Japanese food

Nombe SF Returns to the Garage

“At different times in my life, something has happened where…circumstances…force you to kind of go back to the garage,” said Gil Payne, co-owner of Nombe.  “Just like how HP was basically started in a garage in Palo Alto and became an absurdly gigantic company. Now in a sense, they’ve had to go back to the

Hoshinoya: San Fran’s New Food Fusion Genius

Above: Japanese Plate – saba, takoyaki, salad, and miso soup; all photos from Hoshinoya’s Facebook page There are two types of restaurants: those with a specific cuisine, and those with hybrid fusions. If you’ve ever wondered what Thai-Japanese food tastes like, Hoshinoya’s your answer.  Owner Nuttawat Wongpisethkul bought Hoshinoya this past March, though he’s far

Otoro Sushi and Connecting with Community

All photos by David Law “I hope my story’s not too boring” Jimmy Shen, owner of Otoro Sushi, jokes.  Jimmy immigrated from China to San Francisco 35 years ago at the age of 15 years old and started working in restaurants soon after to help support his family. He went from a dishwasher to a

Ramen Done Right at Ippudo San Francisco

Shigemi Kawahara, the “Ramen King,” embarks on his 34th year overseeing 200+ Ippudo restaurants worldwide. The original Ippudo launched in Fukuoka, Japan on October 16, 1985. Since then, Ippudos have made their way to the U.S., Philippines, U.K., China, Sydney, and beyond. All for one thing – ramen.

Bamboo Asia’s Sous Vide Meal Kits Were Made for These Times

If you’ve never heard of Bamboo Asia – Far Out Market until now, it might surprise you to know that it actually has four different brick-and-mortar locations that have all been serving the Bay Area for the past 10 years. Learn the story behind a true champion of adaptation today!

For the Sake of Sake: A Taste of Japan at Ozumo

The story of Ozumo doesn’t begin with food. It begins with baseball. Around 20 years ago, founder Jeremy Umland traveled to Japan to play baseball, and, while there, gathered an affinity for the country: its language and culture — and, of course, the food…

Cha-Ya San Francisco: Promoting Unity & Kindness During Difficult Times

When I spoke with Mie Katsumata, owner of Cha-Ya San Francisco, I immediately noticed her easy sense of humor and a deep awareness for the importance of unity during a time like this. Cha-Ya is a vegetarian/vegan Japanese restaurant, whose menu is inspired by “Shojin Ryori”, which is Japanese buddhist cuisine…

Delica’s Passion for Authenticity Remains During a Crisis

Since the opening of the ferry building in 2004, Delica—a Japanese deli that does takeout—has been a mainstay. Its approach to Japanese cuisine is a combination of traditional dishes mixed with the fresh, local ingredients of California. Yasuhiro Iwata is the owner of Delica and passionate about the ingredients that he uses in the dishes…

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