Umami Mart

It seems that pop-ups are popping up all over New York City recently. What’s going on? Or should I say What Happens When? That’s the name of a new pop-up resto that has a nine-month lease on a space in SoHo, and a new menu and theme every month. I visited in April for Movement […]

I just got back from a weekend in NYC, for a very important Umamimart Reunion Dinner, hosted by Yamahomo (post coming!). Even though I really only had two full days in the city, I bounced around and hit some of my favorite haunts. It felt good to be back, if only for a few days. […]

I know this piece of cake doesn’t look so hot, but to be fair, it’s been through a lot. Last weekend I was at a house party in Williamsburg. It was still Passover, so I was having wine instead of beer, cheese with no crackers and trying not to look at the cookies. I’d been […]

Annual Sake Tasting & Lecture: Back to Basics! Tuesday, May 10 @ 6:30 pm Japan Society, NYC Every year, Japan Society hosts a sake lecture and tasting, inviting dozens of brewers from Japan. Over the years, we’ve covered so many topics on sake–from water, rice, milling, sake vessels, molds, to even bottling. Sake is becoming […]

I am finally back. Although the past couple of weeks have been super hectic, I had the opportunity to go to my favorite restaurant Kajitsu, twice in two weeks. At the end of March, my work held a special dinner gathering there, and I wasn’t planning on going, but at the last moment I got […]

I had the pleasure of lunching at Google in NYC (above Chelsea Market) last week as the guest of a friend who works there. Google’s executive chef emails out the huge menu daily! It definitely had the feeling of a big cafeteria, but it was friendly and fresh, with Google slick. Lots of healthy vegetarian […]

UPDATED (Wed. 3/16, 2:37pm EDT): We just confirmed an anonymous donor who will match Friday’s gift, up to $10,000! So please drop by. We have a form you can fill out credit card information as well. Thanks, and hope to see you! +++ As you know, Japan is suffering tremendously from last Friday’s earthquake and […]

My friend Tessa Liebman, the executive chef at the Housing Works, is hosting a very special dinner on Saturday, March 12th at the Housing Works bookshop in SoHo. She has spent months working with artist Balint Zsako to create a unique, collaborative event. Tessa wants to keep the elements of the dinner a surprise, but […]

Meet Paystyle– a dashing, whip-smart, er, smartass from Brooklyn by way of Los Angeles. He’s got dreams. Dreams of someday calling it quits as a lawyer (94 hour work weeks, fuck that!), and pursuing a career as a first-rate mixologist. Paystyle made this video with Vanessa (his wife and Happy Hour photog) for the Manhattan […]

David Chang in December 2010 at his newest restaurant, má pêche. photo by erin gleeson.