Expat Eats
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Looking for a Good Fiesta
Whenever someone asks me what I miss the most from America, I tend to say food— sure, I obviously miss my friends and family, but aside from them, the food that I grew up with gives me bittersweet memories. Especially as a native Californian, I tend to really miss Mexican food.
Chips and Ice Cream Dip
People in Tokyo love many of the snacks that Americans love back in the U.S.: cookies, cakes, french fries, and the two most well-known on both sides—chips and ice cream. The market here for chips and ice cream is huge, with a wide range of flavors (permanent and seasonal) to select from.
Hula-ing for Some Hawaiian, Part 2
In a previous article that I wrote about Hawaiian food (part 1), I described my experience with an eatery that was out in Kamakura. This time, I discovered a place much closer to where I live in Tokyo and absolutely filled with various eye-catching options on the cafe`s menu.
Tasting a Bit of History With Charlie`s Tacos
A few months back I took a short vacation trip to Okinawa with my friend from graduate school. We were both super stressed out from schoolwork and life in general, so we decided to spend three days in Okinawa as a kind of "mental detox" (yes, it was just that stressful). During our first day there, we covered areas around Okinawa`s capital, Naha.
Jumping for Joy Over Soy
Aside from me being an omnivore who loves vegetarian/vegan options, I am also a dairy person who loves soy. Soy milk, soy baked goods, soy jerky- I love it all. My mother used to buy soy milk from our local Chinese grocery store when I was growing up, so I have many fond memories drinking that delicious, dairy substitute.
Pirates and Teatime, Oh My!
I find themed cafes in Japan to be a pretty interesting phenomenon; not only do you get to enjoy some delicious cakes and other assortments of desserts, but you also get a fantasy themed atmosphere to go along with it all. Some cafes even have menus with main dishes, so patrons can stay longer to enjoy the whole mood.
Time For a Vegefood Festa!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend Tokyo`s annual Vegefood Festa, 2012. For those who do not know, the Vegefood Festa is a vegetarian/vegan themed festival that promotes all kinds of animal-free, vegetable-based food and products. It is quite a popular event, as my friend and I had to push through and maneuver around crowds crammed between two sides full of booths.
Little Mermaid on Land, In Tokyo.
If there is one thing I have learned about the Japanese food scene, it is this: Japan loves its bread. Bakeries are a quintessential part of Japanese daily life: I have seen salary men pick up packaged bread to go, school children buy them for snacks, and mothers buy boxes of them for their families. Of course, the bread I am talking about is not the regular sliced, white bread for sandwiches, but an assortment of bread in different shapes, sizes, and flavors.
2 in 1 Trip: From Tokyo to Korea
In many countries, multiple ethnic groups tend to sprout up in their own communities to keep their cultural connections close. When I visited the famous Chinatown in San Francisco, California, I literally felt like I had stepped into a neighborhood right in China itself. The crowds of people, coupled with the smell of herbal medicine and the sights of Chinese language characters, made me wonder if this was similar to being in the country at that moment and time.
Hula-ing for Some Hawaiian, Part 1
Although I am originally from the US, I did not get to experience Hawaiian food in my native California. The state of California is known to have various types of food from all across the US and the world, yet I had difficulty finding Hawaiian food around my area. My first so-called "Hawaiian meal" was not even on purpose either; my friend and I could not find a good eatery in a certain area in Kamakura, Japan so we decided to try the first place we saw, which happened to be a Hawaiian cafe.
Eat Less Meat, Eat More Greens
Even though I do admit that I enjoy eating a good amount of meat as an omnivore, I also get pretty excited for restaurants and cafes that focus only on vegetarian/vegan options. I enjoy seeing the creativity of people when they figure out how to create classic dishes using alternative ingredients.
Baked and Fried Foods With a Twist
Growing up in my hometown, the local mall (indoor shopping complex) was the best place to go if you had literally nothing to do. The mall had clothes to shop for, a large food court if you were hungry, and stores to get things fixed ranging from watches to cellphones. The mall was the epitome of a teenager`s playground, a place to hang out with your friends and kill a few hours or so.
Nestle Cafe: Food Production and Beyond
What I find interesting is that there are brands or companies that have cafes in Japan, cafes I never thought existed. Especially with luxury brands like Bulgari, Gucci, and Chanel, cafes can be another way of reaching out to consumers through a shared experience associated with the brand name.
A Planet of Doughnuts on Earth
Doughnuts are like a comfort food for me: chewy fried dough covered in either sweet glaze, powdered sugar, or some colored concoction with sprinkles. Personally, I have a fondness for chocolate doughnuts with chocolate frosting on top and sprinkles...reminds me of when my father used to take me to the local mom and pop doughnut shop when I was a child.
Deep Dish and Drinks: The Good Life
As a California native living in Japan, I tend to be partial towards the usual "delivery takeout" pizzas from Dominoes or Pizza Hut (although Papa John`s is my favorite thus far) or the made-from-scratch types found at nice Italian eateries. However, the "pizzas" I find in Japan are definitely not what I or any of my other expat friends are used to.
