A sure fire sign that a city is serious about Japanese food is that one block could host three sushi restaurants. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the apparent crowd in front of Masu sparked my curiosity. As the unofficial dish of Japan , sushi is ubiquitous in Japan but restaurants like Masu serve […]

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Leave it up the Japanese with beverage innovation. Japan, well-known for their compact cars, animation, sushi, and now, kids beer. When I traveled to Tokyo, I saw thousands of salary men walking the streets of this eccentric city. They wake early in the morning, often commute three hours daily on the train, and work […]

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Often times, things are free require obligation or just don’t present much value. Takara, a sake manufacturer in Berkeley, is a rare exception offering the community a free take tour and tasting. I visited the factory on a weekend with a group of buddies. The tour includes a small showcase of the equipment […]

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(sushi combo,bento box, creamy roll)
After cruising along Ocean Beach on a windy Sunday evening, I steer along the Muni tracks to Taraval Okazu Ya. From the facade, the restaurant looks like any other Japanese restaurant. Ceramic tempura and udon bowls are displayed on the window front. But the instant you set foot […]

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(potstickers, crunchy + tempura roll)
Traveling to Tokyo two years ago, I ate the best sushi of my life at the Tsukiji fish market so I consider the “all- you- can eat sushi buffet” an oxymoron in the Japanese culinary culture. However, I was pleasantly surprised after my visit to a recent buffet created by […]

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(Matsui in Yoshinoya: Japanese fast food chain)

(Fresh cut soba in Japan)

Eating soba noodles is all about texture, temperature, and participation. Soba noodles are buckwheat noodles served either in a clear broth or cold in a special sauce. While backpacking in Tokyo a few years ago, my love for this noodle began to […]

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Give me a quickie. Irritated from the 80 year old lady talking so loud at YMCA hot tub, I needed release. To be more exact, I need comfort food. Racing home, I grab my bag of Ajinomoto gyoza’s. Put a few, 12 to be exact, and wait 5 minutes for these […]

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(photos: fresh sea urchin from dive, sea urchin 1/2 shell, see urchin roll, video:Ironchef sea urchin battle)
“Give me a damm chance, I muttered to myself!” During my college days, this phrase frequently transmitted through my brain waves. Not like the hunk I am today, during college I remember the desperate times. During […]

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Recently, Justin sought my few cents on Sushi Bistro located on Balboa in San Francisco. On a leafy street in the Richmond district, Sushi Bistro serves Neo Sushi. A form of Japanese cuisine mixed with a modern twist. The hamachi (yellowtail) nigiri is buttery in text and melts in your mouth. […]

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{Photos: Daiwa sushi-Japan, Kabuto, Koo-assorted sushi, Koo-Spoonful of Happiness}
“I was once blind, but now I can see.” This quote truly reflects my taste in sushi. Three years ago, I backpacked in Tokyo. I truly tasted the best sushi ever located next to the famous fish market. Good sushi is all about […]

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