Umami Mart

You know it’s true: it’s damn near impossible these days to find a good sandwich. What’s up with that? I mean seriously, it should NOT be that hard to make a decent-tasting sandwich. I blame Subway’s $5 Footlong entirely– they’ve made it impossible for the public to have any standards when it comes to the […]

Wine bar meets patisserie? Yes, please! Especially when it involves Pichet Ong.  Imagine a place where you can sit either with a book and cappuccino in the afternoon or with friends and Cabernet in the evening. Reminiscent of a mini Parisian brasserie, the walls are decorated with antique mirrors and the leather booths are cozy. […]

Umamimart finally relaunched last month. We made it! It’s now, I hope, faster and easier to navigate for ya’ll– and of course, so much prettier. Although we’re still tirelessly trying to work out the kinks, I think this move marks a new era for Umamimart. Heck Yah! To celebrate, I made a pitstop to NYC […]

Had a chance to go see my acupuncturist in Chinatown while I was in NYC. My body is falling apart on me these days from being on my feet all day, everyday. Dr. Wu on Baxter– he’s the best! So as is my Chinatown/Dr. Wu ritual, I went out for my XLB fix. There’s nothing […]

As my plane hovered over Gotham City yesterday, descending into Newark, I felt a sense of ease. I was home. That’s an annoying thing to say, coming from someone who abandoned the city for really no good reason– but in my heart of hearts, I am a New Yorker. What’s the first thing I did, […]

Burger & Fries at Bonnie’s Grill in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Sometimes when I’m lazy, I order delivery. And sometimes when I’m lazy, it will be during the middle of the day. When these powers combine, I seek comfort in the lunch special. KHAO SARN My love affair with Thai food began in 2001, when I first tried pad thai and since then, has blossomed into […]

Photos by Travis LoDolce. Now tell me: why oh why would I ever move back to NYC when all of its wondrous gems can come to ME!!! When I heard last week that PDTman John Deragon would be guest bartending at the popular SF joint Beretta for ONE NIGHT ONLY, I screamed a silent hooray […]

Japanese Hot Pots to Warm Your SoulTuesday, December 8 @ 6:30 pmJapan Society (333 E. 47th St., NYC)In Japan, winter time dinner means nabe (hot pot). I already know you’re thinking right now, “Let’s do nabe tonight!” It’s such a heartwarming meal, and it’s almost necessary during the winter months in Japan since homes don’t […]

As you might know, I don’t go out to to eat often because I cook so much at home. Usually I can’t justify spending $200 for something I could probably recreate for $45. I’ve been to Gramercy Tavern before, and had an ok time. But I felt like, $86 for this? Probably $36 is for […]