There are several tea shops in Kyoto, and just as many offering traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. But none have been around as long as Fukujuen, which has been in the business since 1790. Their five level store offers both a cafe, a retail store and private tea ceremony room, and I’d recommend stopping in for … Continued
San Diego doesn’t have the greatest eating, at least in the tourist-heavy areas of the Gaslamp and closer to downtown. But drive 10 to 15 minutes north of downtown, around Convoy Street or Clairemont Mesa, and you’ll be confronted with more Japanese, Korean and Thai joints than you could ever try in a week. My … Continued
There are only a handful of places I like for dim sum in Chicago’s Chinatown. Phoenix is the stalwart – and much-needed renovation in 2014 really brought them into the modern era. Cai, on the 2nd floor of the Chinatown Square Mall, is more elegant, but still, bustling on a weekend (which means plenty of … Continued
Is there a better fried chicken in Chicago? Probably not. Although there are certainly different styles (I love the Carolina-style at Roost, as well as the vaguely Asian-flecked version at Smalls). But Crisp has always been my go-to. It’s twice-fried, then tossed with a choice of either a gojujang-laced barbecue sauce or a sesame-soy-garlic Korean … Continued
Say what you will about Montreal smoked meat, but Schwartz’s – that legendary icon – is nothing more than a tourist trap. On my most recent visit, a few years ago, I got a tour of the kitchen and noticed they don’t smoke the cured briskets anymore; haven’t since the 60s. What they serve at … Continued
Even though you’ll find better okonomiyaki in Osaka, when in Kyoto, you would be hard-pressed to find a better source than Kora Tei. The Korean owners replicate this large, savory seafood pancake to perfection, topping it with either some Kewpie mayo or bonito flakes or both. Reminiscent of their own seafood pancakes from Korea, called … Continued
With the elderly Matsuno-San overseeing every detail of your meal, and his son, Toshio, supervising the kitchen crew, your meal at Tempura Matsu will be life-changing, revelatory. It’s not molecular, and it’s not avant-garde. It’s simply Japanese perfection, using only what they can purchase each day, then combining fish, rice and a myriad of sea … Continued
An upscale take on the American diner with great cocktails, matzo ball soup and yes, those cheeseburgers. During brunch (and after midnight) check out the chilaquiles, but be sure your friends are joining you, because the mound is enough to feed six. It seems like Brendan Sodikoff and the Hogsalt team thought of everything here … Continued
What’s not to like about biscuits, jams, pie and candied bacon? These are no ordinary biscuits of course, and the fact that goose lard is used in the pie crust makes those extra special too. I say get a little candied bacon, or maybe opt for one of the breakfast sandwiches now available. Grab a … Continued
Jimmy Bannos, Jr. has restaurants in his blood. His father launched Heaven on Seven, where the young Bannos grew up, then he trained in New York with Mario Batali’s team for a series of stages. But it’s his father’s Greek heritage and his mother’s Italian heritage the really creeps into dishes like the grilled chicken … Continued
Where do the chefs of Las Vegas go after they get off work? To the same place they’ve been going for years: Raku. This casual izakaya, just off Spring Mountain Road, offers food that’s actually quite a bit better than anything remotely close on The Strip, and at fairer prices. I love the homemade tofu … Continued