We got a phone call around December 20th that my brother Kei aka Casa de Kei, would be driving up from LA around Christmas. So we sprung at the chance of hosting him on Xmas Eve for a raw bar popup, accompanied by Martinis made by our...
*This week, Casa de Kei lunchboxes will be available for pickup at Umami Mart in Oakland. Pick up times will be Thursday July 9 and Friday July 10 at 12-3pm. Check out his menu on his Instagram page and order with him directly. Keisuke...
Last May, Stonemill Matcha opened in the former Tartine space in the Mission. My brother, Keisuke Akabori, was hired as the executive chef of the cafe – a concept from Japan to introduce matcha culture to the Bay Area, complete with sweets and savory dishes for breakfast and lunch. ...
Details from our fourth annual celebration of four years in Oakland. Featuring Aburaya, Casa de Kei, FOB Kitchen, Emeryville Taiko, and Coedo Brewery.
Umami Mart celebrates its 4th birthday with Coedo Brewery, Ramen Shop, Abura-Ya, Casa de Kei, FOB Kitchen, B-Dama, others. Part of Oakland Beer Fest.
Our cheese and sake pop-up dinner featured a 5-course tasting menu by Keisuke Akabori and Hakkaisan Brewery sakes poured by Sake Samurai, Tim Sullivan.
I'm happy to report that we had a successful fundraising event for Tohoku last month. This was our first collaboration with UC Berkeley's Center for Japanese Studies, and we'd all agree that it was awesome. Despite the massive rain that...
For the fifth anniversary of the Tohoku disaster, we are teaming up with the Center for Japanese Studies at UC Berkeley to bring you TOHOKU SPRINGS BACK, an evening of food, drinks, music and dancing.
Photos from our huge Matsuri party in the parking lot behind Umami Mart. Abura-ya, Team Print Shop, Hopscotch, Workhorse Rye, Emeryville Taiko, more.
Wow guys, THREE YEARS!!! Can you believe we have been open in Old Oakland for three whole years???!?!?! From bare walls to Skankynavian chic, Yoko and I are so proud and happy to have been able to share our passion...
We can not tell you how fun it has been at Umami Mart since we've started selling beers and sake. We are America's first Japanese beer shop! And you ain't seen nothin' yet, ya'll. Getting our license to sell alcohol was our...
Another summer, come and gone. Erm, another fall, come and gone. It's starting to get chilly here in the Bay Area so I thought I would bring back some summertime warmth and celebration and blog about our 2nd annual Umami Mart...
We are beyond excited to announce yet another collaboration event with our neighbor The Trappist. Baird Beer, a brewery from Numazu, Japan will be visiting for one night only, taking over 10 taps at the Trappist! Mr. Bryan Baird himself will...
Pro tips from a chef on how to take care of – and clean –your cast iron pan.
Guess what? It's our birthday! We're turning TWO years old (can you believe?!?!?!) and as we promised, we are making our Matsuri festival an annual tradition and throwing yet another big bash to celebrate our summertime birthday (holla to the Leos)....
In November, we snuck in to San Francisco and popped-up in The Perish Trust for the holidays. But it's now April, spring is in bloom, and we're still here! We'll actually be staying in San Francisco until the new year, so on April...
The Bay Area has been so good to us. First, we opened our flagship store in Oakland in 2012 -- to our surprise, people were into our Japanese kitchen and barware shop! Then, back in November, we opened up as a...
Let's be real: when my brother Keisuke said he would join us for our First Annual Kauai Trip, I hoped (really hard) that he would cook for us. Ah hell, we all did. Have you seen Casa de Kei? His midnight creations are totally...
INGREDIENTS 1 kampachi kama (or any other desired fish collar like yellowtail, red snapper, or salmon) make sure to clean it thoroughly for scales and grit, it is not pleasant to eat 1 bunch komatsuna (or spinich) 5 small matsutake mushrooms (or any other mushroom...
INGREDIENTS Serves 2 1 small chicken breast, cut into small cubes 10 green beans, diced small 1/4 medium yellow onion, diced small 1/2 cup kimchi, diced medium 4 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 fresno chili or jalapeño, diced extra small 3 eggs, whisked...
