If you are a fan of black or white sesame desserts, then you must visit Gomaya Kuki (ごまや くき) located in Shibuya, Tokyo. I highly recommend the intense TRIPLE black sesame ice cream, and make sure to visit the self-serve table for extra sesame and sesame drizzle! The uniquely robust and silky smooth flavors will […]
Japanese cheesecake…the more elegant sibling of the denser New York style cheesecake. Balanced in taste, fluffy but moist, mildly sweet but not overpowered…..and overall sooooo satisfying. The search for the perfect Japanese cheesecake brings us to Osaka, where one brand stands out from the rest….Rikuro Ojisan no Mise, (also known as Uncle Rikuro). Uncle Rikuro […]
Hidden away next to Kyoto’s river and bamboo forests in Arashiyama is a small restaurant Shoraian, serving traditional tofu multi-course Japanese meals (kaiseki). While most kaiseki meals tend to be rather expensive ($100~300/person), Shoraian’s lunches are reasonably priced at $33~50/person (http://www.shoraian.com/menu/). I picked the most expensive meal option Shofu ($50/person) to try as many dishes as possible. Reservations is required. If you can, request the window […]
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Japan: Omurice
When I was in high school I watched “Lunch Queen”, a Japanese drama about a lady extremely obsessed with lunches, especially the Japanese omelette rice called omurice. Since then, I have been obsessed with finding the best omurice, and to see what’s the big deal. So finally when I visited Kyoto in 2015, I visited Kichi Kichi. Kichi Kichi […]
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Japan: Nara (Part 2: Deer)
There’s only one place in Japan where you can find more free roaming deer than people…and that’s at Nara Park! Before the 1637, it was a capital offense punishable by death for killing a deer (no joke!). The park costs nothing to enter, but a bundle of deer crackers (鹿煎餅 Shika-senbei) can be bought for 200 yen ($1.80), […]