, and sushi and so forth is quite popular. The only other place I've had Japanese food was on a vacation to Korea years back. It was まあまあ. I think if I hadn't lived here I would have thought it was tasty enough, but once you've had the real deal, you start weighing it up against that.
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on Jan 14
In Ireland there is a mix, but the "not so authentic" is in the majority still. They are still popular though, because the food is good. Like katsu curry, even if it's not authentic, it's still delicious. Just in response to your reply to my comment on your post - there's a lot of fake Japanese restaurants in Ireland still. But despite all that, there are a few really good and authentic Japanese restaurants in Ireland.
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on Jan 14
@genkidesu I tried ramen when I was in Bangkok, and it was pretty close to the real thing. Bangkok restaurateurs are big on authentic food. In LA's Little Tokyo, I was disappointed by mediocre ramen. A ramen shop on Sunset Boulevard was the real deal. When I go back to Vancouver, I bee-line to some authentic places, but most are super pricey.
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on Jan 14
@TonetoEdo I feel like Canada seems similar to Australia in terms of cost of living. A bowl of ramen back in my home city of Melbourne, for instance, runs about $25 Aussie dollars which is about 2600 yen! It's hard to fathom those kinds of prices.
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on Jan 14
@genkidesu Ouch! I hear you. Futomaki takeout at a popular place in Vancouver is nearly Canadian 10 dollars! That's nearly 1200 yen.
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on Jan 15
@genkidesu While in Bankok, I tried ramen. The broth and noodles were done right, but there was something distinctly different that I couldn't put my finger on. I suspect the preparation method was not the same as Japanese ramen cooks.
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on Jan 15
@TonetoEdo that's much how I felt about tempura I had in Korea. The tempura batter wasn't as light as it is here. It was heavier feeling, and greasier. Not sure if it was ingredients or cooking technique, but it was just not as good :(
7 Answers