# Would a a Japanese-German fusion restaurant work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [August 16, 2025, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122 "2025-08-16T00:38:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/21 "2025-08-16T14:48:40Z")
I enjoyed a few meals at a German-Mexican restaurant some years ago, reflecting the ethnicities of the couple who ran the place. There is of course the old Dick Cavett line: “I eat at this German-Chinese restaurant and the food is delicious. The only problem is that an hour later you’re hungry for power.” ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/22 "2025-08-16T16:22:40Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > German-Mexican restaurant That actually makes a lot of sense. There have been several ‘pulses’ of German migrants to Mexico, infusing the local culture with their own. To wit, banda, tejano, and ranchera music, not to mention beer and cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/23 "2025-08-16T16:38:01Z")
You can read further about this in [German Mexicans - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Mexicans) . ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/24 "2025-08-16T18:20:44Z")
Today on Iron Chef…battle sauerkraut! Allez cuisine! ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/25 "2025-08-16T18:33:35Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > There’s a restaurant in Washington, D.C. that serves the food of the Japanese and Chinese who migrated to Peru. It’s called China Chilcano. It’s at [418 7th Street NW](http://www.google.com/maps/search/418%207th%20Street%20NW%2C%20Washington%2C%20DC%2020004). Years ago in grad school I spent a not-inconsiderable amount of time in Iquitos doing fieldwork. Peruvian Chinese food (Chifa) was a real thing. It was awesome. I’ve had it in the states but it wasn’t the same. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/26 "2025-08-16T18:47:24Z")
There is a restaurant called [Itarei](https://itarei-restaurant.de/) in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, which claims to be Japanese-Italian fusion. Looking at their [menu](https://itarei-restaurant.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Hauptmenu_Itarei.pdf) it is easy to imagine including some German touches. In fact German cuisine is not only Bavarian or Suavian: in the North they have a lot of fish recipes that could be improved with japanese techniques, and the [Rollmops](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollmops), pickled herring rolled into a cylindrical shape with a toothpick, often around a savoury filling, is often only half-jockingly referred to as _Ostfriesen-Sushi_ (i.e.: Eastfrisian sushi). Potato salad is very similar in both cuisines, so are several pickle methods. And the Japanese learned how to brew beer pilsen style from Germans, the relation is there. Both cuisines are very low on hot spicyness, high on salt. Yes, I think it could work. The biggest obstacle would be to reduce the meat portions that are often expected in Germany: those feel un-Japanese. And the potatos perhaps too, though I can imagine Knödel in ramen-style broth. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/27 "2025-08-16T22:24:47Z")
more _allez, hop!_ I would think. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/28 "2025-08-16T22:28:08Z")
Would there be any issue related to WW2 Axis power issues to be considered from a publicity POV? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/29 "2025-08-16T22:36:07Z")
Axis-Fusion Resturant? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/30 "2025-08-16T22:37:05Z")
Too soon? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/31 "2025-08-16T23:05:01Z")
There aren’t too many WWII vets left around now who might complain. 🤭 The Germans got hooked on Currywurst after it was introduced during the British occupation, so it’s clear they’re open to exotic new cuisines. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/32 "2025-08-16T23:32:51Z")
As long as their sound system doesn’t play Richard Strauss’s [Japanese Festival Music](https://interlude.hk/commemorating-the-centuries-strauss-japanische-festmusik/). ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/33 "2025-08-16T23:53:27Z")
Damn, I was gonna make an Axis joke. Anyway, it’d depend if they serve pasta. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/34 "2025-08-17T00:06:24Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Axis-Fusion Resturant? Well, since the Axis couldn’t even manage fission … ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/35 "2025-08-17T00:08:38Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Anyway, it’d depend if they serve pasta. See post 9 above. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/36 "2025-08-17T00:46:49Z")
Good one! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/37 "2025-08-17T01:12:20Z")
Yeah, I imagine it’s going to be more in the vein of enhancing a Japanese dish with something German or vice-versa, instead of literally blending them together. I mean, I could potentially see sauerkraut being a sushi ingredient or maybe as part of a noodle dish like yakisoba, for example. Or maybe some kind of fermented Japanese stuff being used in a sausage. Or maybe like others mentioned, some kind of tonkatsu/schnitzel mashup. Part of me is imagining a German/Japanese version of sauerbraten; I’m imagining rice wine vinegar and some sort of sauce enhanced with miso or something along those lines could be very tasty. > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > [Rollmops](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollmops), pickled herring rolled into a cylindrical shape with a toothpick, often around a savoury filling, is often only half-jockingly referred to as _Ostfriesen-Sushi_ (i.e.: Eastfrisian sushi). Well, I’ve had pickled herring in the Netherlands (Utrecht, in fact), and it was not very far off from sushi overall. I would imagine there’s some fertile ground in the German seafood cuisine for Japanese participation. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/38 "2025-08-17T01:19:54Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I mean, I could potentially see sauerkraut being a sushi ingredient Next time I make sushi I’ll give it a try. It might be a while though; I botched my last batch of sushi and Mrs. Homie and I decided to go off sushi for a bit until we start really craving it again.\* \*No, it didn’t make us sick or anything. It just didn’t hit any notes right. I probably messed up somewhere (sushi has many points of failure). ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/39 "2025-08-17T02:25:17Z")
Jerry-yaki? ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122/40 "2025-08-17T03:45:01Z")
Just watched that episode. Texas Hill Country German food is the barbecue that Central Texas is famous for. Now I want a smoked brisket ramen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-a-japanese-german-fusion-restaurant-work/1022122.md?page=3)