Umami Mart

Here are the contents of my dirty, empty fridge. This report gave me the excuse to throw out several items including some really stinky fish and really old blue cheese. Notice, first and foremost, how SMALL Japanese fridges are (especially for people living in Tokyo, there is literally no space in our tiny apartments) compared […]

Unplanned excursions should be celebrated. Whoever made up the phrase “Spice of Life” was probably a fan of spontaneity. Last Sunday, my boyfriend and I decided to go to Ueno park after getting up around noon. I took the Nikon D200 that I am borrowing from a coworker hoping to capture the scenes of the […]

I am in Tokyo. Day 2, and still waking up way too early in the morning. This morning I was watching a morning TV program, which was full of information from concerts to new restaurants, and bakeries. This one shop caught my eyes and ears. It was a “healthy pastry shop”. Japanese turn things into […]

My friend from San Francisco was visiting me here in Tokyo last weekend and to cure our 3 o’clock sweet tooth, I did what everyone in Western Tokyo should do: go to Second House in Shimokitazawa. Originally a bakery from Kyoto (never been to that one), this piece of heaven serves up delicious (both in […]

After hearing this NPR story about the last horse slaughterhouse in the US closing, I thought to myself ARE there such things as horse slaughterhouses in the US? Growing up in California, certain animals seem to be OFF limits, meaning, animals included in “Save the insert animal – usually a mammal with pretty eyes – […]

This sushi was mediocre. But you can’t expect that much from Bikkuri Sushi – a chain restaurant. There was a bit too much rice for each nigiri. However, this is relative – if I had this in the States, I would be ranting about it for weeks. My taste buds have become extremely discriminating since […]

Unfortunately (fortunately maybe), I don’t have the pictures to prove it – but I ate three meals just to confirm that Disneyland and its affiliates (DisneySea in this case), regardless of which shore it’s on, serves food so mediocre that it sides on bad. I ate the following: Lunch at the Mediterranean Harbor: Potato Salmon […]

I realize how slobbish I am when I am at work – self-consious that my colleagues turn away from my desk in disgust. When you pretty much live at your desk, habits are revealed, you get lazy in your own routine and bottom line, you get comfortable and think no one is looking. My worst […]

Cafe Nid is a little cafe in Omotesando serving mainly Italian dishes. It’s a cozy little spot with some tasty finds. Last night – we were lucky enough to snag a seat on a Friday night (probably because of the typhoon). Anyhow, we ordered karasumi pasta among other things. It was really delicious – morsels […]

Up until Tuesday, I had to cross the street to go to nearest combini (convenient store) at work. In Japan, combinis are rampant – and don’t get the bad rap that convenient stores in America get. They sell a wide assortment of lunchables, drinks, magazines, etc. It’s also a great place to make an emergency […]