On Sunday 3/11, the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan, Yoko and I helped organize a cross-cultural exchange between bartenders from Japan and San Francisco. Held at Prizefighter Bar in Emeryville, it was an intimate gathering of old friends, and new. Tomokazu Kai (Heuga Bar) and Masako Ikegami (Bar Shake) had won […]
Author Archives: Kayoko Akabori
March 16, 2012
Umamimart Pop-Up #1: Ramen Night @ Sutton Cellars (SF)
– THIS IS EVENT IS SOLD OUT – UPDATE 3/29, 8am PDT: There are no more tickets available for this event. The Umamimart Shop pop-up booth will be in session regardless, which does not require an event ticket. Stop by and say hi! Cheers, Kayoko Umamimart turned 5yo this year! To celebrate, we’re joining forces […]
March 9, 2012
Remembrance
Spring is just around the corner, and plum blossoms are bursting all over Japan, California, and beyond. A year after the devastation of the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, Japan still stands, its spirit strong, with people going about its business just like the rest of us. While the struggle is not over — affected areas […]
March 2, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: China Village (Albany)
I woke up to an email this morning with the subject line: “You’re so ahead of your time!” Bryan’s good friend Rob was informing me that March is National Noodle Month, and forwarded me this article about the celebrations in LA. So what the hell, let’s extend noodle month through March! April! FOREVER! Today, I […]
February 24, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: Amphawa Thai Noodle House (SF)
Sakura’s noodle report from Bangkok earlier this week had me craving for a bowl of bah mee nam here in the Bay Area. I scoured the city’s Thai restaurant menus but did not find anything comparable to Sakura’s favorite noodle dish. But, fear not, as an awesome Thai spot recently opened up in the Richmond called Amphawa Thai […]
February 17, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: Naengmyeon @ Sura (OAK)
IÂ love the pucker-your mouth tartness of naengmyeon–cold buckwheat noodles with cucumbers, hard-boiled egg and pickled Asian pears, doused in a chilled vinegar broth. Like craving ice cream when it’s snowing out, I do love this during the cold winter months. Thanks to Chungtech for introducing me to Sura. They have noodle specials every day! But […]
February 10, 2012
Lazyass Cookin’: Curry Udon
As we continue to celebrate the almighty noodle here, I give you one of my most delicious, yet absurdly lazyass recipes in my repertoire: curry udon. I love making Japanese-style curry in the winter, it is so soul-warming, with all the carrots, onions, meat and potatoes. But living alone means getting bored of having the same […]
February 8, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: Pho Ga Special @ Ao Sen (OAK)
Pho ga dac biet is a special chicken noodle soup at Ao Sen, my favorite pho joint in the East Bay. They serve boiled chicken on the side, bone-in and skin-on, with a florescent orange ginger sauce. It is comforting when you are sick, and warming on dreary rain-filled days. The new Ao Sen location in […]
February 3, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: Pizzeria Matsuhisa (Tokyo)
Spaghetti with asari (clams), shirauo (little white fish) and arugula at Pizzeria Matsuhisa in Denenchofu, Tokyo. Someday, I will open a wafu (Japanese-style) pasta shop in Oakland.
February 2, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: Drunken Noodles @ SriPraPhai (NYC)
Drunken noodles at SriPraPhai in Woodside, Queens. From Umamiventure #4 in 2007. The savory hot sweetness of the dish still hovers in my memory. Photo by Irwin Chen.