Egg-drop soup with thick udon noodles and savoury Japanese sprinkles, and a thick and wholesome Iranian-style ‘minestrone’ Like everyone else currently eating their way through to spring, I’ve been thinking a lot about comfort food recently. What makes something tick the comfort food box will vary from person to person, but, for me, there are a few obvious wins. The first is eating from a big bowl – I just love cupping my hands around the base, warming them as I go. Noodles are another big yes. True, “slurp” is perhaps not the most gracious of words, but I’m going to own it fully, chopsticks i ..read more

They could easily have opened a pricey fish and chip shop for tourists; instead, they’ve set up a very classy, experimental, neighbourhood Japanese restaurant I eat in far too many beige- and oatmeal-coloured dining rooms, almost as if no one involved could commit to an actual colour. But in this current restaurant landscape, where so many play it safe with the decor, The Blue Pelican in Deal, Kent, is definitely not a subscriber. It’s more like walking into Hokusai’s Great Wave off Kanagawa, a cacophony of tasteful blues, chilli pepper-coloured chessboard floor, striped cushions and, on one w ..read more

There are as many different recipes for kare raisu as there are cooks who make it, so can our in-house perfectionist discover the winning formula? In the early years of this century, not long after I ate my first “sushi” (M&S vegetarian selection, since you ask), I tried my first katsu curry at a cool London noodle bar, with my cool new university friends, one of whom had been banging on about this Wagamama place since freshers’ week. You could have knocked me down with a feather when I found that the thick, brown gravy dolloped over neat slices of breaded chicken reminded me of nothing mo ..read more

Ramen is all about attention to detail, and these Japanese food enthusiasts are truly meticulous Everyday People, 12 Byard Lane, Nottingham NG1 2GJ (0115 958 2445). Snacks and small plates £3.50-£7.35, ramen £14-£16, desserts £6-£7.50, wines from £31 a bottle, cocktails £9.50 Restaurants don’t always end up where they began. Everyday People in Nottingham is one of them. It was never meant to be a ramen bar. Chef Pete Hewitt, a 2015 MasterChef finalist, found his way to it, much as I imagine the questing find their way to God, and the flexible to Pilates. At first, he was all about Homeboys, a ..read more

From sake to sherry and orange wine, harmonious matches for umami-rich food Asahi Dassai 45 Junmai Daiginjo, Japan (£14.99, 30cl, London Sake) What are the best drinks to have with Japanese food? The plural is important here because, as with any cuisine, the rather obvious answer is: ‘It depends what kind of Japanese food.’ There’s no reason a drink that works very well with, say, the delicacy of sushi, will also be a hit with the rich savouriness of thin strips of meat cooked briefly in a bubbling broth shabu shabu style. Still, for all its variety, there are certain qualities that run throug ..read more

The distinction between art and food can be a fine one. Tokyo-based illustrator Takayo Kiyota, AKA Tama-chan, has been crafting miniature masterpieces out of rice and seaweed for 15 years. “I thought, if you could draw freely using the sushi roll technique handed down as a traditional local dish,” she says, “wouldn’t it be possible to create a new form of edible art?” Her creations take many forms, including depictions of famous paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso and Frida Kahlo. “For Japanese people, rice is something familiar and important. People from other countries can draw on paper or canvas ..read more

Follow a few tricks of the trade regarding water and salt content, and you’ll be cooking up Japanese noodles and broth to perfect DIY effect Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com Can you make good ramen at home, and is it worth the effort?Maria, SalfordYes, and yes, according to Tim Anderson, author of Ramen Forever. “It’s straightforward to make a really good version at home, and you can surpass the quality of most ramen available in high-street restaurants and supermarkets,” he says, although he accepts it is something of a project. “A lot of this is hands-off time, though ..read more

Whether you’re a novice or an experienced home cook these tried-and-true cookbook picks are welcome additions As 2023 comes to an end, the Guardian asked an inspired group of chefs from around the US to share the cookbooks that have resonated with them during the past year. The diverse group of book recommendations, which range from a colorful cookbook that celebrates the Arab diaspora to bold-flavored recipes from a New York restaurant known for its tropical comfort food, have one thing in common: they all showcase the power of food to bring people and communities together. Whether you’re a n ..read more

Roast pumpkin and chilli soup with feta; butternut squash, parma ham and a pumpkin and sunflower-seed pesto on toast; and roast squash with a Japanese glaze Prep 5 minCook 45 minServes 4 Michael Wignall is chef/patron of The Angel at Hetton near Skipton in North Yorkshire ..read more

A sort-of Japanese, Thai-influenced and deeply experimental restaurant Bonsai in Brighton serves up the likes of vegan “sea bream” made with titivated pea protein and Mongolian “lamb” skewers with pickled shallot, though at some point in time, perhaps in a few decades, I hope to describe such things without fervent debate breaking out about the merits or otherwise of fake fish or meat, or indeed the use of inverted commas. Or the merits of textured vegetable protein, or whether vegans should use the word “pork” when many seem to think it should be saved strictly to describe bits of actual pig ..read more