Fish


January 10, 2013

Japanify: Nishin Soba (Hot Soba w. Simmered Herring)

by Yoko Kumano

A gleaming school of herring greeted me upon my arrival on U.S. shores yesterday. After landing from Tokyo, my first errand after dropping off my bags at home was a visit to my local fish monger (Monterey Fish Market). Winter is a cornucopia of goodies for seafood. Crabs, oysters, salmon roe and herring are just […]

December 5, 2012

Ask Sushi Kuni: Usuzukuri

by Kayoko Akabori

Uzuzukuri is one of my favorite preprations of sashimi. Kuni (my dad) would make this for very special occasions growing up, usually New Year’s Day or Thanksgiving. It is so gorgeous that you almost feel bad eating it. But not that bad. The word usuzukuri derives from 薄い (usui, or thin), meaning fish that is sliced thinly. […]

November 20, 2012

MOTOism: Bara-Chirashi Extreme

by Moto Yamamoto

Last week, Sakura wrote about chirashi sushi in London, a dish you can find at many Japanese restaurants throughout the world. I grew up in Kansai so when I was young, our chirashi (called bara-chirashi or gomoku chirashi) consisted of cooked root vegetables like bamboo shoots, carrots and yams — all mixed with sushi rice, […]

November 1, 2012

Japanify: Grilled Sanma

by Yoko Kumano

When the persimmons and matsutake start populating the markets in Japan, so do the sanma (Pacific Saury). They are so abundant, they are practically giving them out for free. For less than 100yen per fish, it’s the most economical choice to celebrate autumn. It’s another story out here in California. I was perusing my local […]

June 21, 2012

Tokyo JUNKtion: Matsunami Ramen

by Yoko Kumano

Matsunami Ramen was my first stop in Tokyo after a 9-day long trip of a lifetime to Darjeeling, India (more on that later). I was in Darjeeling and Tokyo on business but I was able to squeeze in a lot of culinary excitement into the trip. After eating spicy curries in India, and fresh herbs […]

February 23, 2012

Great UM Noodletown: Karasumi Pasta

by Yoko Kumano

Karasumi (or bottarga) is salted and dried mullet roe. It comes in two sacks and are hard, like a candy bar. Its deep, oceany, salty flavor is reminiscent of caviar. But the texture is not like caviar, because it’s a dense mass of eggs dried in the sun, it is chewy and sticks to the molars […]

January 31, 2012

Postcard from Aomori: Sockeyes

by Nahoko Morimoto

*Nahoko Morimoto is a Tokyo-based photographer. Her work has been featured in Brutus and Vogue Japan.

January 24, 2012

Postcard from Aomori: Tsugaru Woman

by Nahoko Morimoto

*Nahoko Morimoto is a Tokyo-based photographer. Her work has been featured in Brutus and Vogue Japan.

December 27, 2011

Danran Dinner (Tokyo)

by Kayoko Akabori

Danran, a little sushi spot in the Sakurajosui station in Tokyo, is no stranger to Umamimart. Yoko introduced us to the place in 2008, and Tmonkey reported on it again later that year. Yoko took me to Danran for the first time several years ago, and I very much looked forward to visiting again on my […]

November 28, 2011

NAOE Restaurant, A Miami Gem

by Moto Yamamoto

I was in Miami for Thanksgiving, listening to salsa music while eating turkey, which was great. Last Thanksgiving, I had a steak in Fort Lauderdale, but this year we had a very traditional Thanksgiving meal, with nontraditional music accompaniment. Since Thanksgiving Day’s meal looks the same no matter how fancy, or tasty it may be, […]