Donuts are quintessentially American. They are fried gobs of dough drenched in icing and sprinkles. Therefore, it is a mystery why Tokyo-ites, who are otherwise so conscious of calorical intake, line-up for donuts with wait times that put lines at the Apple store the morning of the iPhone release to shame. Although Mister Donut has […]
Author Archives: Yoko Kumano
November 6, 2008
Kigi (木々) Sakurajosui, Tokyo
This place was good enough to spend both of my last two birthdays. Kigi is tucked in the heart of Setagaya-ku’s Sakurajosui. Its unpretentious service and earthy food is what I miss most about the Northern Californian food scene. Kigi is a perfect place to counter Tokyo restaurants’ tendencies to deliver over-the-top, fake service, and […]
October 22, 2008
Japan: Carbs with a Side of Carbs, Please
I was just chatting with Kayoko online, when we started talking about my lunch at Ginza’s Sato Yosuke udon restaurant. It was amazing. The noodles were thin and shiny. Apparently after they boil the noodles, they place them in ice-cold water to bring out the shiny sheen regardless if they are served chilled or warm […]
October 18, 2008
No Photos of the Naked Girl with Sushi All Over Her
It was my friend Jonathan’s birthday party last night at his new house. Buzzing with lots of English speakers and models from Romania, I bust open the door and there’s a naked girl on his dining room table with sashimi all over her! If you haven’t heard of this phenomenon it’s called “Nyotaimori” (direct translation […]
September 29, 2008
Pet Sweat
Ok, this might technically not belong on a food blog because it is a drink and it is not for human consumption. But I just had to make an exception for a product I saw at the local grocery store: Pet Sweat. The Japanese seem to condone the use of the word “sweat” for a […]
September 24, 2008
The Largest Living Arthropod in the World (Ishigaki)
I ate it. Yashigani or coconut crabs live in the Indian and Central Pacific regions. I have never seen one in Tokyo, therefore, although it’s quite pricey (4000yen for a small one at 500 grams), I knew I had to try it. They are terrestrial and have fluffier meat than their aquatic counterparts. The body […]
September 16, 2008
Do the Gyu, OG Style (Ishigaki)
My third blog entry on my trip to Ishigaki Island in Okinawa is about beef. Since moving to Japan, I realize just how beef-obsessed the Japanese are. Yakiniku is huge, guaranteeing for really stinky salarymen on packed trains every Friday night. Luckily on Ishigaki Island, there are no salarymen. Ishigaki-gyu (cow) is probably what Ishigaki […]
September 10, 2008
Fruit Fetish (Ishigaki)
Part II in a series of food reviews from my trip to Ishigaki Island, Okinawa. The tropical climate of the Okinawa Islands yields wonderful fruits. Our visit, in the beginning of September, coincided with the best of pineapple season. I was eager to try as much fruit as possible. My first chance was the hotel […]
September 5, 2008
Dream Shop TOMURU (Ishigaki)
I would like to go by the 1992 Vanessa Williams’ hit “Save the Best for Last” regarding my reviews for the various eats I experienced during my 5-day trip to Ishigakijima (Okinawa). Ishigakijima is the most beautiful place I have ever been to. It was the ideal vacation spot to chill out and enjoy a […]
August 6, 2008
The Mentai Mash
I adapted this recipe from a mag I was thumbing through. The original recipe tells you to serve cold and in thin strips, like say if you were to make strips with a potato peeler. I just turned it into mashed potatoes because I can’t resist the smoothness of mash. I often come across mentaiko […]