Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Portland Portland is known for coffee and beer. Do you know who loves coffee and beer? Hipsters. There are many hipsters in Portland. They also like sushi and ramen. So naturally, there are many Japanese restaurants of which, both hipsters and Japanese expats approve! Zilla Sake House (Sushi) Masu Sushi (Sushi) Shizuku by Chef Naoko (Sushi) Afuri (Ramen) Kayo’s Ramen Bar (Ramen) Biwa (Izakaya) Yuzu (Izakaya) Parasol Bar (Izakaya) Nodoguro (Japanese Fusion) Oyatsupan Bakers (Bakerly) 1. Zilla Sake House Sushi Even in the year 2017, a female sushi chef is rare, especially when it comes to traditional sushi. Kate Koo, a sushi chef and sake expert, apprenticed with a Japanese sushi chef before she […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Texas Pecan trees, BBQ and Tex-mex. Those are some of the food items that many of us associate with Texas, but Japanese food isn’t the first thing… or second or thirty-third thing that enters our minds when you think about the Lone Star State. That doesn’t mean you can’t have great sushi in Dallas or tasty ramen in Austin, because the food climate there is changing rapidly, and it’s alright, alright, alright. Yutaka Sushi Bistro (Sushi) MF Sushi (Sushi) Kura Revolving Sushi Bar (Sushi) Uchi (Sushi) Otoko (Sushi) Teppo Yakitori and Sushi Bar (Yakitori / Sushi) Ramen Tatsu-ya (Ramen) AGU Ramen (Ramen) Kemuri Tatsu-ya (Izakaya) Izakaya WA (Izakaya) 1. Yutaka Sushi Bistro Sushi Since […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Boston College town Boston has no shortage of Japanese restaurants, from affordable college budget spots to something reserved for let’s-go-there-when-family-is-in-town ultra luxury omakase sushi. It doesn’t hurt that Boston is one of the largest cities that offers some of the freshest seafood in the United States (New England clam chowder, anyone?). From Boston Harbor to Harvard Square, let’s find the best Japanese food that Beantown has to offer! Cafe Sushi (Sushi) O Ya (Sushi) Toraya (Sushi) Shiki (Kaiseki) Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (Ramen) Yume Wo Katare (Ramen) Pabu Boston (Izakaya) UNI (Izakaya) Ittoku (Izakaya) Sakanaya (Fish Market) 1. Cafe Sushi Sushi Omakase starts at $80 per person, Cafe Sushi is one of the best omakase […]
Necco Japanese Tapas Restaurant in Los Angeles What if there was a Japanese restaurant where you can eat like real Japanese people do? Not just sushi, ramen, or tempura, but something that you might see on your Japanese friends’ instagram tagged with #OuchiGohan (not “ouch!” It’s pronounced o-u-chi (home) go-ha-n (meal)). Lucky for us, Necco Japanese Tapas Restaurant in Los Angeles does exactly that (but significantly better than those friends’ home cooked meal). Necco is a quaint space on Westwood Boulevard near UCLA. The woody exterior makes it look more like a charming tea house than a Japanese restaurant. As the name suggests, Necco offers many tapas style small dishes, most of which are not seen at other Japanese restaurants. […]
Contents: What is Izakaya Style? 10 Best Izakaya Style Restaurants in the U.S. 10 Most Popular Izakaya Dishes What is Izakaya Style? Remember those travel food shows where the host visits a tiny alley somewhere in Tokyo, and sits next to a middle aged Japanese salary-man who definitely has had more than a couple of drinks who then proceeds to happily recommend menu items in broken English to the host? Of course, the host feels obliged and orders, only to result in both having a great time bonding over sake and yakitori. The show usually ends with a pithy comment from the host along the lines of, “Drinking: the international language!” That is an Izakaya. So what is an Izakaya […]
Contents: What is Yakitori? 10 Best Yakitori Restaurant in the U.S. What’s on the menu? (10 Most Popular Yakitori Menus) What is Yakitori? With the popularity of Izakaya and Robata restaurants both in and outside of Japan, yakitori has become one of the most popular Japanese dishes behind sushi and ramen. What’s not to love? It’s sort of like ‘mini chicken teriyaki’ that you can eat endlessly. A seemingly easy dish to make, yakitori makes a great appetizer at an izakaya, but it is actually a highly specialized cuisine and there are many restaurants that specialize in only yakitori. For those of you, who are not familiar with yakitori, imagine a Japanese shish kabob. A few bite size pieces of […]
Contents: Best Yakiniku Restaurant, “Gyu-Kaku” Gyu-Kaku Menu Where is Gyu-Kaku? What is Yakiniku anyway? Best Yakiniku Restaurant, “Gyu-Kaku” Fact: Yakiniku smells insanely good. When you pass by any Gyu-Kaku restaurant in the world, the smell of grilled meat allures you. Even if you are going to a meeting and don’t have time to stop for a yakiniku lunch, you’ll be thinking about it all throughout the meeting, at night, until you have yakiniku in your stomach. Lucky for you, Gyu-Kaku restaurant is expanding and there’ll be one near you soon. What is Gyu-Kaku, you ask? If you ever had Japanese style BBQ, where you grill your own meat, chances are, you have been to Gyu-Kaku. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ restaurants have […]
