The Hotel New Grand home of the spaghetti Napolitana and pudding al a mode

Updated Jun 02, 2017

| 2 min read

Hotel New Grand is located in front of Yokohama’s Yamashita Park. After the war in the Pacific it was requisitioned for the occupying forces, and the menu was made for the families of the American forces. Spaghetti Napolitana and pudding a la mode were both made first here. You can still savor the same flavor from way back then.

Hotel New Grand in front of Yokohama's Yamashita Park

Opened in 1927 Hotel New Grand is a classic hotel located right in front of Yamashita Park in Yokohama. Here you can have a taste of the menu developed for the occupying troops and their families after WWII. The retro feel and the very new parts of the hotel interior harmonize very well here. It has been used in many movies and TV shows such as “The Yuuchoten Hotel”, “Tsunagu”, “Kareinaru Ichizoku”, “Nankyoku Tairiku”.

Spaghetti Napolitana the taste of the occupying forces

You can eat a Spaghetti Napolitana at The Café, a coffee house on the first floor. The chefs at the time used the occupying force’s ration’s tomato ketchup and spaghetti as inspiration of this dish. Letting the spaghetti rest for a day after boiling, the sauce which uses raw tomato paste, onion, garlic, ham, mushrooms, and olive oil is mixed in to make Spaghetti Napolitana. With some parsley sprinkled on top and parmesan cheese to your liking added the taste becomes very mild. The taste brings back memories and is a favorite among children and adults alike. You have to have your mouth covered in ketchup when eating this, that’s just how it is.

Pudding a la mode, the dessert made for the officer's wives

While it was under occupation for 7 years many of the officers’ families would stay here as well. Pudding a la mode was developed to satisfy the wives of the officers. They not only focused on the quality but also made the volume American sized, and it started with pudding, ice cream, and fruits piled into a boat shape plate. Each dish, limited to only 15 servings a day, is carefully constructed. With a sweet hard baked pudding made specially here, thick raw cream vanilla ice cream, and seasonal fruits the pudding a la mode is a fancy dessert first made in Yokohama.

You can take home the pudding from the pudding a la mode

Recently you are now allowed to take home the pudding from the pudding a la mode so you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own home. If you missed getting one of the limited 15 servings per day, or you want to share it with someone it will be perfect.