Author Archives: Kayoko Akabori


October 29, 2009

Postcards from Japan, IV: Yoko’s Kitchen

by Kayoko Akabori

Yoko has since moved out of her little studio in Shimokitazawa, but I remember taking this picture cause her stovetop cracked me up. ONE BURNER!!! I mean, really, why would anyone need more than that, right? Pretty inconceivable for Americans. Where would Hideko’s precious coffee machine go? This here picture captures the entire width of […]

October 27, 2009

Postcards from Japan, III: OYSTERS

by Kayoko Akabori

OYSTER SEASON IS HERE! Best time of the year to be ALIVE. My friend Maho and I went to an oyster bar “happy hour” in Nishiazabu, Tokyo- although whatever they were still pricey as hell. I could kick myself for losing my notes on where these darlings came from. Yoko thinks most likely from down […]

October 26, 2009

Gadget Patrol: Hario Drip Coffee Pot

by Kayoko Akabori

The day has come: my mother’s horrible ABOMINATION of a coffee maker has finally broken down. YESSS! It shut down on her the other morning, which finally gave me a chance to break out the cute little Hario drip coffee maker that I bought in Japan last year. (I still perceive myself as a house […]

October 22, 2009

The Umami Reader, vol. 72

by Kayoko Akabori

– Organic food fraud at Target: basically sums up why I loathe corporate/USDA-summoned “organic”, it’s all such a farce. Don’t even get me started on Whole Foods. Ugh. Get your lazyass to the farmer’s market! (Huffington Post; via Tmonkey) – Probably the funniest review I’ve read on the KFC Double Down sandwich. “Like grief, the […]

FATTY Eat N’ Tweet Challenge (NYC)

by Kayoko Akabori

To kick-off the unveiling of the book based on the wildly popular website, This Is Why You’re Fat (TIWYF), NYC is getting its very own Food Truck Twitter-Off next Thursday 10/29. It is guaranteed to be a day of gorging fattasery, in what will be a massive, city-wide scavenger hunt. What fun! Aptly titled the […]

October 21, 2009

Packaging Whore: Guadagni Jug O’ Wine

by Kayoko Akabori

A few weeks back, my bff Kristi, Nate and I stopped by Preston Creek Winery on our way back from the Ladhabhoy nuptials in Healdsburg, Sonoma County (I went to a total of seven weddings this year- that’s IT! NO MORE PLEASE!). Nate had heard about Preston and their organically grown wines from his vino […]

October 19, 2009

Postcards from Japan, II: 8 Steps to Soba Heaven

by Kayoko Akabori

1.) Chopsticks holder-thingy. 2.) Chopsticks to lay on #1. 3.) Cup for soba broth. 4.) Little container of housemade broth, to pour into #3. 5.) Dish of green onions and wasabi. To be added to #3 (only after #4 is poured in). 6.) Pink salt for Exhibit 7. 7.) Maitake tempura. How autumnal! To be […]

WHO IS IT VERSUS?: Hong Kong Noodle vs. Village Wok (Minneapolis)

by Kayoko Akabori

So I’m back in the metropolitan New York area from my travels in the Midwest, where I had a little too much time to nosh. Along the street I lived on were several Chinese food joints which tempted me in the times I’m not already eating banh mi. I decided to visit, er, frequent some […]

October 16, 2009

Postcards from Japan, I: Pon de Ring Donut

by Kayoko Akabori

I have been going through my hard drive and am finding a shitton of Japan Food pics from my visit last year that I never shared with you. My one-year anniversary of leaving NYC is fast approaching- I left on November 3 and went straight to Japan for nearly the entire month, remember? It’s all […]

October 14, 2009

Umamiventure #20: Oktoberfest = POLKA (SF)

by Kayoko Akabori

It’s OKTOBERFESTIME!!!! This is probably the most gimmicky Umamiventure ever organized, but I figured that a silly event is good for us once in a while. As Dr. Steve Brule would say: For Your Health! I have heard from very reliable sources that Schroeder’s in SF is huge and awesome and has a raging Oktoberfest […]