Roy Choi


March 10, 2017

The Umami Reader: Japan’s Pizza Hut Cats Are Back!

by Sarah Han

– In 2014, Pizza Hut Japan created a cat-tastic ad campaign. “Pizza Cat!” was a fictional Pizza Hut location run by an all-cat staff. The ads featured Tencho, Hime, Dora, and Detch “working” (aka doing cute cat stuff) at a Pizza Hut. Last month, Pizza Hut Japan brought back the Pizza Cats to promote coupons via their new mobile […]

January 13, 2017

The Umami Reader: Would You Wait 8 Hours in the Rain for Pliny the Younger?

by Sarah Han

– Calling all beer nerds: Pliny the Younger, Russian River Brewing Company’s beloved triple IPA with a 10.25% ABV, is coming back to the brewery’s taps on February 3-16. For the last 14 years, this seasonal favorite has been brewed once a year and released on the first Friday in February. It will be available […]

January 6, 2017

The Umami Reader: NY Times Critic Slams Oakland’s Locol

by Sarah Han

– New York Times food critic Pete Wells visited Oakland and reviewed Daniel Patterson and Roy Choi’s fast-food chain, Locol. He gave Locol zero stars, explaining, “What I didn’t expect before I ate at the branch here was that the big problem would turn out to be the food.” Wells dissed the Chili Bowl (“This […]