Giant Robot Store and GR2 News – Tagged "food"– Page 10 – GiantRobotStore

Food · fungus · japanese food · koji · Aug 25, 2012

Fungus Ingredient to Spice Up Your Meals: Koji

We wrote a bit about it earlier this year. (GR - Koji) Betty Hallock, my collegiate friend wrote extensively about Koji once again. Read her first sentence, “The latest trendy cooking ingredient in Japan is a fungus. And that fungus is spreading. Professional and home cooks in Japan are crazy for it, and it’s flying off the shelves at Japanese markets in the U.S., too.” Basically it’s fungus instead of salt. Not quite, but do read on, it might be your regular cooking ingredient one day soon. (LA Times – Koji)

Food · Aug 24, 2012

n/naka Omakase Refined Again

Omakase continues to grow on fine Japanese diners. n/naka has to be one of the best. It’s not sushi, but it’s a hybrid Japanese kaiseki restaurant with a name that is easy to remember, perhaps it’s just me.

Chef Niki Nakayama preps everything to perfection. No, really. Look at the photos. I can’t get into describing each of the 13 courses (one of two of the photos weren’t part of the 13) or the beverage pairings (wine from all over the world – sake from a brewer, “Shichida” who only recently distributed outside of Japan), but the wait staff are like story tellers, they’ll explain each dish or glass of “wine and or sake” to it’s final details. Our particular waiter who worked in Italian food for years described the pasta dish (third photo below) which contained truffles and abalone as the greatest ever. He might be right. Each portion arrived immaculate and had perfect balance. The simple sushi was also perfectly created. Nothing over or under seasoned. Many of the small details, including the baby cucumber flowers are grown in Niki’s own backyard. She even made an appearance at the end to say “thank you.”

See a little more about n-naka and make sure you make a reservation. n/naka 3455 S. Overland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90034 310.836.6252

-thanks Julia Huang!

beef · Food · imports · japan · kobe · wagyu · Aug 24, 2012

It’s Back! Japan Beef

No one has cared that the Wagyu or Kobe beef they’ve been eating at Black Angus is really some bootleg beef from happy cows elsewhere, that isn’t Japan. But guess what? Japan beef imports will be lifted and now you can get more confused. Who’s to know which is the real Wagyu beef or the fake bootleg beef? Now the lines will be blurred. “I think it’s from Japan” will now be the answer to the “is it real?” questions. But really, will it be really from Japan and will anyone care? Probably not and it’ll still say Wagyu or Kobe when it’s just grocery store quality. As long as the beer is flowing, of course it’s “imported”.

candy · Food · japan · peanut butter cups · reese's · Aug 22, 2012

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in Japan

They’ve arrived and are taking the candy world over. Well, not really, but they did outsell KitKat mini which are popular at least by the ex-pats, by 1.7 times. But here’s the crazy part: “One difference between the export version and the one sold in the U.S. is apparent from comparing labels. The Reese’s sold abroad do not list “TBHQ,” which is shorthand for tertiary butylhydroquinone, a preservative.” (Chicago Tribune – Reese’s)

burger · caviar burger · fast food · fastfood · Food · japan · lobster burger · sandwich · wendy's · Aug 08, 2012

Lobster and Caviar Burgers at Wendy’s Japan

These actually look great. The price $16+ is inflated thanks to the Yen power, but it’s a Wendy’s. Can it really be “upscale”? The locations are in the high rent Omotesando district and Roppongi Hills complex. (Wendy’s – Caviar Burger)