Gastrolust

We found ourselves downtown one day, an unusual thing, and walking by a little Asian eatery called Red Bowls, I saw Matthew Amster-Burton’s little “Out to Lunch” review posted.
“Hey, we’re out to lunch,” we thought, “And that guy knows food.” So we went in, and we had what he had been having.
From the first column [...]

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Summer also marked the first Battle in Seattle, featuring Chef David Hahne of host restaurant Enotria against Chef Takashi Ogasawara of Rain Modern Infusion Cuisine. In this crudo versus sashimi competition, the secret ingredient was salmon, and both chefs plated up three courses for a panel of judges (including yours truly) and a rather raucous, [...]

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: When it comes to kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi, I’m a glutton for punishment. Even when I set my expectations low, I find myself generally disappointed. At least in the States. I had better luck during my last trip to Japan.
But I’m in Seattle, and I was [...]

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It’s my birthday, and I’ll eat sushi if I want to, eat if I want to, eat if I want to…
I wanted to.
It’s not often I treat myself to a fine meal of my own. When I do, that meal will most likely be Asian. On a special occasion, chances are that Asian meal will [...]

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I feel fortunate to meet so many fantastic chefs and to experience their fabulous cooking. To date, I don’t tire of the numerous opportunities to dine out, as going to a new restaurant is still an exciting adventure. I wonder: Will it be one to find fault with, prompting a negative review? Or will it [...]

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My other fine dining experience in Tokyo, in addition to the kaiseki lunch at Kakou, was a fantastic dinner at Le Pergolèsé in the Tokyo Hilton. Akiko and I were enjoying what’s become an annual stay at the hotel and were offered a table for New Year’s Eve. Keep in mind that in Japan, most [...]

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My fantastic meal at Kisaku has me thinking back to a very special experience I enjoyed in Tokyo a few months ago.
Much of my activity was centered around the Shinjuku Station area. It’s an especially hustle-bustle area of the city—not necessarily suited to my preferred pace. But it’s where many of the business travelers and [...]

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In last year’s listing of Seattle’s top five Asian restaurants, I included Kisaku as my top Japanese pick. A recent visit reconfirmed why this is my go-to place for sushi and more.
The occasion was a birthday celebration for my special someone. The sushi serenade would precede my previously discussed deluge of desserts at Canlis, but [...]

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I posted this on Examiner earlier today, as I prepare to transition from their Asian Eats Examiner to their more general Restaurant Examiner. Thought it might be an interesting recap to share here…
It’s been about five months since I wrote up my top five Asian restaurants in Seattle. Since I’ll soon be changing my writing [...]

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We’ve been slurping down news of all the new Japanese noodle shops in Seattle. Samurai Noodle’s pretty good; people like it enough that they’ve got a second location. The noodles themselves are better at Kaname, but the broth is lacking. And we’ve heard some good things about Boom Noodle, though our Japanese friends tell us [...]

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