Author Archives: Kayoko Akabori


May 21, 2010

The Chicago Ten: Espresso, Ferran Adrià Style (#8)

by Kayoko Akabori

Who knew that the one and only Ferran Adrià had created a coffee “drink” for Lavazza? I definitely had no idea, since I’m so clueless. But of course Matt, my #1 informant for all-things-awesome, knew about this. Hooray for informants!

May 19, 2010

The Chicago Ten: Wow Bao (#9)

by Kayoko Akabori

We stumbled across this place, Wow Bao, on the ground floor of a huge, blingy, 80’s-style mall on Michigan Avenue. My friend Ido had mentioned it to me, so I was ecstatic that we randomly came across it. A fast food joint of exclusively Chinese steamed buns! Their tagline is Hot Asian Buns, which is […]

May 17, 2010

The Chicago Ten: Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria (#10)

by Kayoko Akabori

To celebrate our birthdays, my great pal Matt and I met up in Chicago for a weekend of eating and drinking. Followed by more eating and drinking. And drinking. Then, eating. Ad infinitum. It’s just how we roll. Matt had just gone to Chicago in 2009, when he dined in the Holy House of Grant […]

May 6, 2010

Miller Lite Love

by Kayoko Akabori

Chicago loves Miller beer. Maybe it’s a Midwest thing (provenance Wisconsin), but seriously, it was everywhere. I saw people walking down the street with 12-packs, they were stocked in our hotel fridge, signs for them were plastered along the windows of every 7-Eleven, and people at bars simply yelled out to the bartender, “Gimme a […]

May 5, 2010

Whiskeys on Tap (CHI)

by Kayoko Akabori

Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve and JD on tap. Life can be so sweet. Kuma’s Corner. CHI.

May 3, 2010

Postcard from CHI: Spoon on the L

by Kayoko Akabori

May 2, 2010

Postcard from CHI: Gold Star Bar

by Kayoko Akabori

Gold Star’s a little dive bar in Wicker Park, Chicago. The bartender was a gracious, round lady, who bought her regulars rounds of drinks. She’s the daughter of the owner, meaning this bar has been around for decades. How old do you think this Bud Light wall clock is? The tamale guy came through the […]

May 1, 2010

Postcard from CHI: Creepiest McDonald’s In The World

by Kayoko Akabori

I’m frolicking around Chicago at the moment with @totallymatt, eating and drinking my way through this magnificent town. Just yesterday we went to Hot Doug’s for lunch, Kuma’s Corner for a beer, Blackbird for an incredible fancypants dinner, then The Green Mill for a jazz nightcap. At a certain point late in the night, we […]

April 29, 2010

Potato Color Wheel

by Kayoko Akabori

Yoko’s How To Japanify column is out today. She’s in Macau at the moment, that lucky girl. (Or not so lucky considering she’s been holed up at the Hyatt, working 18 hour days. No fun!) I took the above picture at a random butcher in Chelsea, NYC. I know it’s not really potato weather now, […]

April 27, 2010

Lazyass Cookin’: Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas w/ Lap Cheong

by Kayoko Akabori

It’s sugar snap pea season! These beans are so sweet and only need a minute in the frying pan, which means it’s perfect for us LASYASSES. Remember when I wrote about chinese sausages, aka lap cheong a couple weeks back? Let’s add those, and a clove of garlic. Deveining, or “stringing” the peas is the […]