Quote:
Originally Posted by JayT
You can never fail with the curry 
Every restaurant in Tokyo has curry it seems like.
Although you will be surprised that not everything on the menu is seafood.
I rarely eat seafood here myself. |
There is some level of seafood derivatives in almost everything.
Yes, even curry. (Most use bonito extract in the sauces). Not actually having seafood in something doesn`t mean that there aren`t trace amounts of seafood.
That might be something that would not be that big of an issue for someone who doesn`t like seafood, or who simply doesn`t eat seafood... (Not knowing it is there will not hurt them) But in the case of an allergy, things are different. Even extract used in a sauce on a hamburger can trigger a reaction.
I wish I could offer better advice, but let me just say that Japan would be one of the last places I would want to be responsible for someone with a seafood allergy. Extracts are used even in condiments and seasonings, so there is a fair chance that restaurants may not even be aware that there is some amount of seafood in something or other - even if they are trying.
Your best bet is probably to prepare your own food or to eat things that you can see being prepared. It`s very easy to find things that do not contain seafood as an explicit ingredient - but not to avoid all trace amounts.
I would make sure that everywhere you plan to eat is confirmed ahead of time and that the places you stay are very aware that even trace amounts can cause a serious reaction.