Food
'Ghost kitchens' boom in Asia as pandemic sparks huge demand
In an industrial unit on the outskirts of Taipei chefs are plating meals that will never be served in a restaurant: welcome to the world of "ghost kitchens". Even before the pandemic sent an earthquake through the global restaurant trade, the "Amazonification" of commercial kitchens was well underway, but coronavirus… Read
Matcha popularity sees competition brewing among Japanese producers
The growing popularity of matcha-infused sweets and beverages sold at cafes and pastry shops in Japan is triggering fierce competition among green tea producers in their own backyard. Growers of tencha, the green tea leaves grown in particular conditions and processed into the finely ground tea powder used to flavor… Read
Korean style chicken, ginseng, and brown rice soup in a can coming to Japanese vending machines
In recent years, more and more canned soups can be found in Japan’s thousands of vending machines, especially as the temperatures gradually cool down into the end of the year. Aside from the long-selling corn potage in a can, new contenders have come in the form of simple fish stocks to more complex shrimp bisque or demiglace soups. It’s an ongoing… Read
Domino’s makes Pizza Rice Bowl even more Japanese with 'mentai mayo mochi' and Hokkaido cheese
Domino’s Japan’s cavalier attitude towards mixing various cuisines in their pizza creations has caught attention recently. They were jokingly accused of insulting both England and Italy with their fish and chips pizza, but a look at their back catalogue will show that these fun experiments are an average offering from these… Read
Sustainable Japanese seasoning uses rice bran often discarded in the rice milling process
As many of our readers surely know, rice is a staple food of the Japanese people. In the rice milling process, rice bran, known in Japanese as komenuka 米糠 or simply nuka 糠, is created as a by-product. One of its traditional uses is in pickling. Making a fermented bed of nuka and other ingredients in… Read
Oyakodon: An easy traditional dish made with rice, chicken and egg
When I first moved to Japan, I thought that Japanese food was complicated and time-consuming to make. Cut to my friend telling me about her signature one-pan dish that only needed a handful of ingredients, and I was sold. Today on Japanese Recipe Adventures, we’ll be making oyakodon, rice topped with onions, fried egg and… Read
Simple Japanese bento: Tuna mayo rice balls, colored eggs and more
While the creativity behind some Japanese packed lunches (bento) can be truly ah-mazing, sometimes simple is best — especially when you don’t have time but still want to send your kid off to school with a cute and nutrient-rich lunch box. Here is a recipe that you can use on any given… Read
Japanese coffee shop chain Excelsior to curb food loss via food sharing service TABETE
Some of our readers may recall our recent article in which we introduced Starbucks' recent efforts to tackle to the pervasive problem of food waste in its Japanese stores by offering a 20% discount on food items in pre-closing hours. As it turns out, Japanese coffee shop chains are also stepping up… Read
Mochi ice cream ramen: Noodles will never be the same again
Nissin has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of their marquee Cup Noodle in Japan in many ways, including new eco-friendly packaging that hides cute cats and foxes inside your ramen, as well as introducing a low-carb and protein packed variety. That doesn't mean they're straying away from exciting flavor twists such as replacing… Read
Luxury kuromitsu matcha frappe hits McDonald’s Japan’s McCafé for limited time
Matcha is one of the most distinctive flavors Japan has to offer—a rich, grassy tea with a deep and alluring emerald hue. Bitter and rich, once tempered with enough sugar it can serve as a base for all manner of delectable desserts. Many family restaurants will offer up a matcha latte… Read
