Japanese Comfort Food: Fish Mama

It’s always strange to stumble upon a new comfort food. I didn’t grow up with oden, and I wasn’t in need of succor or solace when I first ate here, yet I understood the simplicity of this Japanese dish immediately.

For one thing, even a single-size serving (RMB 9) is reassuringly filling. I can’t say I’m crazy about all the fish cakes and konnyaku in the light dashi broth (really, it’s the stewed daikon that I’m after), but this is food that concentrates the mind on matters that don’t matter. You simmer in vague thoughts.

Then your orders start rolling off the robata grill (mackerel RMB 18, ginkgo nuts RMB 12, onigiri RMB 5), and you’re ready to interact with the world again.

There’s more to life than oden (and more on the menu – sushi, noodles, tempura, fried rice), but thank goodness for the respite it provides.

Also try: Oden, BananaFish

Fish Mama 鱼匠料理
Daily 10am-10pm. 37 Dongdaqiao Lu (across the street from The Place), Chaoyang District (8561 5367)
朝阳区东大桥路37号楼

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Comments

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as of April 2011, the dong da qiao lu branch is closed.

stop being lazy and walk about 5 min south across from the place! it's right there!

beware tho, there's no fish mama sign on the outside, it just says "japanese restaurant" with its chinese name 鱼匠料理 on the outside.

awesome food, one of my favs. cozy nooks in beijing!!

Ah, we love to see happy readers! Smile

Enjoy your dinner - and don't forget to post a review on theBeijinger.com tomorrow!

Cheers,

Dan

Register and post your own events on the beijinger website.

Got the message and ran down from my office at Trends towers over the The Place square (i still think the name is terrible) and onto the Dongdaqiao road, constantly wondering: "is it true? Is it true? Could it be?".
soon i realized where i went wrong during my lunch fishy treasure hunt. I only went as far as nr. 35, whereas Fish Mama is on nr. 37. And yes, it is there and yes Thebeijinger was right, and yes i was wrong, but who cares since i'll have oden for dinner.
Cheers lads

Hi nanama,

Here's what our reviewer had to say:

Fish Mama is definitely on Dongdaqiao Lu, very visible from the road. It's on the west side of the street - south of The Place but north of Guanghua Lu.

To be even more specific, the restaurant is a stone's throw from the Fangcaodi Nan (芳草地南站) bus stop.

Let us know if you still can't find it.

Cheers,

Dan Edwards

Register and post your own events on the beijinger website.

Read the piece above and wanted to get me some Oden. Walked over to The Place and looked for Dongdaqiao Nr.37. Found the Nr.37 alright, it's just that there is NO Fish Mama there!
C'mon guys, please correct the address 'cause i'm craving some oden right now.