I have been translating a lot of Japanese books lately, such as the Asian Salads and Asian Noodles ones I mentioned previously. This is the latest one to come out, called The Real Japanese Izakaya Cookbook, by Wataru Yokota (Tuttle Publishing). I didn’t just translate it; I also wrote the…
This is a guest post from one of my clients: Takaokaya. Takaokaya has been making beautifully handcrafted bedding and cushions in Kyoto since 1919. Third generation proprietor, Koichi Takaoka is going to tell us about one of his favorite Kyoto restaurants: Shiawase Gohan. Takaoka-san says: Shiawase Gohan (幸せごはん) means happy meal, or happy food. Shiawase Gohan opened about three years ago and owner chef, Nakamura-san, I have known for about 15 years. He was chef at a restaurant a friend introduced me to. I went there for many years and then when he moved onto a new restaurant I followed him there and continued to enjoy his delicious creations…
Japanese pubs, called izakaya, are attracting growing attention in Japan and overseas. As a matter of fact, a recent article in The New York Times claimed that the izakaya is starting to shove the sushi bar off its pedestal. While Japan has many guidebooks and cookbooks, this is the first…
