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...
Not many snacks require instructions, but you'll be left hungry if you don't play by the rules when eating an onigiri (rice ball). A traditional Japanese snack, onigiri is made of salted rice, loaded with a savory center, and wrapped in a seaweed jacket. The seaweed is usually wrapped in plastic,...
Our first year as Umami Mart in 3D has zipped by. We opened our doors at 815 Broadway on August 3, 2012, and what a year it's been! It seems like only yesterday that Yoko and I were having one of our weekly meetings at...
I went to the future the other day and found this synopsis on an IMDB page from 2018: A lonely Tokyo ramen shop proprietor secretly pines for a local bar owner and former model. His three most devoted customers, two wacky foreigners and their Japanese...
One of the things my mum wanted to eat in Kuala Lumpur was bak kut teh, the rather notorious Chinese medicinal broth in which pork, veg and other delicacies are cooked. We'd heard it can be an acquired taste but my brother-in-law found Pao...
4 mini pork sausage links (Satokun sausage from Mitsuwa or Nijiya) 1/2 avocado (sliced thin) 3 shiso leaves 1 heirloom tomato (small and thick slices) 1/2 pack bunshimeji mushroom (sautéed and seasoned with salt) 3 tbsp chili aioli (mayo, siriacha and sesame oil)...
By Vanessa Lee Jeju is a volcanic island approximately 240 miles south of Seoul. It is otherwise known as the Hawaii of Korea, as well as Korea's capital for unusual theme parks -- including Love Land, which closely resembled 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....
Last night Johnny and I had plans to watch the season-premiere-of-the-same-season of Breaking Bad. It was a few nights delayed but I had been looking forward to it nonetheless. For this, I wanted to make a nice-ish dinner without slaving over...
August is our birthday month! It's been one year since we opened our doors at 815 Broadway in Oakland, and indeed it's been an enriching, exhilarating year. Thank you everyone for supporting our vision as America's premier Japanese bar and kitchenware shop! We could...
Just about a year ago, I left my day job to become an entrepreneur. Similar story to the Umami Mart ladies. Well, I haven't been featured in any major newspapers, nor do I get interviewed left and right, but it's just a matter of time...
The Cobbler is the elder statesman of summer cocktails. At its core, the Cobbler is a sour-style cocktail (spirit, citrus, sugar), which has spawned a host of delicious descendants. The most popular type during the drink's hey day was the Sherry Cobbler. This libation was...
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...
Last week, Johnny and I randomly went to Russian River. We hadn't seen each other much for the past few months, since the conbini planning and build-out, so Yoko gave me the weekend off and I booked a cottage in Guerneville, a town along the...
An annual treat. HOUSE OF PRIME RIB 1906 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94109 T: 415.885.4605
At first glance it didn't look like there would be anything out of the ordinary in Akabane. A 25-minute ride from Shinjuku, Akabane Station is thronged with commuters coming home or changing train lines -- the mark of suburbia. Its local Book-Off has a...
After months of hard negotiating, Johnny is moving to the East Bay! Yup, we are moving in together, into a quaint one-bedroom apartment with views of Lake Merritt on super cheap rent. It wasn't easy to convince Johnny to move over to the sunnier side...
During midsummer, tradition is to have unagi (freshwater eel) on specific days. The days are called doyou no ushinohi (土用の丑の日) to provide a nutritional treat, as well as to help survive the hot season. Unagi carries a lot of "stamina" nutrition, such as vitamins A and B-complex. The...
Guess what?? Umami Mart Oakland will celebrate its ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY in August!!! Both Yoko and I are so grateful for all the support we've received this past year from our community, the Bay Area, and beyond. It's one thing to start...
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...
