Ajihara delivers authentic flavors in 'Little Tokyo'

Ajihara delivers authentic flavors in 'Little Tokyo'

Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

One of the oldest izakaya in Blok M, South Jakarta, is Soba-
dokoro Ajihara, run by proprietor Hikaru Harada.

With its double red lanterns and smiling tobacconist out
front -- selling everything from Sampoerna to the ever-popular
Mild Seven Japanese brand -- the eatery extends a warm welcome to
all guests who stop by.

The minute the latticed rolling door slides open, a chorus of
"Irasshai-mase (welcome)!" erupts, and a smiling waitress armed
with a menu approaches to usher the guest: "Bar or table?"

Harada is busy behind the sushi bar, slicing fillet after
fillet of fresh fish with care. He is quick to smile, and his
regulars are gathered at the far end of the bar, where they keep
up a running conversation punctuated by jokes and laughter.

Harada hails from Aomori prefecture in northern Japan, which
is located just south of Tsugaru Strait that separates the
islands of Honshu and Hokkaido.

"It's the boonies of the boonies," he said.

He first arrived in Jakarta in 1987 from Shinjuku, the
business and entertainment district of Tokyo, where he was
working at a sushi restaurant.

"One day, someone came in and asked whether I'd like to work
at his restaurant in Jakarta. I had no clue where that was, and
he said, 'Are you familiar with Java curry? Well, that's where it
is.' And that's how I ended up here," he said, laughing.

That someone was Ogawa-san, proprietor and owner of Don
restaurant, then located in Blok M, which specializes in udon,
thick white noodles served in hot broth or cold with a dipping
sauce. Don is now located at the basement level of Pasaraya
department store and is run by Ogawa's son.

After two years at the restaurant, Harada was sent to Kagawa
prefecture on the southwestern island of Shikoku to learn how to
make sanukiudon, for which the area is famous. This handmade,
traditional noodle made from white flour is renowned for its
texture, and has a high gluten content from the strenuous
kneading it requires to make the dough.

Harada had planned originally to stay in Jakarta only three
years, "But I was reeled in by a 'pretty flower'". In 1989, he
married the "pretty flower" from Central Java, and the couple
have a boy-girl twin who attend Jakarta Japanese School.

"We discussed whether to move back to Japan and open a
restaurant there or to stay here and try our luck. In Japan, it
was still the (economic) 'bubble', so...," he shrugged.

And a good thing for the many guests who frequent Ajihara,
which was established in 1990. The eatery's name comes from aji,
meaning flavor, and from Harada's own name.

"It's hard to name a restaurant -- or children, for that
matter. I thought, I'd like to offer good food with my personal
touch -- Harada's aji. So it became Ajihara."

Drawing upon his noodle-making expertise, Ajihara's specialty
is teuchi soba -- handmade buckwheat noodles. Teuchi means hand-
hit, the skill required to stretch out the dough and release its
flavor.

"Come to think of it, soba is the perfect diet food. It's low
in calories, high in carbohydrates, has no cholesterol or fat.
It's also known for its cleansing properties, for cleaning the
stomach and intestines," he said. As an afterthought, he added,
"I should promote soba as the ideal diet food."

While many patrons order the noodles as part of their meal,
most come for the home-cooked fare at Ajihara -- and their
authentic Japanese flavor.

"I know my menu's big, but otherwise my Japanese customers
would complain. 'Why do you have this and not that?' After all,
they come here for real home-cooking."

Japanese diners are not the only ones who appreciate Harada's
cooking, and Ajihara is also frequented by both Indonesian and
Western customers wanting more than the sushi, sashimi and
teriyaki dishes typically served at Japanese restaurants.

"Of course, drinking is a big thing, too, but people come to
izakaya for the food. Good food, good drink, good company --
that's what izakaya culture is all about."

Soba-dokoro Ajihara, Jl. Melawai IX No. 3A, Blok M, South
Jakarta; tel (021) 7201340, 7220687; fax (021) 7208149;
ajihara_soba@cbn.net.id. Ajihara is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. and 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on
public holidays. It is closed on New Year's Day, Independence Day
(Aug. 17) and for the week of Lebaran.