Nagasaki's most famous dish is champon ã¡ããã½ã, which is a hearty dish of noodles in a pork-based broth, filled with vegetables, bacon, shrimp, squid, and scallops.
Saraudon ç¿ãã©ã is another popular dish that combines the meat, seafood, vegetables, and sauce of champon, but serves it on a plate, or 'sara', over crispy dry fried noodles.
For Nagasaki's most well-known champon and saraudon restaurants, it is best to head into Chinatown blue streetcar to the Tsuki-machi stop. While you're there, try out some of the fantastic street food, such as kakuni-manju marinated braised pork cutlet served in a steamed bun, ebichiriman shrimp fried in chili sauce, again served in a steamed bun, and marakao steamed pound cake, usually available in chocolate and chestnut flavors.
Castella ã«ã¹ãã© is a sponge cake that was originally brought by the Portuguese; it has assumed a distinctly light Japanese flavor and texture over the centuries, and now one can find it in flavors such as honey, chestnut, and green tea. Head to the Dutch Slope ãªã©ã³ãå on any day of the week to sample castella for free from one of the many vendors.
Chawan mushi, a steamed egg custard, savory instead of sweet and filled with meat, fish, and mushrooms, is also famous.
Another Nagasaki dish is Turkish Rice ãã«ã³ã©ã¤ã¹ toruko raisu, named after the country. It consists of a pork cutlet, dry curry mixed into rice, and a small serving of spaghetti, all on the same plate. Tsuru-chan ãã«è¶ã, Aburayamachi 2-47, tel. 095-824-2679, (http://www.turuchan.jp/). Established in 1925, this is the original and perhaps still the best Turkish Rice joint ¥850 a serve and one of Japan's first cafes. Open 9 AM to 10 PM every day.
