Author Archives: Kayoko Akabori


April 23, 2010

Sweedeedee Jerkey: The Meat Treat with a Sweet Heat

by Kayoko Akabori

Sweedeedee Jerky‘s little booth at the SF Underground Market last week was just about to close down by the time I got in– they had SOLD OUT of everything by 6pm! Troy, the master chef behind Sweedeedee Jerky, and his lovely girlfriend (aka Sweedeedee Marketing Manager) Pamela had graciously saved me a bag. Lucky me! […]

April 15, 2010

Lazyass Cookin’: The Cold Tofu Salad

by Kayoko Akabori

Spare me the formalities and let me present to you: The Cold Tofu Salad. – Cold tofu, the kind you get in the square plastic container in the refrigerated section of the store. Your best bet is to get the House brand, which is at many markets now (I personally like the medium firmness, although […]

April 13, 2010

Home of Chicken & Waffles (OAK)

by Kayoko Akabori

Went to see guitarists Bill Frissell and Marc Ribot at Yoshi’s the other night. What an awesome duo! But aside from the music, of course the quintessential question was, “Where should we eat before the show?” I helped brainstorm a bit with Ron (because that is what I do), and we decided on the Home […]

April 12, 2010

Heads Up- Umamiventure #24: Guerilla Ramen Night (SF)

by Kayoko Akabori

Let’s say I know this guy. We’ll call him Marcel. Marcel is a ramenaholic. You think you love ramen? Oh no, not like Marcel loves ramen. Marcel has traveled to Japan multiple times to meticulously research the art of ramen. The broth. The noodles. The pork. This dude is so obsessed, that he pulls his […]

April 9, 2010

Meat Watch: Lap Cheong aka Chinese Sausage from Mow Lee Co.

by Kayoko Akabori

One of my loyal Monday night regulars brought me these on the other week. A bag full of Chinese sausages! YAY! He grew up in  San Francisco and swears that this one butcher in Chinatown, Mow Lee Co., makes them the best (774 Commercial at Grant, 982-5767). He brought me the regular pork kind, and […]

April 5, 2010

(sand)Wich Hunt: Brooklyn Gourmet Deli (NYC)

by Kayoko Akabori

You know it’s true: it’s damn near impossible these days to find a good sandwich. What’s up with that? I mean seriously, it should NOT be that hard to make a decent-tasting sandwich. I blame Subway’s $5 Footlong entirely– they’ve made it impossible for the public to have any standards when it comes to the […]

March 29, 2010

Packaging Whore: The Alembic Matchbook

by Kayoko Akabori

Finally made it out to The Alembic, a bar on Haight Street in SF– it’s a spot that has been buzzed about extensively for their cocktails and gastroeats. I believe it is related to Magnolia, the brewpub right down the street. Yoko, Washi and I enjoyed ourselves at the bar– with their awesome cocktail list, […]

March 25, 2010

Bitter Love

by Kayoko Akabori

A bourbon expert once told me that the defining ingredient in a cocktail is bitters. PDT clearly takes this very seriously.

March 23, 2010

Raw Octopus from Tsukiji Market

by Kayoko Akabori

Just in at Sushi Kuni (my pop’s restaurant): RAW OCTOPUS (nama dako)! Kuni ordered this long, spindly tentacled arm last week straight from Tsukiji market. It was over three feet long, with a gorgeous purple-pink tone. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but there’s something oddly sexy about it. Kuni lightly blanches it, […]

March 22, 2010

UM Happy Hour: Tues. 3/30 (SF)

by Kayoko Akabori

Yoko and I have decided to make 15 Romolo UM’s official clubhouse in the Bay Area. We’ll be there on Tuesday 3/30 at 6pm, and think you should meet us there. Pencil it in, please! We have a wee obsession with this bar. It’s spacious, unpretentious, they’ve got a great juke, and unique cocktail list. […]