Japanese Food and Cooking

Eiji: Finding New Year's Solace in Homey Japanese Cooking

Cassava: A Savory Japanese Breakfast

Braving Brunch: Refreshing Japanese Breakfast at Cassava Bakery Cafe

Notorious for long lines, brunching in the city can easily turn into a whole-day affair. From wait times and signature dishes to ambiance and drink selections, Braving Brunch is your go-to resource for navigating mid-morning meals. The Spot: Cassava Bakery Cafe The Neighborhood: Outer Richmond Th ... More >>

In Praise of Sushi Zone's Baked Sea Bass

Sushi Zone is one of San Francisco's hidden gems. Located on an alley off Market Street on the edge of Hayes Valley, the tiny restaurant holds only two booths and eight bar stools. The owner, who goes by "Ao," mans the raw sushi bar six nights a week, rolling up some of the freshest sushi and maki r ... More >>

Japanese Import Men Oh Opens Second U.S. Location in San Francisco

Men Oh Tokushima Ramen has been softly open since July 20 and had an official grand opening the weekend before last. It's the second American location of a Japanese-based ramen restaurant; the first thrives in Union City in the East Bay. The current menu is focused around two styles of ramen ($7.95 ... More >>

Namu Gaji: Reincarnation Fits Nicely into New Mission Home

Men Oh Tokushima Ramen has been softly open since July 20 and had an official grand opening the weekend before last. It's the second American location of a Japanese-based ramen restaurant; the first thrives in Union City in the East Bay. The current menu is focused around two styles of ramen ($7.95 ... More >>

Hecho: Sushi and Tequila Make Strange Bedfellows

Men Oh Tokushima Ramen has been softly open since July 20 and had an official grand opening the weekend before last. It's the second American location of a Japanese-based ramen restaurant; the first thrives in Union City in the East Bay. The current menu is focused around two styles of ramen ($7.95 ... More >>

Sachio Kojima: Pretty Much the Best Thing About Hecho

​You know how you can be beset with a feverish curiosity about a place and still can't bring yourself to go there? Exhibit one: the Audium. Exhibit two: Hecho, Joseph Manzare's year-old sushi and tequila restaurant. I'd been trying to piece together in my head how sushi and tequila would pair ... More >>

Sushi Confidential

​You know how you can be beset with a feverish curiosity about a place and still can't bring yourself to go there? Exhibit one: the Audium. Exhibit two: Hecho, Joseph Manzare's year-old sushi and tequila restaurant. I'd been trying to piece together in my head how sushi and tequila would pair ... More >>

Number 47: ICHI Sushi's Tai Nigiri

​SFoodie's countdown of our favorite 50 things to eat and drink, 2012 edition ​No one -- certainly not in San Francisco, possibly in the country -- is making sushi quite like Tim Archuleta at ICHI Sushi. For the past two decades, the American approach to sushi has been moreish -- rolls with mo ... More >>

Is American Sushi on the Decline? Some Say Yes.

​It's no surprise that when the Washington Post brings a storied, Japan-trained sushi chef to a neighborhood, fusion-happy sushi restaurant, he doesn't like what he's eating. What is interesting, though, are the reasons why. It's not necessarily the fact that most of the sushi rolls are covered in ... More >>

Nombe's New Lunch Special: Beef Ramen

Luis ChongBeef Ramen lunch special at Nombe on Mission Street.​ Last week, Nombe Restaurant added lunch service, featuring a unique beef ramen from their new chef Noriyuki Sugie. This ramen is also the star of Nombe's Dine About Town lunch offer -- beef ramen, mini donburi and choice of drink: J ... More >>

Good Luck is Hard Work

Luis ChongBeef Ramen lunch special at Nombe on Mission Street.​ Last week, Nombe Restaurant added lunch service, featuring a unique beef ramen from their new chef Noriyuki Sugie. This ramen is also the star of Nombe's Dine About Town lunch offer -- beef ramen, mini donburi and choice of drink: J ... More >>

Nick Balla's 2011 Find: Great Skewers and a New (Old) Herb

Chad RobertsonNick Balla of Bar Tartine.​SFoodie is calling up food types around the city to ask them about their favorite discovery of the past year, whether it's new or ancient, an ingredient or a person. We'll be running their responses over the course of the next 10 days. This year, Nick Ball ... More >>

