Yosuke Oyama, the ship's chef, has been up since dawn, softening onions and occasionally stirring a pot of chicken stock that has been simmering for several hours. He slices carrots and potatoes, places strips of beef on a tray and performs a quick inventory of the other ingredients among them a selection of spices, apple puree, ginger and garlic and, for extra umami, a red wine and honey reduction. After a chorus of Itadakimasu bon appetit the mess deck is silent except for the appreciative noises made by the ravenous men and women of Japan's maritime self-defence forces (SDF).
When the students or workers don't have money, it is easy to grab it and go. It's cheap, that's how we started it. When people don't want to spend a lot of money for lunch, it's five bucks, and you're satisfied.
Naoko Takei Moore has beautiful memories of her mother's Japanese home cooking. Growing up in Tokyo in the '80s, she savored those moments when she and her mom stood side by side in the kitchen making fresh onigiri and mochi, and, most of all, when they'd sit around the family table to enjoy a meal of yose-nabe, a kind of hot pot made with simple ingredients like clams, fish and whatever vegetables they had on hand.
Hayama by Watami, a collaboration between Bar Hayama and Japan-based restaurant group Watami, will open in a space diagonal from Pasta Sisters. At the restaurant, chef Frank "Toshi" Sugiura will work with his daughter Ichigo Sugiura to serve a menu of izakaya and sushi staples, including yakitori, bento boxes, and Japanese-style curry.
The caviar, uni, and egg dish has been in Akiyama's repertoire since he worked at the now-closed NYC restaurant Lan. It's presented as a rich chawanmushi, topped with generous uni and caviar. The nigiri course comes with three pieces, including the aori aka, in which the bigfin reed squid is chopped and intricately layered; the texture was far creamier than I ever expected squid to be.
The sakura raspberry cream donut ($8), which starts with the brand's signature airy dough. It's filled with raspberry mousse and raspberry jelly, then dipped in sakura-infused white chocolate for a creamy, floral finish. A dusting of sakura powder and crunchy dried raspberries adds texture, while a fresh raspberry on top delivers a bright, tart pop.
In a city devoted to discovery, the most seductive destinations rarely announce themselves. They reveal themselves gradually tucked above the noise, hovering just beyond the obvious, waiting for those willing to travel a little farther west, toward the luminous threshold where Manhattan dissolves into river and sky. Perched atop Pier 57, Miru embodies that sense of arrival. The rooftop listening lounge overlooks the Hudson like a secluded aerie, where the measured tempo of Tokyo listening culture meets the charged rhythm of New York after dark.
Bar Japonais had only been open about a year and a half when it shut down for a rebrand. The 14th Street restaurant was initially billed as a French-Japanese izakaya with a lot of fusion dishes and limited sushi. But it turned out the main thing diners wanted was, in fact, sushi, especially after the restaurant brought in chef Masaaki "Uchi" Uchino, the Sushi Nakazawa alum behind Kiyomi omakase counter.
That said, there's an excellent alternative to lengthy pro-level sushi creation: A no-roll version called inari, or commonly, inarizushi. It's named after the Shinto deity Inari Okami, the god of rice, agriculture, and prosperity. Traditional inari bypasses the usual seaweed and raw fish, opting instead for seasoned sushi rice tucked inside a sweet and savory "aburaage" pouch made from fried tofu.
Those familiar with the fifth taste, umami, know that it often arrives in a subtle shift of flavor - something you hardly notice at first but can't help but become captivated by once you do. It isn't just salty - the taste is characteristically deep and complex, and it brings those characteristics to everything you add it to, including your go-to sauce. But, there's no need to overwhelm yourself looking for umami-packed ingredients to do so. All you need is instant dashi.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Portola Valley is now home to a new Japanese restaurant, Hibari, offering kappo-style dining. Kappo, which means cut and cook, refers to a multi-course meal where the menu is up to the chef. Think omakase-style, but with dishes that go beyond sushi. It's often considered less formal than other omakase formats, with the chef passing dishes to diners over the counter.
