shin-nen-kai, Chinese New Year party!

Yesterday we had a New Year's Party at UOTAMI izakaya, a new Japanese drinking pub near Tsukuba Centre. 14 people attended with guest list comprised of some couples and others singles. It was a good variety and everyone seemed to 'hit it off.' I was happy to see that. Sometimes party dynamics are a bit off-key. I suppose it all comes down to: the ambience, whether or not attendees are gregarious types, whether people are familiar with one another, if they have some things in common...and so on.

The food was surprisingly good and filling. When one goes to such an event, there is a tendency to be served food that doesn't fill one up. For some, upon returning home from a drinking party, they eat OCHA-zuke, (rice+toppings with hot green tea poured on top) to feel satiated.

This was an all-you-can drink event...with all you can drink for 1.5 hours. Because it was assumed that men can and will drink (and eat) more, the meal cost 3000 yen for women; 3500 for men. Thanks to Tomoko Kodama was kind enough to make the reservation and meal arrangements!

My favorite was the fried stew patty...hard to describe...crispy on the outside but chewy and creamy on the inside, like a salty cream puff. The most interesting dish for me, soba-chahan...Chinese ramen noodles (all chopped up) fried in tons of oil with rice, some bits of who-know-what, and doused with sweet and salty YAKISOBA sauce (like Bulldog sauce, the worchestershire-like stuff). You could almost call it Japanese junk food. It is the pic w/the mayo wildly drizzled on top...and features Youichi's finger, too