Ramen Parlor Adds to San Mateo's Ramen Empire

Luis ChongPork broth ramen with lobster oil.​While the city's ramen culture is just beginning to flourish, San Mateo's ramen scene is leaping ahead with a modern variant of ramen. One-month old Ramen Parlor is the latest ramen venture from chef-owner Kazunori Kobayashi, whose San Mateo ramen ... More >>

2G Brasserie's Sushi Chef Doesn't Believe in Lazy Nigiri

Luis ChongPork broth ramen with lobster oil.​While the city's ramen culture is just beginning to flourish, San Mateo's ramen scene is leaping ahead with a modern variant of ramen. One-month old Ramen Parlor is the latest ramen venture from chef-owner Kazunori Kobayashi, whose San Mateo ramen ... More >>

Kyo-ya Makes Its Sushi Affordable for Takeout Lunch

Kyo-yaThe 20 for $20 box: can you count 20?​When we have somebody else's credit card, we enjoy dining at Kyo-ya. The sushi and sashimi are generally fresh and delicious, but the price is set for the business-expense crowd, and that's more than we want to spend for lunch. But obviously somebod ... More >>

Shabu Pub and G Cube Cafe: Japanese Hot Pots Go Chinese

Kyo-yaThe 20 for $20 box: can you count 20?​When we have somebody else's credit card, we enjoy dining at Kyo-ya. The sushi and sashimi are generally fresh and delicious, but the price is set for the business-expense crowd, and that's more than we want to spend for lunch. But obviously somebod ... More >>

Tadashi Ono, Japanese Hot Pot Expert, Describes the Real Shabu Shabu

Melissa BarnesShabu shabu at Shabu Pub, which is not traditionally Japanese​While researching this week's review of Chinese-American shabu shabu restaurants in the Richmond and Sunset, I called Tadashi Ono, the chef of Matsuri in New York and co-author of Japanese Hot Pots. I wanted to get a sense ... More >>

More Ramen Week: Kasumi's Revisited

Luis ChongHeaven in a Bowl.​It's been a few months since our initial visit to Kasumi ("Mist" in Japanese), a ramen and yakitori shop hidden in the quiet Lakeside area. We're happy to report that you no longer have to choose between a ramen only lunch or a yakitori only dinner -- both dishes ar ... More >>

Ramen Week Continued: Chotto's Rare Miso-Tonkotsu Hybrid

Luis ChongChotto's Miso-Tonkotsu Ramen Hybrid.​There's no place SFoodie won't go to sample a good bowl of ramen -- even if it means mingling with dudes wearing Ralph Lauren cargo shorts and flip-flops in 45 degree weather. Knowing this, we headed to popular Cow Hollow izakaya, Chotto. On our f ... More >>

Ramen Doraku's a Nice Addition to the City's Noodle Shops

Luis ChongNewly opened Ramen Doraku looks nice, has reasonable prices, and food that's good, if not great.​We slipped into brand-new Ramen Doraku in the Outer Sunset the other day, slurping noodles and chowing on curry. Our bowl of tonkotsu ramen ($7.95) included fish cake (naruto), green onio ... More >>

Fresh Eats: Getting Skewered at Halu, Hot Pockets at Anda Piroshki

Luis ChongNewly opened Ramen Doraku looks nice, has reasonable prices, and food that's good, if not great.​We slipped into brand-new Ramen Doraku in the Outer Sunset the other day, slurping noodles and chowing on curry. Our bowl of tonkotsu ramen ($7.95) included fish cake (naruto), green onio ... More >>

Go, Fish!

Luis ChongNewly opened Ramen Doraku looks nice, has reasonable prices, and food that's good, if not great.​We slipped into brand-new Ramen Doraku in the Outer Sunset the other day, slurping noodles and chowing on curry. Our bowl of tonkotsu ramen ($7.95) included fish cake (naruto), green onio ... More >>

Two-Week Cherry Blossom Festival Starts Saturday in Japantown

Luis ChongOkinawa soba, annual feature of Japantown's Cherry Blossom Festival.​Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Where: Japantown, Post and Buchanan Streets When: Sat.-Sun., Apr. 9-10, and 16-17; grand parade and anime costume awards on Sun., Apr. 17 Cost: Free; donations accepted ... More >>

Out with the Kids: Sushi at ICHI

Alex HochmanWho cares if she'll never earn an athletic scholarship? She eats shrimp heads, dammit!​In my twisted little food-obsessed world, my daughters' sushi-eating exploits are just as important, if not more, than their academic achievements or athletic prowess. Your son scored two goals t ... More >>

