Last Friday, Kayoko hosted a girl's night at her house. While our other halves sulked around the house or went away for the weekend into the mountains, us girls gorged ourselves on beef, pork and chicken balls. It was also my birthday, so my sister...
When it comes to waiting for food, New York is turning into Japan. The Cronut for example, a pastry mashup of croissant + donut created at the Dominique Ansel Bakery, is apparently so good that people line up at 6am to score the precious...
Mytilus edulis, also known as the common mussel, is a medium-sized edible “marine bivalve mollusc” in the family Mytilidae, or simply, mussels. I sure most of you have had Moules-frites when in France, but the dish is actually from Belgium, and dates back as far as...
I'm in a flurry of packing at the moment. Actually, Yoko and MOTO had to come over and help me pack since I just can't seem to get it together. The movers come tomorrow and my days of single living are about to become a...
One of my favorite things to find at the fish counter is sujiko (fish roe). Its appearance is fleeting so I end up getting pounds of it to take advantage of the situation. I swear I could never get bored of ikura....
I am really into pulverizing food lately. In addition to my daily dose of fruit smoothie in the morning, I've also been experimenting with finely chopped foods. Chopping things can only be a pleasure if you have a really sharp knife, which is why I've been...
Heat saute pan with olive oil, add napa cabbage, sauté for 30 seconds. Add mentaiko (spicy cod roe), chili flakes, and half of the shirasu (baby anchovies). Once slightly cooked, add pasta, stir and plate. Garnish with microgreens, shirasu, mentaiko and...
On my recent trip to Japan, Kuni and I went to a kona-ya (flour shop) in Ikebukuro, Tokyo called Hokutou Seifun. They hold soba and udon noodle-making classes on the second floor of their storefront. Our fingerless noodle master was dedicated to...
In seven years of Umami Mart, there has not been a single post about dashinomoto! As the editor and founder of this international food blog, I am... ashamed. Dashinomoto (aka fake dashi aka MSG) is the backbone of LAZY Japanese home cooking. Yoko and
I have a confession to make: I am not a fan of potlucks. I've always found it to be a lot of pressure and kind of take them too seriously. But bringing a home-cooked dish to a party is not only financially practical for the...
Come out for the 2nd edition of the Ippo Ramen pop-up here at Umami Mart. Last month, the ramen sold out in record time -- 56 bowls in 56 minutes. You know what that means... get here EARLY if you want a...
I love canned fish. When I was little, I would eat canned sardines in miso sauce by the spoonful. Like ice cream! Haha. During my year living in Italy, I learned how to make this dish: pasta with canned tuna, onions...
Cao lầu is a noodle dish comprised of pork, mint and noodles and is native to the town Hoi An in Vietnam. *Johnny Lopes is based in San Francisco and traveled through Southeast Asia for two months. See what he ate during his three-country...
My first-ever visit to New York was with my sister and it flew by. It's been four years since we travelled together and she's always so much fun -- we do a lot of laughing, shopping and, of course, eating. This time was no...
We are SUPER EXCITED to host a pop-up by Ippo Ramen this First Friday 4/5. Proprietor Steve Yee will be here starting at 6pm, ready to cook up some noodles to serve you his ramen. His simple menu consists of three...
London Ramen Wars Part I: Ittenbari The second ramen bar that opened in London close on the heels of Ittenbari is Tonkotsu located in the middle of Soho. Run by the team behind Tsuru Sushi whose pop-up ramen event I attended...
By Johnny Lopes Khaosan Road, Bangkok; Backpacker Mecca. The street gets stupid busy at night between fellow travelers and merchant hustlers. You can buy everything from new suits to a ride to a local ping-pong show. As an amateur photo-journalist project, I went...
London is currently undergoing a ramen boom. In the past year alone, five new ramen bars are opening its doors to a public clamouring for some hearty B-kyu Japanese grub. It's a ramen war, baby. Compared to what was available before, these...
Ramen culture has finally reached America. In New York, when it rains, it rains cats and dogs. There are so many new places opening up and I already lost count. Tonkotsu, shoyu, miso, there is so much variety. Plus, American-owned ramen places serve innovative dishes...
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Keisuke aka Kid Skwid, my beloved brother. He has recently been promoted to sous chef at the famed Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. Congrats, K! And lucky for us, he will grace the pages of Umami Mart...
