The year 2013 has started, and Sendai is getting colder and colder with a stiff breeze blowing. In Japan one of the ways to warm up under such conditions is to eat warm porridge.
On Kawauchi Campus, there are three types of cafeteria meeting the multiple needs of students from domestic to international: one of them is called “Bee ARENA Cafe” which resembles a café seen on the street instead of a traditional cafeteria on a university campus.
The café culture in Japan has developed rapidly in the last decade. It is now considered a place where you can enjoy a substantial meal rather than just drink coffee. Most important for cafés in Japan is whether they offer something original. This does not mean that the meal must be outrageously hot or have seemingly-incompatible ingredients cooked together. However, it must be a place where you can have meal that you feel is special only at that place.
At “Bee ARENA Café,” you can enjoy a variety of rice dishes on the menu: in addition to rice bowl dishes, Italian risotto-like porridge is a staple of its menu year-round.
This week’s recommendation from the staff is white risotto, Korean gukbap and tomato risotto.
 |
| White risotto is a combination of rice and cream stew. It is very soft and warm, and most importantly, filling. |
 |
| Korean gukbap is more for gaining stamina. The rice is in reasonably hot soup with vegetables and meat. |
 |
| Another popular menu item that appears from time to time at the café is zousui. It is rice cooked in simmered soup stock. |
It has been said that in some countries it is taboo to put rice in soup. So this style of dish may not be for everybody all over the world. But if you are or will be brave enough to be an international student in Japan, please try it!
"Photographs courtesy of Bee ARENA Cafe"