Looking back on our trip to Japan in February, the most memorable cocktail was at Bar EST!. A short distance from the Yushima train station in Tokyo, EST! is a dark, tavernous space filled with men drinking a scotch on the rocks and smoking cigarettes.
A simple recipe for tuna toast, using Japanese milk toast, canned tuna, mayonnaise, and cheese.
Shortribs, potatoes and dduk (rice cakes). Savory, comforting and down right delicious. The oils bubbled on the sizzling hot stone platter throughout the entire meal. This feast felt like celebration for kings and queens, family and the closest of friends. Sun Nong Dan 3470 W. 6th Street...
We are excited to announce a special morning event with our great friends Maya Shiroyama of Kitazawa Seed Co., and Kristyn Leach of Namu Farm. Two years ago, we hosted an event on planting + garden caretaking with Kristyn; remember that?...
A recipe for Japanese shisomaki – the sweet, nutty filling and slightly crispy outer shiso roll is so satisfying and delicious!
Our Japan trip last month was a jam-packed, 5-city tour with barware factory tours, sake brewery pit-stops and a visit to a craft brewery! Niigata Beer has been around for 17 years now, brewing beers for the local market, and also making beers for other...
The misokoshi is a tool that we have sold since we first opened our shop. It looks like a mini ramen strainer, but alas, it is for straining miso in liquid. Namely, it works perfectly for miso soup. Here's a video made...
Japan is a country full of people who work hard and play hard. Many put in 60+ hours into the work week, not including the after hours drinking they are forced to join with their colleagues. But I'm happy to report that they rest hard too....
As you know by now, Tori-chan is a dear friend of ours who opened Jicca, a restaurant and wine bar in the Hatagaya neighborhood in Tokyo nearly two years ago. She is a native of Minami-soma in Fukushima prefecture; a town that was...
If you try Googling "Fukushima" you'll get pages and pages of links with words like, "tragedy" "disaster" and "fear" in the title. This is simply fact. On March 11, 2011, Fukushima prefecture was home to an earthquake, then tsunami so devastating that it caused a massive...
People in Japan are cuckoo for beer. It remains the most popular alcoholic beverage in Japan, accounting for two thirds of all alcohol consumed overall (says Wikipedia). When going out with friends or coworkers after work, it is an ongoing tradition for the table...
We are really enjoying the kissaten (cafe) lifestyle here in Japan and we have visited several in Tokyo and Fukushima during our travels. Unlike Starbucks or other branded coffee shops, kissaten are a place to unwind, have a smoke, sip a cup of joe and...
As a Japanese person, I love to drink. The first time I traveled to the U.S. with my sister, the two of us would always order a bottle of wine during lunch, and then again for dinner. The servers were always amazed;...
When people ask Yoko or myself if it was "always in the plan" to turn Umami Mart into a brick and mortar shop, the answer is always "no." We do get this question quite often. But back in 2007 when...
Today I want to go back to 2009, when our resident beer specialist CJ wrote a six-part guide to home brewing, right here on Umami Mart. It is a very comprehensive read for anyone trying to start their own batch...
Let me start off by saying that I think Abura-ya is the most exciting dining experience in the Bay Area in the last few years. By "exciting" I mean: doing something spectacularly new and genre-bending -- all deliciously, and not one bit bank-breaking. Abura-ya specializes...
A simple, but delicious recipe for crunchy and vinegary celery asazuke (Japanese quick pickles). A great side dish or accompaniment for beer.
It’s time to raise a pint or three! SF Beer Week begins on Friday, February 6, and this is the ultimate guide for the true beer aficionado. This isn’t for people who say they like beer and proceed to order what may...
We had a fantastic event with our lovely neighbors, The Trappist, back in November -- the brewmaster of Baird Beer was here visiting from Japan, so they took over the taps! They were so kind to invite us in on the fun...
Three under-the-radar Oakland restaurants that deliver on comfort, flavor, and cost.
