日本新食趣：好吃不怕脏

The floor's sticky, the paint's peeling from the walls, and when your meal arrives there's a greasy thumbprint on the plate. But don't worry--the food at this restaurant lives up to its three stars.

黏乎乎的地面，斑驳剥落的墙壁，端上来的菜盘子上还有油腻的大拇指印，但别担心，这家餐馆获得三颗星评级，它的菜肴不会让你失望。

No, not from Michelin. These stars are awarded by Japan's latest hit TV show, 'Kitanachelin,' in which Tokyo's cheapest, filthiest, but most delicious eateries are visited and rated by a bunch of comics and TV stars dressed in evening wear more suitable for dinner at The Ritz.

然而，这并非来自法国美食杂志《米其林》(Michelin)的美食评级，而是日本最新一档电视节目“Kitanachelin”给出的评价。在这档节目中，一群喜剧演员和电视明星穿上更适合去丽兹酒店(Ritz)赴宴的晚装，在东京街头寻访那些价格最便宜、看上去最脏，但味道最好的美味佳肴。

The title combines the Japanese word for dirty (kitanai) with the name of the hallowed French foodie guide, which launched a Tokyo edition in 2007.

“Kitanachelin”是把日语中的“肮脏”(kitanai)和“米其林”(Michelin)这两个词揉合在一起创造出来的。《米其林》杂志曾于2007年发行过一期专门介绍东京美食的指南。

The Japanese are renowned gourmets, but two decades of economic stagnation and the worst recession since World War II have put the finest cuisine beyond the reach of many wallets and expense accounts. The good news is that there are gems to be found at the other end of the cost scale, as long as you don't mind the odd filthy apron or wobbly table.

日本人素以喜好美食著称，但二十年来的经济低迷以及最近一轮自二战以来最严重的经济衰退使许多囊中羞涩的日本人面对价格昂贵的美食望而兴叹。好在便宜的菜肴中也有一些可供挖掘的亮点，前提是你不介意怪模怪样脏兮兮的围裙，或是摇摇晃晃的餐桌。

The Fuji TV show cheekily sports a riff on the Michelin man for its logo. It started as a segment on a popular comedy program and grew into a series of hour-long specials, tapping into a recent trend toward what locals are calling, B-kyu gurume, or B-class gourmet--good, cheap, unfussy food, That goes along with the wider trend of budget-conscious Japanese consumers shunning department stores and luxury goods in favor of Uniqlo clothing and 99-yen grocery stores.

富士电视台(Fuji TV)推出的“Kitanachelin”厚着脸皮借用了“米其林轮胎先生”(Michelin man)作为招牌形像。这档节目起初是个热门的喜剧栏目，后来发展成为每期一小时的系列片，专门介绍东京本地人所谓的“B档菜”，也就是那些好吃、便宜、也不太讲究的菜肴。这一定位正好契合精打细算的日本消费者越来越普遍的节俭之风，他们避免去百货公司和奢侈品专卖店买东西，转而青睐优衣库(Uniqlo)品牌的衣服，以及每件99日圆的杂货店。

Once featured on 'Kitanachelin,' the show's popularity means a restaurant will likely see a surge in customers. Aroyna Tabeta, a grimy but authentic Thai hole-in-the-wall joint under some train tracks near the Wall Street Journal's office, had a long line outside the night after it won two stars on the show.

“Kitanachelin”节目很受欢迎，也就是说，一旦哪家餐馆获得好评，慕名而来的食客数量很可能激增。Aroyna Tabeta是一家铺面狭小、卫生条件不好、但很地道的泰式餐厅，位于《华尔街日报》东京办公室附近；自从获得“Kitanachelin”的两星级评价后，每晚都有长长的队伍排在餐厅外等待。

The launch of the Michelin guide in 2007 caused a flurry of excitement in the Japanese media. But for many residents, it merely confirmed what they already knew: that the city has the best food in the world. In the 2010 edition of its guide to Tokyo, Michelin awarded its coveted 3-star rating to 11 restaurants--one more than Paris, and more than London and New York combined.

2007年发行的《米其林》东京美食指南让日本媒体兴奋不已，纷纷进行报导，但对许多本地人来说，这只是确认了东京依然是一个国际美食之都，而他们早就知道这一点。在2010版的东京美食指南中，《米其林》给东京的11家餐厅评了令人梦寐以求的三颗星评级──比巴黎还多一家，并超过了伦敦和纽约加起来的总和。

Michelin declined to comment on the Japanese TV show, but has said it continues to branch out in Japan.

《米其林》杂志拒绝置评日本电视节目“Kitanachelin”，但表示将继续扩大对日本美食的探寻。