Los Angeles


December 21, 2012

Tamagoyaki @ Otafuku Noodle House (LA)

by Kayoko Akabori

We drove a long way from Los Angeles proper to try the soba at Otafuku in Torrance. The shop donned no sign, except a neon “Open” sign that flashed in the window. The place was packed with hungry folks for lunch, lone salarymen sitting at the bar, and housewives chatting amongst one another at the […]

December 12, 2012

Fridgin’ Out: The Ramen Shaman + Roommates

by Will VanderWyden

Ah, the joy of roommates. The Ramen Shaman lives with three other dudes in a house in Los Angeles, meaning our fridge is war zone of groceries for four people each cooking for one. But to be honest there’s not a whole lot of cooking going on in this household. I actually enjoy making food, […]

November 28, 2012

The Ramen Shaman: Daikokuya (LA)

by Will VanderWyden

If you know anything about ramen in Los Angeles you’ve heard of Daikokuya, the original LA noodle institution. There are throngs of people waiting outside its bright yellow awning at almost any hour of the day, despite several other shops within viewing distance. It was my first-ever ramen love. I’ve written before about how I […]

October 10, 2012

The Ramen Shaman: Silverlake Ramen (LA)

by Will VanderWyden

It’s been just over a year since I started my ramen blog. At least six new ramen shops have opened in LA since then (a far cry from the one-a-day that are said to open in Tokyo, but still). I’ve learned more about soup than I could have ever imagined, I started learning Japanese, and […]

September 12, 2012

Skankynavia: California Workin’ + Chowin’

by Anders Arhoj

In the spring of 2012 I suddenly felt the urge to not spend a depressing summer in Copenhagen. Previous years had been a mixed pleasure of monsoon rain, heavy floods, grey skies and Antarctica beach temperatures. I seriously needed a shot of California. Coincidentally the ever food-obsessed Umami Mart team decided to open a shop […]

August 29, 2012

Skankynavia: California: Fast Food Frenzy!

by Anders Arhoj

I spent my summer of 2012 in California, my favourite place in the world — after my couch (ok, maybe Japan comes in as a close second). It was a pure blast, from the moment I landed, designed and help build out the Umami Mart shop, just to get on the plane again a month […]

August 1, 2012

2 Days in LA

by Kayoko Akabori

Two weeks ago, I picked up Anders aka Mr. Skankynavia from LAX. It was a bit of a drive from the Bay Area, but a little vacay for both of us before we began the crazy build-out of our Oakland shop. We both love LA — the sunshine, the celebrity, the botox. L. Ron Hubbard […]

May 16, 2012

Postcard from LA: Uni + Burrata OMG

by Kayoko Akabori

Uni, burrata, button mushroom, yuzu Son of a Gun Los Angeles

October 14, 2011

Confessions of a Pizzahead: Mother Dough (LA)

by Sarah Fatemi

Remember when I said I started making my own pizza because I hadn’t found any in Los Angeles that really fit the bill? Well I am happy to report that this is no longer the case. Not only does it seem like the urban food movement is making its way through a wood-fired revival, but […]

October 4, 2011

Inspired Sushi at Takao (LA)

by Kayoko Akabori

Yes, Japanese food in this country is still equated to sushi. Growing up, people would always ask me, “Do you eat sushi every day?” I guess that’s mostly due to the fact that my father is a sushi chef, but even so, it always bewildered me. I mean, sushi is such a luxury! And it […]