Japanese food highlight of Fresno’s Ginza Food Bazaar

The Ginza Food Bazaar, set for Sunday, Oct. 25, will feature all kinds of Japanese food, from traditional favorites such as sushi to creative inventions such as breaded, deep-fried hot dogs with cabbage.

The Fresno Buddhist Temple will host the fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fresno Betsuin Family Dharma Center, 2690 E. Alluvial Ave.

The event is free. Food prices vary. Most of the temple’s members are of Japanese descent, and so is the food.

And boy, will there be a lot of food.

Organizer Gordon Misaki ticks off the options: sushi, teriyaki chicken and beef, curry rice, chicken salad, barbecue ribs. There will also be shrimp and vegetable tempura made in three big vats of oil.

Then there’s the katsu dogs.

Katsu dishes served at most restaurants are typically pork or chicken coated in panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried.

One day, Clovis resident Wayne Aoki’s mind got to pondering what else could be made katsu style.

“I thought, I like hot dogs ... why don’t we try that?” he said. “We did it at home, and the kids loved it.”

The katsu hot dogs have been a staple at the food bazaar ever since. For $5, the beef hot dog is coated in bread crumbs and deep-fried. It’s topped with thinly sliced cabbage and two Japanese sauces or optional teriyaki sauce.

“On the outside, it has that light, crispy crunch to it,” Aoki says. “There’s nowhere else in town you’re going to get it.”

As for desserts, there are some traditional cakes and pies made by temple members.

Anpan is also on the menu.

“It looks like a bierock almost, but it’s got a sweet bean filling in the middle,” Misaki says.

Takeout boxes include a quarter chicken, rice, vegetables and chow mein for $15. The boxes must be ordered ahead of time by calling (559) 442-4054 and picked up by 2 p.m. on the day of the festival.

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Japanese food highlight of Fresno’s Ginza Food Bazaar."