It's no secret that Nashville is one of the most electrifying food cities in the US of A. First things first: the mouthwatering, tear-inducing homegrown hot chicken - and don't sleep on Bolton's exceptional whiting version. Legendary "meat 'n' threes" such as Arnold's Country Kitchen and Elliston Place Soda Shop offer a soul-satisfying taste of nostalgia. Over on the other end of the culinary spectrum, there's the newly minted Michelin-starred trio of Bastion, Locust, and The Catbird Seat.
Kappo, a new 12-seat Japanese restaurant, is slated to open on Dec. 2, according to a news release. Kappo is owned by Omakase Restaurant Group, the team behind San Francisco's Michelin-starred Niku Steakhouse and recently opened Prelude. The intimate, open-kitchen restaurant is helmed by executive chef Nikolas Neuwirt, who has worked at SF's Niku Steakhouse, Prelude and Birdsong, as well as in kitchens in Denmark and France.
Bondi Sushi, the beloved New York-founded concept known for its craveable sushi, high-quality fish, and relaxed coastal aesthetic, is making its Broward County debut on October 29 with the opening of its newest and largest location yet in Oakland Park. The highly anticipated expansion marks a milestone for the brand - blending Bondi's signature fine-casual charm with an elevated dining experience.
Upper East Side restaurant NR has been churning out excellent Japanese dishes since it opened in late 2019. And while over the summer, owner Shigefumi Kabashima closed their Harlem cocktail bar and restaurant ROKC, luckily, they merged some of its menu here. The result is a dining and drinking space that is highly reminiscent of being in Japan. The chicken and vegetable soup curry ($34): It's a style notable in Hokkaido (aka Sapporo soup curry), with a
By 10am on the midsummer Day of the Ox, the city of Narita smells of charcoal and sugar. The cobbled road is thronged with visitors lining up to buy grilled eel, a traditional delicacy believed to cool the body and keep spirits up in the humid weather. We'll be so sad if it becomes extinct and we can't eat eel any more, says a customer sitting on the tatami-mat floor in Kawatoyo, a popular restaurant specialising in grilled eel, which has been operating for more than 115 years.
Taking over Borough Hall in Greenwich, Tokyo Nights will feature Sumo (involving four former professional wrestlers) sushi dining, and sake, in a space designed to evoke the streets of Tokyo. The Dohyō (the ring) will be at the heart of the action, with different dining options available, from a premium ring-side menu to more relaxed balcony seating. The team behind Tokyo Nights has worked on events including Grand Expedition, Chambers of Flavour and Secret Cinema, and includes Tokyo-based, London-born artist David Sharibani, aka Lord K2, who has had behind-the-scenes access to sumo stables and the Kokugikan arena in Tokyo.
Move over truffle oil, there's a new flavor bomb making the rounds. Kayanoya USA is kicking off a two-week citywide celebration of dashi, the quietly powerful soup stock that gives Japanese cooking its signature depth. Timed to National Dashi Day on October 15, the series brings together some of New York's most beloved Japanese spots for limited-edition dishes and drinks that spotlight the pure, savory essence of umami.
The best hole-in-the-wall restaurants act as a delicious secret in your city. They're also a great way to learn how locals really eat whenever you're traveling. They're often cheap with no frills, instead offering a unique ambiance and irresistible food. This is especially key in a food destination like New York where you can get distracted by over-hyped and pricey spots or by tourist-trap eateries.
Now in its sixth edition, this year's list captures both continuity and change, showing how India's dining scene is pushing forward into bigger and bolder experiments without abandoning its roots. This year's top entries, with the Mumbai trio of The Table, Masque, and Papa's heading the pack, represent not only some of the most exciting restaurants in India but also in the world.
Emeryville may have lost Peruvian joint Las Brasas over the summer, but it wasn't long before the void was filled by a new Peruvian restaurant, El Huarique De Juancito, now open in Las Brasas' old spot on San Pablo Ave. The menu features a diverse mix of Peruvian specialties, from breakfast favorites like tamales and pan con chicharron to dinner items including pollo a la brasa and lomo saltado. Peruvian seafood hits like leche de tigre and ceviches are also on offer.
In places like Torrance and Gardena, you have the development and preservation of Japanese American food - it [has] layers of history and struggle, but food ultimately being a source of comfort and identity.
