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June 4, 2009

Eat Out Thursday: Santa Ramen (San Mateo, CA)

by Kayoko Akabori

If there is anything in this world I have authority on, it’s ramen. I know ramen- it’s in my bones. I’ve been eating the instant stuff once a week since I was five (should I be bragging about that?), and my fondest life memories somehow include ramen. Ramen while camping, ramen after a night of […]

June 3, 2009

Happy Hour: Gin & June Part 1, London Dry and Plymouth Gins

by Payman Bahmani

Summer is finally upon us, though at times the calendar seems to be the only evidence of its presence. As you prepare your summer plans and getaways, I’d like to supply you with information and inspiration that will be invaluable to your inebriation this season. The subject that I would like to discuss is Gin, […]

June 2, 2009

Lazyass Cookin’: Blanched Baby Bok Choy

by Kayoko Akabori

The word “blanched” is just a fancy way of saying “briefly boiled.” It’s my favorite kind of cooking: boil water, add vegetable, pour into colander seconds later. That’s it! This is what I do with bok choy when I buy it by the bagful in Chinatown or the local Asian grocer. It’s super cheap and […]

The Umami Reader, vol. 058: Shiso Pepsi WTF/TasteSF/Bananas

by Kayoko Akabori

– TokyoMango is trippin’ cause shiso-flavored Pepsi sounds nasty. It’s neon green for god’s sake! (via Fuminatto) – TasteSF started yesterday, and goes on until June 15. Three-course lunch for $21.95, dinner for $34.95. Here’s a chance for all you SFers to get your head out of your ass and dine somewhere other than Pasta […]

June 1, 2009

Buttered Bread Pudding Battle, Part I

by Kayoko Akabori

In pure Yamahomo style, I’m battling myself in the kitchen. I’m doing so many recipe posts lately, I can’t stop! As you can tell, my unemployed ass is starting to cook more- what the hell else do I have to do, right?? This weekend, I had a stale baguette on my hands. I’m talking like […]

May 26, 2009

Bacon Cup Cake – Say No More

by Moto Yamamoto

People in this country are obsessed with bacon. Bacon-wrapped pork, bacon-wrapped hotdogs, bacon-wrapped corn, bacon is everywhere. Last summer, I posted bacon chocolate, and there are a lot of sweet/savor combo recipes popping up and I was getting very curious about this combination. Sweet and salty is something we do enjoy. Chocolate-covered salty rice crackers […]

Culinography: Tuscan Wine Lovers Dinner

by Erin Gleeson

Last week, chef Rossano Giannini of Lanterna in Nyack, NY, was at the James Beard House for a Tuscan Wine Lovers Dinner. Delicioso! Click for a full menu. From the JBF website:“Lanterna shines an unfiltered light on the popular cuisine of Tuscany, offering a well-executed primer on the soul of true Northern Italian cuisine,” wrote […]

The Umami Reader, vol. 057: San Francisco FAIL

by Kayoko Akabori

– SF Weekly’s annual BEST OF issue just hit the stands last week, and let’s just say that the Reader’s Poll of the city’s best restaurants is utterly shameful. I may not be hip on the Bay Area dining scene, but I’m gonna take a leap of faith and say that Pasta Pomodoro is far […]

May 25, 2009

Lazyass Cookin’: Curry Mayo Eggplant and Enoki

by Kayoko Akabori

While my laziness usually outshines my brilliance in the kitchen, once in a while the stars align and I come up with a dish that is pretty damn awesome (but still in line with my laziness- I keep it real!). I found Japanese eggplant (tends to be slender with softer skin than the chubby American […]

May 21, 2009

Eat In Thursday: Quiche with Easy Homemade Wheat Crust

by Kayoko Akabori

Last week I started this column as “Eat OUT Thursday” but I thought it would be fun if I alternated it between eating out and eating in every week. What do you think? I made quiche a few weeks ago. I was staying in Oakland and looking through Stacy’s fridge, therein lied all the ingredients […]