January 2012
84 posts
The Makings of a Japanese New Year's Feast
December 2011
98 posts
Tokyo Black Honey Kit Kats
Possibly my favorite of all the flavored Kit Kats I’ve sampled on this trip… Black Honey Kit Kats! While we found these at Haneda Airport, the box indicates that they’re originally Tokyo Nihonbashi Edition Kit Kats. Nihonbashi is a famous brifge in Tokyo, one of the oldest, the first wooden version having been built in 1603. A bustling merchant business grew up around the bridge...
McDonald's Japan "Big America" Campaign
Here’s a look at the other three burgers McDonald’s Japan will be releasing next year as part of their second “Big America” campaign, each beefy bad boy based on an iconic American city or location.
Following the Grand Canyon Burger in late January comes the Las Vegas Burger…
Take a gamble on this Quarter Pounder topped with a spicy mix of sauteed sliced beef...
Strawberry Tarte Kit Kats
Recently relesed in Tokyo in cooperation with Le Patissier Takagi…
Japan's Latest Hangover "Cure"
I’m a big believer in “Ukon No Chikara” as a hangover remedy. It’s one of the few “cures” I’ve found that actually helps if used properly. But there’s a new drink on the market I’ll be trying for New Year’s… “Nomi Soko Rescue”, which pretty much translate as “Drinking Rapid Rescue”. I’ll let the bottle...
How to Properly Eat Sweet Shrimp
I like to suck shrimp heads with the best of ‘em, and thought I knew how to do it after all these years. But after hitting a fresh seafood joint up in Sapporo, Japan earlier this week, my eyes were opened to a different way of getting the most out of these crustacean craniums. It’s a special method that they suggest using for “botan ebi” which are sweet shrimp or spot...
A New Day, A New Japanese Burger
Although not “officially” scheduled for release until January, McDonald’s Japan kicked off their new “Big America” burger campaign this week with the Grand Canyon Burger…
Available in limited numbers for a limited time in limited markets, they say. (If you consider 260 stores “limited.”) Kobe is listed as one of those markets, so hopefully I can...
Wendy's Relaunched in Japan Today with... What?!
The Foie Gras Rossini Burger!!
Yes, to mark their return to the Japanese market, the menu at today’s Wendy’s opening in the Ometsando fashion district of Tokyo had a burger with foie gras on it!
The price?
1280 yen, so at today’s exchange rate, that’s about $17.00!
They’re also offering three other “Japan Premium” exclusives:
The Truffle and...
We Came to Hokkaido to Eat Uni...
…and uni has been eaten!!
So big and firm and plump. And the deep orange color! Never seen anything like it!
This particular uni was from Hopoyonto, the group of four small islands in the far north of Hokkaido!
And only 10 bucks!!!
Got $200 Bucks to Spare?
Wanna blow it on some fresh wasabi?!
Japanese Christmas Cakes 2011
These all from Seibu in Ikebukuro, Tokyo…
Sandwich Sunday - December 25th
We interrupt our regularly scheduled weekly Sandwich Sunday as we’re in Tokyo this week. So today, for the first time, I’m happy to present Sushi Sunday, with a look at an amazing piece of “otoro” fatty tuna I had at Tsukiji Fish market!
Merry Christmas!!
Roll with the Changes
While not on our original list of Tokyo eating establishments we must try, a number of people we met here could not stop raving about a small izakaya called KANEMASU. And once I heard what the specialty of the house was, I knew we had to go. You see, what KANEMASU is known for is a Japanese take on beef tartare… they take the most fatty, marbled Kobe beef they can find, slice it thin, then...
How to Eat a Burger Japanese Style
The Japanese like to eat their burgers with the wrappers still on, peeling back as they get deeper into the meat and bun. They feel it makes them easier to eat and less messy. So when you go out and get a burger at a non-fast food joint, where the burgers are served on plates, the restaurant provides you with DIY wrappers at each table…
Sakura Maccha Latte Kit Kats
First Family Mart I walk into in Tokyo and… BAM! A new Kit Kat flavor within a hour of arriving in town… Sakura Maccha Latte or Cherry Blossom Green Tea Latte!
Now we’ve seen Cherry Blossom Green Tea Kit Kats before, but the addition of “Latte”, as evidenced so beautifully on the packaging, is supposed to make these more milky in flavor, I’m assuming after...
Bullet Train Bentos
Love these little lunchboxes they sell at the Shinkansen stations!!
Funky Flavors of Asia: Japan's "Curl"
I’ve seen this brand of Japanese puffed snack on the shelves here for as long as I can remember. The name on the bag is written in katakana, which is the Japanese alphabet used to phonetically transcribe foreign words. Having never paid much attention, I always thought these were names “KARL” after the little cartoon mascot on the packaging. However, now having finally purchased...
Japanese Oreos
While Nestle Japan may be falling down in Kit Kat department this holiday season, at least here in Kansai, Nabisco Japan is stepping up their game with a few new types of Oreos! In addition to the White Choco Oreos I have come know and love, I found these two new varieties on the shelves yesterday.
First up are the Caramel Coffee Soft Cookie Oreos…
They come individually packaged inside...
