French Toast and A Day in Tokyo

A Day in Tokyo: A Japanese Cookbook, written by Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng, features an incredible collection of over 90 recipes inspired by the food and traditions of this vibrant city. A few highlights include Yuzu Madeleines, Tomato Salad with Ume Dressing, Tori Nanban (Fried Chicken with Tartare Sauce), Karēpan (Curry Buns), and Chawanmushi (Savoury Egg Custard). I will also be sharing their recipe for French Toast (フレンチトースト) following the review.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng

Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng have been traveling to Japan for over 10 years and are both the co-authors of Tokyo Local.

They established the pop-up Japanese restaurant, chotto, in Melbourne, Australia in 2016. “This cafe transported diners to Japan on a cultural and culinary journey spanning old and new, inspired by everything from countryside dinners on the Nakasendo trail, to the food of Japan’s far north and deep south, and the animated feasts of Studio Ghibli.”

Brendan Liew has worked in Australia and internationally at restaurants including Kadeau in Copenhagen, Benu in San Francisco, and Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Brendan is also the author of Tokyo Up Late.

A Day in Tokyo

Brendan and Caryn begin A Day in Tokyo with a short introduction and a few tips for travelers. I especially love the cultural notes scattered across the pages from the different types of noodles to organizing a bentō and even a Konbini snack guide.

The book is divided according to time of day: Early, Mid, Late, and Basics. There is a glossary towards the back of common Japanese ingredients with descriptions and uses.

The photography is provided by Alana Dimou. Many of the recipes are paired with a half to full-page photo of the finished dish. The pages are also filled with scenes from throughout Tokyo.

Measurments are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in English and/or Japanese (Romanized script). Each recipe has a headnote with background information, yield, history, and helpful notes.

French Toast (フレンチトースト)

Brendan and Caryn’s recipe for French Toast was inspired by the French Toast at Hotel Okura’s La Belle Epoque (currently renamed Nouvelle Epoque) in Minato.

I haven’t personally been to Hotel Okura Tokyo, but French Toast was my very first meal during our visit to Tokyo last year. The texture in this recipe was very similar and brought back such wonderful memories.

It does take some planning ahead, but the actual prep for this Japanese-Style French Toast (フレンチトースト) is fairly easy.

Thick slices of a stale white bread (I used my Shokupan recipe) are soaked in an egg mixture for 12-24 hours with one turn about halfway through the refrigeration time.

When ready to serve, the bread slices are placed over a rack briefly to remove any excess moisture, then pan-fried in butter until golden on each side.

This creates a fantastic contrast of a fluffy, custard-like center with crisp edges. It Is especially delicious with seasonal fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Other Dishes

I also made Gyūdon (Soy-Simmered Beef), Zaru Soba, Chikin Karaage (Marinated Fried Chicken), and Casutera (Castella Cake).

The Gyūdon (Soy-Simmered Beef) is such an easy and comforting meal inspired by Yoshinoya. Thinly sliced beef is simmered in a sweet and salty sauce. Once tender, it is served over rice with a sprinkling of Shichimi Togarashi and optionally a hot-spring egg.

We had such fun making the homemade noodles for Zaru Soba. This refreshing dish pairs the chilled soba noodles with a salty dipping sauce, scallions, daikon, and a little wasabi. It is definitely perfect for the upcoming summer season.

My daughter immediately requested the Karaage (Marinated Fried Chicken). Inspired by a karaage stall in Ameyoko, bite-sized pieces of chicken are marinated in a soy sauce mixture for a few minutes, then coated in starch and deep-fried until golden. We enjoyed them hot with lemon wedges and a little mayonnaise, but they are also great in a bento.

This was my first time making Casutera (Castella Cake) and it was so good! Perfect for pairing with tea, this light and fragrant cake originated from the Portuguese Pão de Castela in the 16th century. Brendan and Caryn’s version is soaked in a honey syrup overnight to really get that hint of honey in every bite.

A Day in Tokyo is a wonderful pick for those interested in Japanese cuisine with a focus on Tokyo. There is quite a variety of recipes from small bites and breakfast options to quick meals, simmered stews, and sweet treats.

Many of the ingredients are becoming more available in larger American grocery stores. Having a Japanese market nearby will be helpful in locating konbu, yuzu, miso, mentaiko, shiso, aonori, mizuna, neri goma, umeboshi, wakame, sashimi-grade seafood, kuzu starch, and hanakatsuo.

Japanese-Style French Toast Recipe

Excerpt from A Day in Tokyo

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5 from 3 votes

Japanese-Style French Toast

A recipe for French Toast from the cookbook, A Day in Tokyo! This decadent Japanese-Style French Toast is soaked overnight and pan-fried until golden.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword breakfast, brunch, french toast, Japan, Japanese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 200 milliliters (6 3/4 fluid ounces) milk
• 50 grams (1 3/4 ounces) caster (superfine) sugar
• 4 eggs medium (60 grams/2 ounces) each
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 4 slices stale white bread approximately 3 centimeters (1 1/4 inch) thick, crusts removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for frying, plus extra to serve
• Fruit and maple syrup to serve

Instructions

• Place the milk and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat and transfer to the fridge.
• Once the milk mixture has cooled, add the eggs and vanilla bean paste and blend until well combined.
• Slice the bread in half lengthways and place on the bottom of a dish or container in a single layer.
• Pour the egg mixture over the bread, ensuring all pieces are equally immersed, and transfer to the fridge to soak for 12-24 hours.
• Halfway through the refrigeration time, use a spatula to turn the pieces over, taking care as the bread will be very soft.
• Before cooking, carefully remove the bread from the egg mixture and place on a cake rack over a tray to drain well.
• In a large non-stick frying pan with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat, ensuring the entire surface of the pan is coated.
• Add the bread, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes.
• Turn the French toast with a spatula, cover again and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, or until the centre of the bread is hot and both sides are golden brown and crisp.
• Transfer the French toast to a warm plate and serve with seasonal fruit, maple syrup and butter.