Sakai Takayuki Shikisai

img by : https://www.hocho-knife.com/ Be it sushi or sashimi, Japanese food lovers and gourmets are always in the look for ‘quality’ in food preparation processes and also in ingredients selected for each dish. Generally, when it comes to quality Japanese cuisine, it always comes down to the mastery of blade skills – the chops, the slices, the clear-cut slices of raw Salmon topped on the authentic, Japanese rice mixed with vinegar. Diners are eager to witness the masters of Japanese sushi perform their swift cutting skills, which is generally why sushi bars and Omakase sushi tables are bare and present in all restaurants local and worldwide. As the crafting of […]

Kusakabe, San Francisco

Have you ever dine at a Japanese restaurant? Are you a huge fan of Japanese food – Yakisoba, Teriyaki Chicken, or Gyoza dumplings? Well, who doesn’t love Japanese food? Among Japanese-styled dishes, sushi tops the charts of popularity for its blended combination of flavors and enriched tastes that won the hearts of people all over the world. Sushi has then become a strong rival to the remaining cultured dishes and even Western cuisine. “Oishi desu!” means ‘very delicious’ in Japanese. And when it comes to the Japanese dining culture, you can’t overlook these little details – all the mannerism that involves such greetings like “Itadakimasu’ and ‘Gochisosama’ done before and […]

How to choosing a Sushi Restaurant

Many people I met told me that they don’t like sushi; upon pressing the matter, I learned that the place where they ate it was far less from ideal. It’s sad to think that many people cannot enjoy sushi because of a bad first experience. The usual culprit for this is a combination of lack of tradition in the place where they ate and poorly prepared fish. All fish swim in the ocean, but not all fish are suitable for sushi because how the fish is handled, from the water to the sushi bar, greatly influences its quality. The Japanese word for sushi restaurant is sushiya. Eat only at the […]

SAN DIEGO'S NUMBER 1 RAMEN FOR TAKEOUT THE RAKIRAKI RAMEN: LEGENDARY CUISINE

Since its opening in 2012, RakiRaki Ramen & Tsukemen is consistently ranked as one of the best ramen in San Diego, if not the best. The original location, located in the heart of Kearny Mesa, also known as the epicenter of San Diego’s Asian food scene, often has long lines that extend out the door which is well worth the wait. Head chef and owner, Junya Watanabe, serves up signature ramen recipes that combine traditional ramen making along with the highest quality ingredients in a modern setting. At RakiRaki, you’ll find a wide variety of ramen dishses as well as authentic Japanese cuisine including tsukemen, a type of dipping noodle, […]

Setting the Japanese Food Standard?

In a recent news article I came across, Japan’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry has started to monitor the authenticity of Japanese restaurants around the world. There are believed to be about 240,000. Much like monitoring boards run by French, Thai and Italian organizations, the Japanese one set up in 2006 will also offer certification for authenticity. Some of the more important points rewarded include the ingredients used, the taste, presentation, and the number of Japanese staff and chefs in an establishment. Owner and chef of a high-end kaiseki-ryori restaurant in Toronto, Canada, Masaki Hashimoto, was also quoted to have said in the article, “In Toronto, there’s been a big […]

A Quick Guide to Knife Steel

A knife is not an ordinary cutlery, but a kitchen essential, as it performs a wide range of tasks needed in the food preparation process. In this article, we’ll focus on helping you pick the right knife without getting into all the technical details about various types of steel. We’ll focus on the functions of a knife that would regularly affect an average user. When steel was first created, it was extremely sharp however it was prone to rusting. To combat this, stainless steel was created, which wasn’t as sharp but didn’t rust. In recent years, powdered stainless steel was created which offered the same sharpness as steel without the […]

Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Cook’s Knife Review

Wusthof classic chef knifes chef’s knife is an indispensable tool in any chef’s kitchen and needs to carry out a variety of food preparation tasks such as dicing and slicing, fine chopping, mincing, etc. A good chef’s knife ensures that the chef can perform these tasks effectively and speedily and that is why professional chefs place so much value on a good knife. However, for many chefs, it can be a hard task to locate the best chef knife available out there, as there are a number of these knives competing for the crown, but it takes some time to evaluate them to get to the pick of the crop. […]

History of Sashimi

Sashimi is a thinly sliced, bite-sized piece of raw and fresh meat – usually fish, such as salmon and tuna. It’s a famous Japanese dish and is eaten raw with soy sauce and wasabi. Sashimi is usually served on a bed of daikon, without rice. Most sashimi is made from the freshest saltwater fish as because freshwater fish has higher risks of parasites. This dish came to be due to Japan being surrounded by the ocean and an abundance of seafood. History of Sashimi While the exact origins of sashimi are unknown, many theories exist on how the dish came to be. The word sashimi translates to ‘pierced meat’ or […]

Reasons To Sharpen Kitchen Knives

Kitchen knives, essential in every kitchen, come in a variety of shapes, sizes, designs and materials. However, the one thing they all have in common is the need to be sharpened. It is necessary to sharpen kitchen knives after every couple of uses, but most homeowners, and even some chefs, do not know how to properly sharpen kitchen knives. While there are different ways to sharpen certain knives, the tools and techniques are very similar. There are different ways to sharpen kitchen knives, and each way requires a certain tool. A sharpening steel rod, knife sharpening stone and commercial knife sharpener are just a few of the tools in existence […]

Types of Japanese Sushi 【Chirashizushi / Inarizushi / Modern narezushi / Oshizushi】

The common ingredient in all types of sushi is vinegared sushi rice. Fillings, toppings, condiments, and preparation vary widely. However, what diners get from sushi and sashimi dishes are ingredient freshness, divine-tasting sensation, and overwhelming bliss and joy. Before we get too deep into the ecstasy of Japanese food dining, let us go through some of the most popular sushi dishes and explore what they are made up of. Chirashizushi Chirashizushi serves the rice in a bowl and tops it with a variety of raw fish and vegetable garnishes. It is commonly eaten because it is filling, fast and easy to make.It is eaten annually on Hinamatsuri in March and […]