Umami Mart

Welcome to Bay Eats Japan, where we’ll alert you to newly and soon-to-be opened Japanese restaurants and bars in the Bay Area. As we’ll be listing new places, a mention is not necessarily a recommendation. Use this as a handy way to keep track of new spots you might want to try in the future.  San Francisco […]

–  If you’ve had freshly-made soba, you know that the difference between dried and fresh buckwheat noodles is astounding, but even then, you might not know the amount of work that goes into making these noodles. To get an idea, watch this short film about Seattle-based chef Mutsuko Soma of Kamonegi, who makes soba in the traditional Japanese way. Every […]

– If Ichiban and Cup Noodles are regulars in your culinary repertoire and you’re looking for new ways to jazz up your instant ramen fix, here’s a suggestion for you: Just add sake. According to JapanToday, the latest trend in Japan is to add about a tablespoon of sake to instant ramen. And the results […]

– Ask any food fanatic about their favorite movies and undoubtedly Tampopo will be on their list (if not #1). Juzo Itami’s delightfully playful 1985 “ramen western” tells the story of Tampopo, a woman on a mission to turn around her failing roadside noodle shop with the guidance of two truck drivers – an unlikely pair of ramen ronin. Janus Films […]

Living in Japan, I’m not used to spending a lot of money for ramen. But recently, while visiting New York – Brooklyn, to be exact – I shelled out $20 for a bowl of ramen and I would do it all over again. I would hand over, without a second thought, a sum of money enough for 2.5 mammoth […]

Welcome to our new column, Bay Eats Japan, where we’ll alert you to newly and soon-to-be opened Japanese restaurants and bars in the Bay Area. As we’ll be listing new places, a mention is not necessarily a recommendation. Use this as a handy way to keep track of new spots you might want to try in the […]

There are ingredients that I always keep in stock in my kitchen; they are my daikoubutsu (favorite foods). Without them I feel like I have no fall-back option when sipping on sake or wine. Two of these ingredients are avocado and nuts. I regularly incorporate both into sauces, dips, and salads. They are really handy when […]

– Here’s one from the archives: Did you know David Bowie appeared in a Japanese sake commercial in 1980. The ad was for Crystal Jun Rock shochu and featured a snippet of his haunting instrumental synth track, “Crystal Japan” and some intense eye contact from the Space Oddity. Oh David Bowie, we miss you!  (Dangerous […]

It’s a cool, cool summer. At least in the Bay Area, where we’re getting fogged-in a bit this week. Still, when summertime comes around, we’re all about eating chilled foods, like Hiyashi Chuka, Cold Tofu Salad, Cha-Soba, and Nikumiso Udon. Our two new Studio Arhoj Summer Bowls are perfect for tucking in to cold dishes. Their […]

Kyle Itani used to have midnight ramen pop-ups at his Oakland restaurant, Hopscotch, a few years ago and Yoko and I would sneak in and snag a table. It was way past our bedtime but it was such a rare occasion for a restaurant in Oakland to be open past midnight, and, serve ramen! Now, […]