Story and Photos by William Stroud
Many know the buzz of Makishi, Naha’s downtown marketplace, but few Americans brave the hidden passages behind its commercial facade. For those who forgo the blinding sparkle of Okinawan glass and clusters of tiny shops hawking seashell souvenirs, rare Vietnamese cuisine, succulent eel and an intriguing Chinese-style teahouse await.
As the saying goes, you have to dig a lot of gravel to find a diamond. To find the three jewels, walk down Kokusai-dori and enter the market through Mitsumibashi-dori, diagonally opposite Starbucks. Mitsumibashi is written in English on a huge sign over the entry way.
The first stop is at a Vietnamese eatery serving up delicacies. After entering Mitsumibashi-dori, walk about a hundred meters and look for a bright yellow sign that reads “Dao” on the right. Go upstairs and step into a restaurant with rustic tables. Check out “tom goi cuon,” the fresh spring rolls, “pho ga,” a spicy chicken noodle soup, or “ca kho,” a succulent fish stew. All are delicious. For those with inquiring minds or weak stomachs, do not worry. No odd ingredients are used to make the wary tremble.
If Vietnamese isn’t your dish walk a little farther until you see a tiny restaurant on the same side as Dao, but often obscured by tables laden with packaged foods. The brown wood, white lettered sign in Japanese is the clue. Smell the barbecued eel over rice, served in sushi rolls and otherwise. If the image of eel puts you off, think grilled fish instead. Think of a tasty teriyaki sauce and finding a tiny, no frills restaurant where you’ll be dying to take your friends.
If you’re not hungry but want a little something to nibble while you slake your thirst, a jewel of a tea house is just down the street. You should have no trouble recognizing the Chinese style, red and gold shop. Continue down the street about one hundred meters until you come to a large pedestrian crossroad. On the right is a pottery shop. Turn left to go down a shallow incline, but immediately after, turn into the passageway on the right. Then, continue for another hundred meters or so.
You will run right into Taiwan Tea, marked by a large, bright red sign on top. Step down the two short steps and into the world of Chinese tea. It has a bar with seats for about ten patrons. The owner, a silver haired Okinawan, speaks some English and is renowned for his friendliness and enthusiasm for the glories of tea. He makes personal pilgrimages to Taiwan and Mainland China to acquire the tea.
His wife speaks little English, but her smile lights up the shop. Teas run the gamut from classic and fragrant jasmine to purah, which is as black as coffee with a surprisingly smoky flavor. You can also sample a variety of teas. If you crave for a nibble to hold you over until the evening, ask for toast, which comes in Texas- size slices with a small post of fresh orange marmalade. The experience is one many rewards for those who venture off the beaten path.
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