Sushirrito and Tataki South Remake Japanese Cuisine for American Appetites

Alex HochmanWho cares if she'll never earn an athletic scholarship? She eats shrimp heads, dammit!​In my twisted little food-obsessed world, my daughters' sushi-eating exploits are just as important, if not more, than their academic achievements or athletic prowess. Your son scored two goals t ... More >>

Sushi Evolution: An Interview with Trevor Corson

Matt CarrTrevor Corson.​As I was preparing for this week's review of two American-style sushi restaurants, I called up Trevor Corson, author of The Story of Sushi. In his book, Corson discusses sushi's origins as a method of pickling fish in fermented rice, its evolution into a common street food ... More >>

Kasumi and Chotto: Predictable Japanese Food Gets Playful

Matt CarrTrevor Corson.​As I was preparing for this week's review of two American-style sushi restaurants, I called up Trevor Corson, author of The Story of Sushi. In his book, Corson discusses sushi's origins as a method of pickling fish in fermented rice, its evolution into a common street food ... More >>

What Exactly Is an Izakaya? An Interview with Umamimart's Yoko Kumano

jetalone/FlickrAn izakaya in Tokyo.​The more restaurants calling themselves "izakaya" that I eat at in the Bay Area, the more I'm convinced that the title simply indicates a new style of American Japanese neighborhood restaurant. That's no diss, mind you, and I'm delighted with the creativity that ... More >>

Sushi Somewhere Finds a Place at The Corner

Luis ChongSomewhere Sushi's caterpillar roll, $9.95, and tamago nigiri, $2.75.​Wednesday night SFoodie stopped by The Corner to check out the new lineup of rotating pop-ups. In the kitchen was Sushi Somewhere, a new roaming sushi maker. This might seem like déjà vu for Mission locals famili ... More >>

Get Your Ass to San Mateo for: Chuka Ryori Cuisine at Yu-Raku

Luis ChongYu-Raku is the Bay Area's second eatery specializing in Chuka Ryori, Japanese-style Chinese food.​A new series that urges SFoodie readers to get their butts out of the Mission. For a couple hours anyway. It may sound strange, but Japanese-style Chinese food (known as "Chuka Ryori") ... More >>

Delica's Master Sushi Classes

foodlibrarian.blogspot.comDelica's roast beef nigiri.​Mikiko Ando, executive sushi chef of Delica Sushi Bar, has devised three hands-on courses to unleash the culinary warrior you didn't know is lurking inside. Sushi 101 (Jan. 29) explores various forms of maki and hand rolls; Sushi 102 (Feb. ... More >>

The cult of tonkotsu ramen is taking over San Francisco

foodlibrarian.blogspot.comDelica's roast beef nigiri.​Mikiko Ando, executive sushi chef of Delica Sushi Bar, has devised three hands-on courses to unleash the culinary warrior you didn't know is lurking inside. Sushi 101 (Jan. 29) explores various forms of maki and hand rolls; Sushi 102 (Feb. ... More >>

Ippuku uses every part of the chicken to its best effect

foodlibrarian.blogspot.comDelica's roast beef nigiri.​Mikiko Ando, executive sushi chef of Delica Sushi Bar, has devised three hands-on courses to unleash the culinary warrior you didn't know is lurking inside. Sushi 101 (Jan. 29) explores various forms of maki and hand rolls; Sushi 102 (Feb. ... More >>

Rice Ball Trio from Onigilly

John BirdsallLunch Set: chicken, eggplant, and hijiki onigiri, with daikon pickle and edamame, $7.​Thursday, September 30, 2010 Young dudes Kan Hasegawa and Koji Kanematsu noted Americans' bottomless appetite for the rainbow roll, but wondered why onigiri ― seaweed-wrapped rice balls fused ... More >>

Let's Roll Ditches Roll-Your-Own Sushi Concept ― for Tonkatsu

Tamara Palmer​Let's Roll, a newcomer to Irving Street's bustling snack strip that billed itself as a a roll-your-own sushi bar back in August, has now opened. Only now, it's a tonkatsu (breaded and fried cutlet) house. The sign out front reflects the change. Tamara PalmerThe storefront back i ... More >>

