The day has arrived: Ayagwa just had her baby!!!!!!! HOORAY!!! AYAMAMA and TMONKEY! Kai Phoenix Chen was born today, October 12, 2009 at 17:04 EDT, inside their lovely home in Brooklyn, NY. He is 7lbs., 14oz. WELCOME TO PLANET EARTH, KAI! We are gonna eat so much good food together- get excited! Congratulations to Ayagwa […]
Author Archives: Kayoko Akabori
Butternut Squash Seed Selector
Strolling through the farmer’s market the other morning, I finally felt that autumn is here. The colors of all the fruits and vegetables are earthier; all the greens and orange hues, bolder. It’s my favorite time of year- break out the hats and scarves, yay! I started going through the butternut squash at one of […]
October 11, 2009
Zuni Cafe: The Truth is in the Butter (SF)
After all my bitching, I finally got my fancypants on at Zuni Cafe last month. I must say that the place far exceeded my expectations. It was all in the butter. I have a slight obsession with butter, as you all know. It is a major detail that so many fancy restaurants overlook, it drives […]
October 9, 2009
AkaboriKnife
My pops got a new fish slicer-dicer for work. Check it. He got it engraved with the family name, or as fancy Upper Eastsiders would say, “monogrammed.” AKABORI HOLLER! Kinda awesome (Mifune/YOJIMBO) slash creepy (Mishima/SEPPUKU).
October 8, 2009
Umamiventure #18: Din Tai Fung (LA)
Trailing on the coattails of Yoko’s earlier Umamiventure post to the SAME EXACT RESTAURANT in Tokyo, I am finally ready to unveil the greatness that was Din Tai Fung (DTF) in LA. The only outpost in the U.S. of this legendary Taiwanese restaurant!! As you’ll see, the dumplings look suspiciously similar to the ones they […]
October 5, 2009
The Umami Reader, vol. 071: Paystyle, Tyra, Gourmet Mag RIP
– UM’s resident cocktail master Paystyle shakes it up with Rachel Maddow for a Scotch-Off. Congratulations Pay!!!! Homeboy looks so dapper with a beard! (Gothamist) – (heart)BREAKING: Condé Nast gives Gourmet Mag the axe. TRAGEDY (NYT Diner’s Journal; via Amy T.) – Eater offers a whopping $25 for food blogs across America to shut their […]
Bun Mi Should BAN ME (Minneapolis)
Okay, I am suddenly obsessed with the goodness that is banh mi. I always read about it, seen the standard food porn, and it seemed like a good concept until I actually tried it and IT BLEW MY MIND. I have become an utter addict, similar to the Chipotle obsession my sister had when she […]
September 28, 2009
The Golden State BEER FLOAT (LA)
Just got back from LaLaLand for the last in a never ending series of weddings this year (uhhh, SEVEN). Jon Sublet got hitched!!! It was quite the wedding for the ages- the dessert table consisted of Persian sweets, fresh figs and these beautiful petite WHOLE CUCUMBERS. Of course I shamelessly had like five of them, […]
September 27, 2009
Babble about Babbo (NYC)
Babbo lives on Waverly Place, nestled unassuminly in the West Village, tasteful in terms of blending in with the rest of the street. It’s funny how I work in the area, yet had no idea the famed place was within such close proximity. A colleague of mine visited New York City with a “bucket list” […]
September 24, 2009
Pho Lovin’: Turtle Tower (SF)
This is dedicated to You Cannot Be Serious, aka Jenny C. Finally, ehem, FINALLY, made it out to the famed Turtle Tower last week for a quick city pho stop. I had an interview to get to down in San Jose, so I was in a hurry, and there’s nothing quicker and deliciouser than a […]