Savory Sight: Bakudan


Updated 10/16/11 2:36 PM · Posted by OnSugar Blog · 3 comments

Bakudan at Hecho San Francisco

Japanese gets creative with this high-concept dish of sea urchin, shrimp, salmon roe, quail egg, and fermented soy that Yoo Eatz recently discovered. Oishiiiiiiii!! A few months ago, I grabbed drinks and dinner after work with a good friend at Hecho. We were intrigued by the restaurant's izakaya-meets-tequila bar concept, and we were not disappointed. The highlight of the meal was a dish called Read more

5 Ways With Mochi


Updated 10/11/11 6:24 PM · Posted by · 6 comments

What to Make With Mochi

You may have heard of mochi, the Japanese cake made with sweet, glutinous rice. You may have even enjoyed it as the shell of mochi ice cream, a frozen dessert popular at Japanese restaurants. But do you know that mochi can be a sweet or savory component in just about any meal? I recently discovered this when I spotted bake-and-serve packs of mochi next to tofu in the refrigerated section of Read more

Impressively Good: Japanese Instant Noodles With Mayonnaise


Updated 07/25/11 3:08 PM · Posted by · 11 comments

Japanese Instant Noodles With Mayonnaise

My idea of a dream gift isn't an expensive piece of jewelry or a fancy new bag; it's a food-related souvenir from another country. So when Emily from SavvySugar paid a visit to Japan and brought back some instant noodles for me, I was over the moon. Two of my favorite things — travel gifts and ramen? It was almost too much to bear. Emily couldn't read the package but found the instant noodles Read more

Like Nobu's Japanese? Try These Preparations at Home


Updated 03/04/11 12:26 PM · Posted by · 6 comments

How to Prepare Nobu Food at Home

On the final day of the South Beach Food & Wine Festival, wine expert Joshua Wesson and Nobu Miami executive chef Thomas Buckley held a seminar of pairing wine with sushi, a fairly apropros way to end the celebration after four long days of indulging in burgers and grilled cheese. There, I sampled pairings like sashimi tacos with Alsatian Crémant, vegetable rolls with Greece's Moschofilero, Read more

10 Things You May Not Know About Sake


Updated 02/23/11 6:23 AM · Posted by · 1 comment

Sake Facts

Recently I sat down with a group of people to conduct my first-ever sake tasting. The event was hosted by SakeOne, a craft sake brewer that's based out of Oregon and known for producing award-winning and fun-flavored sakes. The tasting paired 15 sakes with different artisan cheeses also from the beaver state. As I took my first sip of the grassy, smooth, vanilla-ish Momokawa Diamond, I realized Read more

How to Read a Sushi Menu


Updated 01/23/11 6:12 PM · Posted by · 5 comments

Types of Sushi: Glossary of Sushi Terms

There's no food more apropos for those New Year's resolutions than sushi. The Japanese treat is low-fat, filling, and adorably bite-size. But unless you were raised with chopsticks in one hand and a bento box in the other, the world of rice rolls can be a bit trying to navigate. If you aren't fluent in sushi-speak, there's no need to worry. We've compiled a go-to glossary that'll help you keep Read more

Would You Eat Fermented Sushi?


Updated 11/17/10 4:12 PM · Posted by · 3 comments

What Is Funazushi? Japanese Fermented Sushi

I was watching the Japan episode of Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern the other day, wherein Zimmern samples funazushi, an ancient preparation of sushi that involves packing a fish (eggs intact) with salt, then aging it for up to six years. Even the show's host wasn't a big fan, and he's enjoyed some unconventional meals. Still, he could appreciate the historical value of this Japanese delicacy. Read more

Yummy Links: From Ina Garten to Small Kitchens


Updated 11/12/10 11:35 AM · Posted by YumSugar · 0 comments

Q and A With Ina Garten and Other Food Fun From the Web

A conversation with Ina Garten. — Epicurious What Americans can learn from Japanese cuisine. — The Atlantic Harold McGee's top 10 Thanksgiving tips. — Serious Eats 12 beloved regional American foods. — Woman's Day Make your own amaretto. — Chow David Chang has confirmed he will be opening a Momofuku in a Sydney casino. — Eater Harold Dieterle's five favorite Thai ingredients and Read more

Name That Dish!


Updated 10/26/10 12:02 PM · Posted by YumSugar · 2 comments

Guess the Dish 2010-10-21 16:00:21

Since ramen's truly made it mainstream, perhaps a trickle-down effect will make the Japanese noodle soup pictured below even more popular. Can you guess what it's called? Read more