Saiwaii, Newest Arrival in S.F.'s Year of Ramen

Luis ChongSaiwaii's tonkotsu ramen with chasu and kakuni, braised pork belly.​South Bay restaurants have dominated the trend, but 2010 appears to be the year of ramen for San Francisco, as new shops continue to pop up around the city. SFoodie was among the first to spot Saiwaii, a new ramen co ... More >>

Ajisen's Kumamoto-Style Ramen Is Really Good

Luis ChongAjisen's premium pork ramen.​We ventured into the just-opened Westfield San Francisco Centre branch of Japanese fast-food chain Ajisen Ramen yesterday. It's been more than a decade since a branch of Japan's Yoshinoya came to the city and failed, so we were curious about San Francisco ... More >>

Ginji Izakaya Coming to San Mateo's J-Food Zone

Luis ChongThe site's a former flooring store in the heart of the Peninsula's Japanese-cuisine ghetto.​There's no end in sight for San Mateo's glut of J-food ― not that we're complaining. The Peninsula city is about to get yet another izakaya restaurant, this one named Ginji, presumably after ... More >>

Naked Fish: Bargain Sushi, Cheap Beer in the Marina

jen d./YelpMan does not happy hour by $3 beers alone.​The place: Naked Fish, 2084 Chestnut (at Steiner), 771-1168 The hours: Mon.-Thurs., 4:30-6:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 4:30-6 p.m. The deals: $1.50 nigiri sushi, $2 hand rolls, $3 maki rolls, $5 sashimi/gyoza/oysters/yakitori/tempura/soft-shell ... More >>

What to Have for Lunch: Tonkatsu Slider from ICHI Lucky Cat Deli

Tamara PalmerPork tonkatsu slider ($4).​Thurs., May 13, 2010 Genevieve Y./Yelp​Part of a new collective of businesses in one small building, ICHI Lucky Cat Deli brings a super-affordable sushi spot to lunchtime in Bernal Heights; most five-piece rolls are under $5, and sashimi goes for ... More >>

The Happiest Hours

We do the legwork to find you 30 of the most satisfying places to sip and snack.

What Makes Namu's Okonomiyaki at Ferry Plaza So Likable

J. BirdsallNamu's version of the homely Japanese snack skews Korean.​Okonomiyaki incorporates the Japanese words okonomi, which means "what you like," and yaki ("grilled"). We do like okonomiyaki a lot, grilled ― on a bus, on a train, in the sun, and in the rain, typically during or immediat ... More >>

Izakaya Sozai's Tonkotsu Ramen is the City's Best

L.ChongCollagen-rich tendons turn the broth milky.​There are many ramen styles in Japan ― one of our favorites is tonkotsu ramen, a broth made from pork bones and collagen-rich tendons, cooked for days to produce a very tasty cloudy white soup. (Don't confuse it with tonkatsu, the breaded an ... More >>

Nombe brings street food indoors, with mixed success

L.ChongCollagen-rich tendons turn the broth milky.​There are many ramen styles in Japan ― one of our favorites is tonkotsu ramen, a broth made from pork bones and collagen-rich tendons, cooked for days to produce a very tasty cloudy white soup. (Don't confuse it with tonkatsu, the breaded an ... More >>

Feasting Out: Traditional Sake-Drenched Japanese New Year's Eve at Nombe

​Where: Nombe 2491 Mission (at 21st St.), 681-7150 When: Thurs., Dec. 31 Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for regular seating; separate New Year's Eve party from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The deal: Japanese izakaya pub food, drinks, and music. Regular seating until 8 p.m. with toshikoshi soba available; from ... More >>

Yoshi's Chef Rolls with Soy Crêpes, Non-Fishy Alternatives to Nori

C. AlburgerThe Caliente roll at Yoshi's: If you're from Japan, avert your eyes.​Sho Kamio -- chef of Yoshi's San Francisco (1330 Fillmore at Eddy) -- is firmly grounded in Japanese training, but he's not afraid of roll play. Exhibit A: one of Sho's ongoing dalliances, the paperlike soy crêpes ... More >>

Nombe's Street-Food Ramen Expands the Mission's Late-Night Offerings

Luis ChongSaturday's street-food serving of chashu kimchi ramen: Better than homemade.​If you find yourself hungry in the Mission after midnight on a Saturday ― just like we were last weekend ― your options are no longer limited to a few taquerias. Now you can add ramen to your short list ... More >>