ROKI Le Izakaya – New Japanese Restaurant in Flatiron offers ramen and sushi It seems like there are new Izakayas popping up every week in New York City these days. Which one is worthy of your precious time? What to order? How is the Izakaya experience different from that at my favorite sushi bar? All great questions. Let’s find out! The newest addition to Manhattan’s Izakaya scene is ROKI, high-end Japanese brasserie (ie Izakaya) that serves everything from veal liver sashimi to organic vegetable ramen. Yes, the menu is vast, as a good Izakaya typically serves a large diverse menu. ROKI has a few signature menu items that are really special. Their Japanese canapé is definitely one of them and […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Las Vegas Sin City received its nickname from the many human vices that the city has to offer. Gluttony is one of the newer sins that Las Vegas has become known for. There are an increasing number of Japanese restaurants on and off the Strip. Here are our 10 picks that can satisfy both Japanese ‘salarymen’ and visitors from all over the world seeking the best Japanese food! Kabuto (Sushi) Yui Edomae Sushi (Sushi) Sekushi Japanese Restaurant (Sushi) Mizumi (Teppanyaki) Marugame Monzo LV (Udon Noodles) Hachi (Izakaya) Raku (Izakaya) Yu-Yu (Izakaya) Nobu (Japanese Fusion) Japanese Curry Zen (Curry) 1. Kabuto Sushi You wonder how can we eat fresh sushi in the middle of the […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Chicago Not being close to the ocean or to Japan for that matter didn’t stop Chicago from hosting an increasing number of Japanese restaurants. Whether you crave fresh raw fish, authentic made from scratch ramen, or small izakaya dishes, you are in luck. There is quite a variety of great Japanese restaurants in Chi-Town. 1. Kai Zan (Sushi) 2. Juno (Sushi) 3. Naoki (Sushi) 4. Sushi Dokku (Sushi) 5. Sumi Robata Bar (Hibachi) 6. Wasabi (Izakaya / Ramen) 7. Momotaro (Izakaya) 8. Umai (Izakaya) 9. Arami (Izakaya) 10. Yusho (Izakaya) 1. Kai Zan Sushi When Melvin & Carlo Vizconde were working at various sushi restaurants in the Chicago area, they both had regulars often […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in San Francisco A handful of omakase sushi restaurants have opened in San Francisco in the last couple of years, and as a result, the City by the Bay has become quite the sushi hub. Here are our ten picks that can satisfy everyone from Silicon Valley tycoons to homesick Japanese expats. Akiko’s Restaurant (Sushi) Ijji Sushi (Sushi) Sushi Ran (Sushi) Saru Sushi Bar (Sushi) Kusakabe (Kaiseki) Hashiri (Kaiseki) Wako Japanese Restaurant (Kaiseki) Nabe (Shabu Shabu / Sukiyaki) Pabu (Izakaya) Izakaya Rintaro (Izakaya) 1. Akiko’s Restaurant Sushi Everything at Akiko’s Restaurant is beautiful. Its Parisian cafe-like exterior facade is chic, albeit anonymous thanks to a lack of signage. When you step inside, the minimalistic and […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Seattle Anyone who has strolled through historic Pike Place Market should know the livelihood of Seattle’s culinary culture. You can see a sea of people coming here to taste one of the best salmon, crabs, cheese and artisanal pasta in the world, and you can easily spend an entire day there. However, no one thinks Seattle as a Japanese restaurant destination city, yet. Compared to New York City or Los Angeles, where sushi restaurants are as many as Starbucks, Seattle’s Japanese food community is still a small one. Maybe so at this moment, but it’ll definitely change in a few years judging from this list. Sushi Kashiba (Sushi) I Love Sushi (Sushi) Shiro’s Sushi […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in New York If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. Restaurant business in New York City is one of the most competitive in the world, and if you are not on top of the game, the next best thing will come and kick you out so quickly. Japanese restaurants are no exception. There are so many Japanese restaurants come and go every week, and only handfuls are continuously favored by New Yorkers and stay in the game. Sushi Yasuda (Sushi) Sushi Nakazawa (Sushi) Brushstroke (Kaiseki) Kyo Ya (Kaiseki) En Japanese Brasserie (Kaiseki) Kajitsu (Shojin Cuisine) Torishin (Yakitori) Samurai Mama (Udon Noodles) Cocoron (Soba Noodles) Hakata Tonton (Izakaya) 1. Sushi […]
Japanese-People Approved Best Japanese Restaurants in Los Angeles Whether they know or not, Angelinos are lucky. They have the best weather, and there are so many high quality Japanese restaurants in Los Angeles, and not just sushi. If you can’t go to Japan, being in LA should cure your Japanese food craving no matter what it is. Sushi Gen (Sushi) Sushi Zo (Sushi) Shibumi (Kappo) Shunji Japanese Cuisine (Kaiseki) n/naka (Kaiseki) Shojin (Shojin Cuisine) Kagaya (Shabu Shabu) Torimatsu (Yakitori) Marugame Monzo (Udon Noodles) Aburiya Raku (Izakaya) 1. Sushi Gen Sushi At any given time of their business hours, people are patiently waiting for their raw fish fix in front of Sushi Gen (because there’s only a few seats in the […]
