Japanese Street Food At Home: 5 Tips For Hosting Cocktail Parties
Japanese street food, like most of this region’s culinary culture, is an elaborate affair complete with different sweet and savoury delicacies. It is a stellar showcase of vibrant dishes, served on small plates in the territory’s night markets, touristy stalls and even train stations. Fried and grilled preparations make a prominent appearance in Japanese street food practices and many of these small bites are made to order at bustling street side stalls.
Hosting an evening gathering which features these Japanese culinary favourites is all about tuning into the vibe of the different markets and public spaces scattered across cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. And while this might seem like a slightly detailed and overwhelming affair, there are some simple steps that can be followed to make party planning a smooth endeavour.
Here are some handy tips and hacks that might be useful as you go about organising such a creative and intricate Japanese street food themed cocktail party complete with complementary foods and drinks:
Fix The Menu
One of the first tips involved in planning a house party of this kind is to settle on the menu. If you are a novice home host, settle on about three to four appetisers or street foods that cover a range of tasting notes. With this, it will be possible to build maximum flavour into a fixed number of sweet, savoury and spicy offerings like takoyaki, yakitori and karage, instead of working with too many elements all at once. A fixed menu comprising some of these Japanese street food favourites can go a long way in making the themed gathering a success.
Set Up Live Stations
One of the stand out features of a Japanese street food stall is its live stations. Bring a little of the night market flair into your house party by setting up one or two such spots where street foods are prepared and served in front of guests. Sweet treats like kakigori or shaved ice flavoured with condensed milk, matcha, strawberry and even yuzu can be assembled in front of guests for that extra street side flair.
Craft Complimentary Cocktails
Since you would be planning a cocktail party with Japanese street foods as the overarching theme, the drinks blended at this gathering should be those which go well with the dishes being served. The slightly spicy notes of a chilli dip and the umami flavours of miso are excellent pairings with drinks like a yuzu gin fizz or a matcha sour and even some non-alcoholic warm teas that complement the culinary notes of quintessential Japanese street foods. Finish these drinks off with yuzu, soy and miso garnishes for that heightened Japanese touch.
Curate A Japanese Street Themed Decor
One of the most essential tips for planning a lively Japanese street food themed event is to go for decor that symbolises the places in which such culinary delicacies are served. This means combining paper lanterns, noren curtains and even bamboo mats with handwritten menus and grazing board style adornments that build into the street side aesthetic. Such a decor will lend the cocktail gathering a more vibrant touch that fits the overall theme.
Determine A Serving Style
Japanese street food, just like most of this region’s culture, is quite elegant in its presentation. Foods like takoyaki are adorned with dips and karage are often served gracefully with a side of soy or chilli dressing. So, determining a serving style like serving with ceramic spoons or placing skewers on napkins which Japanese calligraphy can become some of the ways to make this street food motif more intricate and pronounced.
Also Read: 5 Simple Japanese Snacks For Cocktail Parties To Try
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
