Author Archives: Sarah Han


November 18, 2016

The Umami Reader: Watch This Dog Help Prepare Thanksgiving Dinner

by Sarah Han

– Ever wish your dog could help out around the house? Well, here’s a video showing you how to get your pooch to help you prepare your Thanksgiving dinner! (Joseph’s Machines) - Thanksgiving is my favorite food holiday because I will forever associate it with the huge annual feast my Korean-American family would throw. Plates of kimchi, kimbap, egg […]

November 16, 2016

Eat This Now: Japanese-Style Hot Dogs in Alameda

by Sarah Han

Japanese-style hot dogs are not new. In fact, they’ve been around for at least a decade, long enough that they fall under the “Asian fusion” umbrella (a food phrase that fortunately is falling out of favor these days. It seriously gives me the heebie-jeebies). The marriage of Japanese toppings – like Kewpie mayo, takuan (pickled daikon radish), and nori […]

November 11, 2016

The Umami Reader: We Can’t Stress Eat + Drink for the Next Four Years, Can We?

by Sarah Han

– This has been a depressing week and our country’s collective waist-lines are worse for the wear. A Google search for “stress eating election” came up with tons of articles about eating and drinking (in some cases, drowning) our emotions, from coping mechanisms to deal with emotional eating to healthy-ish foods we should’ve been stuffing into […]

November 4, 2016

The Umami Reader: Yes, Racism Against Asians in the Restaurant Industry is a Thing

by Sarah Han

  – This week, Cochon555, the founders of the modern day whole-hog movement and cooking competition proved they need to brush up on their cultural sensitivity. Cochon, who claim its their mission to “educate chefs” on the importance of quality ingredients and responsibly raised proteins, posted a cringe-worthy photo from its “late-night Asian speak-easy.” The picture, taken on October 28 at the […]

November 1, 2016

Bay Eats Japan – November 2016

by Sarah Han

Welcome to Bay Eats Japan, where we’ll alert you to newly and soon-to-be opened Japanese restaurants and bars in the Bay Area. As we’ll be listing new places, a mention is not necessarily a recommendation. Use this as a handy way to keep track of new spots you might want to try in the future.  San Francisco […]

October 31, 2016

8 Delicious Ways to Enjoy Landsea Gomasio

by Sarah Han

Gomashio is a Japanese seasoning, traditionally consisting of toasted sesame seeds (goma) and salt (shio). At Umami Mart, we carry Landsea Gomasio, a Pacific Northwestern take on gomashio. Made in Eastsound, Washington by our friend Brooke Budner, Landsea Gomasio uses replaces salt with two ingredients found regionally and abundantly in Orcas Island: bull kelp, a type of seaweed with […]

October 28, 2016

The Umami Reader: World’s Largest Noodle Bowls

by Sarah Han

– This week BuzzFeed Food covered Dong Thap in Seattle, Washington, a Vietnamese restaurant that purportedly sells the “World’s Largest Bowl of Pho.” Made up of three pounds of rice noodles and meat, along with three liters of broth, this massive bowl of pho is definitely a gut bust. But last week, I came across the above […]

October 26, 2016

Meet SF’s New Michelin-Star Winning Japanese Restaurants

by Sarah Han

This week, The Michelin Guide released its much-anticipated list of awardees of its coveted stars. As of this year, the Bay Area has six three-star (the highest grade) restaurants and a total of 55 starred restaurants across the region. Three new one star-winners are notable to us at Umami Mart because of their Japanese focus, or, in one […]

October 21, 2016

The Umami Reader: Everyone’s Favorite Ramen Movie is Back in Theaters!

by Sarah Han

– Ask any food fanatic about their favorite movies and undoubtedly Tampopo will be on their list (if not #1). Juzo Itami’s delightfully playful 1985 “ramen western” tells the story of Tampopo, a woman on a mission to turn around her failing roadside noodle shop with the guidance of two truck drivers – an unlikely pair of ramen ronin. Janus Films […]

October 14, 2016

The Umami Reader: Would You Eat Pooping and Puking Dim Sum?

by Sarah Han

– Dim Sum Icon in Hong Kong has become famous for its vomiting and pooping dim sum. The restaurant – themed around the Sanrio character Gudetama – make buns shaped and then filled with chocolate or custard to look like the personified lazy egg yolk is getting sick when customers poke the buns’ orifices. Gross? Yes. Delicious. Possibly. Would I eat it? Most definitely. […]