Japanese-People Approved Top Ramen-ya in America. It seems like new ramen restaurants are opening every weekend. Not only that, these days all Japanese and sometimes even non-Asian restaurants are adding ramen to their menu. Ramen is, no doubt, the ‘it’ food right now. But, how do you pick the best ramen restaurant? Many ramen restaurants claim they are the best and all your friends are happy to tell you that their favorite ramen restaurant is the best, but can there really be so many ‘best’ ramen restaurants out there? We are here to help you pick the best ramen restaurant near you. Some are Japanese ramen chains and others are run by passionate ramen lovers, but all are delicious. These […]
Contents: Ramen Tsujita History Highlight Menu Location TIPS Ramen Tsujita First things first; there are three Tsujita restaurants on Sawtelle Boulevard in West Los Angeles. There’s Sushi Tsujita, which doesn’t serve any ramen but instead, high-end sushi. Down the block from Sushi Tsujita, there’s Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles Annex, also known as the “Annex”, where you can enjoy “Jiro style” ramen which is a style of ramen with thick udon-like noodles and a soup so dense, that it’s probably the thickest and fattiest tonkotsu broth your stomach can enjoy. Then, across from the Annex, there’s Tsujita LA Artisan noodle. THIS is where it all began, changing the Los Angeles ramen landscape forever. Tsujita’s name is a regular on both national and […]
Tsukemen is cold ramen noodles that you dip in a sauce. Tsukemen is said to have been first served in Japan in the mid 1950’s, and its popularity spread quickly. Contents: Tsukemen – History of the Dipping Ramen Ramen vs Tsukemen Eating Tsukemen Right (Aside from dipping) Best Tsukemen Restaurants How to Cook Tsukemen Easy Tsukemen Kits Tsukemen – History of the Dipping Ramen Although not entirely well-documented, tsukemen must have come from the Japanese tradition of eating soba noodles. Soba (buckwheat noodles) can be eaten hot or cold, but when cold, it is served on a zaru (bamboo sheet) with a dipping sauce. Similarly, tsukemen is cold ramen noodles that you dip in a sauce. The sauce, however, unlike […]
Japanese-People Approved Top Sushi Restaurants in America. There are over 16,000 restaurants outside of Japan to roughly about 45,000 sushi restaurants in Japan. Of the 16,000, there are a little under 4,000 restaurants here in the United States. Believe it or not, sushi is a 2.2 billion dollar industry in the United States, and has been steadily growing since the first sushi boom back in the 1980’s. Back in the 1990’s, Ventura Blvd in the San Fernando Valley was called Sushi Boulevard, with 200 sushi restaurants lined up on that street alone. However, most have closed now and other restaurants have popped up all across Los Angeles and other cities around the United States. In more recent days, non-Japanese chefs […]
Contents: Why Sushi Ota is considered the Best of the Best History – The love for Uni The Master of Sushi Warm Comfortable Atmosphere Created by Chef Ota Recommended Menu Items (Aside from the Omakase): TIPS Why Sushi Ota is considered the Best of the Best When you think of the epicenter of culinary excellence, you may think of New York, Los Angeles, or even San Francisco. When it comes to finding the best sushi, however, that may not be the case. San Diego, while not very known to the general population, is considered to have one of the best sushi in the country, and at the top of the San Diego sushi world, is Sushi Ota. Like Nobu Matsuhisa, […]
Contents: The Revolving Sushi Revolution of KURA History of KURA Sushi Organic, Made-from-Scratch Quality Ordering and Dining at KURA Revolving Sushi Bar Popular Menu Items Locations The Revolving Sushi Revolution of KURA Kura Revolving Sushi Bar since opening its first store in Irvine, California back in 2009 has quickly spread across Southern California, opening 9 locations in span of 6 years. In early 2016, KURA opened their first branch outside of California in the hot state of Texas where sushi restaurants are high in demand. And observing their long lines lined on weekdays (longer on weekends) at EVERY single branch, it’s fair to say that their journey was a huge success, and more are likely to pop up in the coming […]
Teppanyaki literally means “grilling on the griddle,” teppan meaning “iron griddle” and yaki meaning “to grill.” Contents: Best Teppanyaki Restaurant “Benihana” Benihana’s Teppanyaki Menu Benihana Locations What is Teppanyaki? Best Teppanyaki Restaurant “Benihana” With over 70 international restaurant locations, Benihana, indeed, is the most well known and arguably the best teppanyaki restaurant in the world. Benihana’s unique entertainment-dining style established itself as a pop culture icon, such that even a person who hasn’t been to Benihana knows what it’s all about. At Benihana, a variety of meat and seafood are cooked and grilled right before the diners’ eyes by chefs who multitask between cooking and entertaining. The chef’s performance includes juggling food with spatulas and building steaming volcanoes out of […]
