Special Oyakodon (Chicken Over Rice)

The New York branch of this Tokyo yakitori specialty restaurant is authentic and truly delicious! Oyakodon (short for oyako donburi...

Rib Eye Cap

In the steak business for over a decade, Chef Danny Teng knows his beef. His signature steak at Danny and...

Potato Salad

The Japanese potato salad at Cocoron is near perfection. Flavorful yet delicate, the potatoes are mashed into a silky smooth...

Soba

The name of the hip Lower East Side soba joint, Cocoron, is Japanese for heartwarming, and indeed this soba specialty...

Sashimi

I love many dishes at Omen, but the sashimi special platter is my staple favorite. I always order it. I...

Chestnut Millecrepe

Chestnut is the perfect wintry dessert ingredient, and Basta Pasta hits it home with their seasonal millecrepe — chestnut —...

Vanilla Cupcake

The vanilla cupcake at Dessert Club, ChikaLicious brings cupcakes to new heights. While vanilla may sound, well, vanilla, pastry chef...

Aburiya Lunch Specials

Aburiya Kinnosuke has a variety of daily Japanese lunch specials that include The Limited (named because there are only 10...

Uni Tempura

Whether it’s the uni yuba cocktail or the uni and white shrimp roll, we already know that they have a...

Sushi (omakase)

Since it opened in New York in 2007, I have hailed Soto as my favorite sushi restaurant in town. Not...

Raspberry Cupcake (muffin)

While Thé Adoré’s “cupcakes” are really muffins — as there’s no frosting on top — I can see why...

Rice Balls

Japanese rice balls, called omusubi or onigiri, are a staple in Japanese cuisine. They’re a common fast food that can...

Shio Ramen

Thanks to Ramen Setagaya, I have finally come to appreciate shio ramen . Shio, Japanese for salt, is a...

Lunch Specials

Ise Japanese Restaurant’s Midtown location offers a substantial range of daily lunch specials. The chef decides the specials menus in...

Inaka Soba

The inaka soba at Matsugen is fabulously delicious! For those who enjoy noodles with texture, this is the buckwheat noodle...

Toroniku Shio Ramen

I know there’s been lots of talk of the ramen wars in the City, but at the end of the...

Inaniwa Udon

Restaurant Seo’s signature Inaniwa udon in warm bonito broth is heavenly. Even as a soba fanatic, I recognize the high...

Yakitori Donburi

Though Soba Totto specializes in soba, their forte is still the grilled skewered goods of their original sister restaurant Yakitori...

Matcha Latte

Tafu is an artisan tea house from Japan, but it’s hard to tell since it’s located in a Double Tree...

Noodle Salad (freshly made noodles & greens w/ grapefruit dressing)

The Japanese are good at creating salad noodles for summertime. It makes sense. It’s hot out, you want to have...

Uni Ikura Soba

Fall (specifically October and November) is prime soba season! This is when “new” soba — fresh soba noodles made from...

Mochi Ice Cream

Also sold at Whole Foods stores in New York and at GourmetFoodMall.com I grew up eating Bubbies ice cream in Honolulu (on...

Menchanko (noodles)

I had almost forgotten how comforting the food at Menchanko-tei is, particularly the dish for which the restaurant was named,...

Renkon No Hasamiage (deep-fried stuffed lotus root w/ chopped shrimp & Japanese leek wrapped in shiso leaf)


The renkon no hasamiage at Taro Sushi is quite a surprise. When it comes to pre-sushi appetizers, it’s best not...

Calipico Soymilk Ice Cream

Calipico (the Japanese name is Calpis, but in the U.S. it was renamed for obvious reasons) is a ubiquitous Japanese...

Sushi (omakase)

Sushi at Sasabune is a true joy because the fish is extremely fresh while the restaurant is relaxed and unpretentious....

Chicken, shiitake & scallion pan-roasted

The English menu description for this dish doesn’t do it justice. While, the main ingredients are listed, chicken with shiitake...

Beef Salad

Soba Nippon created this star item on its menu, beef salad. The salad is a regular iceberg lettuce, shredded red...

Goya Chips (bitter melon tempura)

Goya chips are Torys’s (and Yakitori Totto’s) inventive version of chips using the healthy and uncommon vegetable, bitter melon. They...

Mini Boiled Egg Sandwich

This dainty little breakfast sandwich is so Thé Adoré and so Japanese. Slices of boiled egg, tomato and cucumber adorn...

Iced Matcha Latte

Of all places, I would not have expected The Modern to have the perfect iced matcha latte. This is my...

Groovy

The bartender grinds shiso leaves using a mortar and pestle, to release a powerful aroma, then adds vodka and yuzu...

Daikon Salad

Sobakoh takes its food seriously and treats the presentation and preparation of each ingredient respectfully. The daikon salad uses long,...

Shiso Rice

While Omen’s entire menu offers a variety of delicious Kyoto-style Japanese dishes, I love to order the shiso rice with...

Morokyu

Morokyu is a combination of moromi miso and kyuri (cucumber). Moromi miso is a slightly sweet blend of barley grains...

Sushi

If you can’t sit in front of owner/sushi chef Yasuda-san, change your reservation to when you can. Not only are...

Sushi

Got an expense account? Then head on over to Midtown for a treat at Kuruma Zushi. The fish is fresh...

Ramen (toroniku)

Did I mention I love fat? As a little girl, I preferred fat to lean meat. I liked the taste,...

Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet)

Katsuhama is a tonkatsu specialty restaurant, with a menu full of different cutlets and deep fried skewers. The Japanese eat...

Totto Soup (Chicken Soup)

Yakitori Totto is a chicken specialty restaurant. Besides the signature chicken skewers that range from chicken skin to chicken cartilage...

Ramen

Only available during lunch on Friday and dinner on Saturday, the ramen at Chikubu is worth lining up for. The...

Yakionigiri (Grilled Riceball)

Yakionigiri is grilled rice ball. It’s commonly served at restaurants that specialize in grilled skewers or izakayas, Japanese pubs. The...

Curry Pan

“Pan” in Japanese means “bread,” taken from the French word for bread. Curry pan is a staple in Japanese bakeries....