Umami Mart

Went over to Aya and Tmonkey’s place last night for cocktails on their astroturf rooftop and delicous grapefruit fennel steak salad. We were lying like comatose whales on the living room floor flipping through the iTV when we unanimously decided that we were all craving TAMPOPO. YAH! Do you all remember the first time you […]

If you know me, you won’t be put off by the title, because you will know I am prone to hyperbole and you will know that my hyperbole is usually in jest. In this case, however, I am utterly sincere. What I didn’t know about Kyoto, a city renowned for its beautiful temples, was that […]

Over Golden Week I went to Kyushu for some R & R. And when you go to Kyushu, you eat ramen. Hakata is where the original Ippudo and Ichiran are. We decided to go to Ichiran. We arrived at Ichiran (Tenjin location) at 11:50am. Located in a tiny alleyway we were met with a guy […]

My obsession for baking is somewhat subsiding, also my social calendar is a bit busy and I don’t have time to spend all night in the kitchen. After my crappy experience at Ippudo, I decided I make my own ramen soup. Noodles are too hard to make from scratch (or is it? Should that be […]

Minca, Setagaya, Rai Rai Ken – there are suddenly many of Japanese ramen joints hopping up in the city. Ramen’s best aspects are:1. It’s easy2. It’s cheap3. It’s quick I’ve been to some of the famed ramen restaurants, and to this day, I haven’t been impressed by any of them at all. I’ve read quite […]

It’s snowing. And it’s going to snow all through the night. It’ll snow through the show I’ll be playing tonight in Asagaya. So I’m staying in until then. On my stroll back home this morning from Hatagaya, I stopped by the supermarket with a strong urge to make me up a hot bowl of soba. […]

For some god foresaken reason, Roach and I were inspired to take a bus to Mitsuwa, all the way out in buttfuck Jersey the day after Thanksgiving. I don’t know what it was– fantasies of all the food shopping possibilities, or simply the food court extravaganza– that lured us to make the trek. Whatever it […]

Aya: Hey Tmonkey, boo tmonkey: hey have you recovered from The Banquet? Aya: um I don’t even know what you’re talking about because I’ve had my memories from Friday night removed from my brain. tmonkey: nooo ok the movie was painful but the ramen at Setagaya! Can’t forget that! Aya: hmmm seem to have a […]

Lunch during the workweek has never struck me as an opportunity for a truly enjoyable eating experience — especially working in midtown! But I went to ISE for the first time in a couple months and you know what, I think this place might have the best ramen in NYC that I’ve tasted so far. […]

Honestly, there’s nothing better than waking up late in the morning with your honey and spontaneously going to Jindaiji – a charming little town in Western Tokyo famous for soba (buckwheat noodles). I realize that this is way after the fact (we went a month ago), but that is the downside of waiting until your […]