Snacks With Eyes

Forget the pretzels and potato chips next time you slouch onto your sofa to watch the big game – why not pound down a snack that stares right back at you? This bag of Almond Fishes promises all the crunchy goodness of sight-challenged munchies, plus a righteous dose of calcium. And it’s all-natural! The calciumContinue reading “Snacks With Eyes”

Hot Dog Pizza

And you thought pizza couldn’t be improved as the perfect junk food! In honor of spring, Pizza-LA comes through with the Buttered Potato & Sausage Pizza In addition to that ring of delightful little hot dogs, it’s got corn, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and bacon, all topped off with that oh-so-Italian favorite, lemon butter sauce. AlsoContinue reading “Hot Dog Pizza”

Time For a Nice Bowl of Intestine Soup

Forget the Clearasil and dumpster the Oil of Olay. My friend Hiro tells me that all I have to do to have beautiful skin is eat lots of motsunabe. Apparently, Japanese women have eaten pig intestines for ages, chasing the perfect creamy complexion. On a cold winter night, the bubbling pot of motsunabe turned out toContinue reading “Time For a Nice Bowl of Intestine Soup”

Pizza of…France?

And what could be more French than a pizza topped with five types of cheese, broccoli, red peppers, demiglace sauce and beef stew? You won’t need a glass of red to wash it down with, because apparently, wine has already been liberally added. The decorative squirts of cream cheese were a nice coup de grâce,Continue reading “Pizza of…France?”

This Will Never Be On My Grocery List

I was browsing the meat section at my local super the other night, trying to get some inspiration for dinner, when I noticed it must be shirako season. Have to say, that fact didn’t help me much with my meal planning, since I pretty much never get a craving for fish testicles. While I have eatenContinue reading “This Will Never Be On My Grocery List”

Streets Paved with Gyoza

Inside Namco Namja Town in Ikebukuro is a crooked little street lined with stands featuring the best potsticker dumplings from all over Japan. It looks like an old shitamachi lane, and the choices are dizzying. Regional specialties served with a squeeze of sudachi lime or mixed with shiso leaves are joined by more, hmm, experimentalContinue reading “Streets Paved with Gyoza”

The Godzilla of Toast

This “Maple Monbranc” Honey Toast is just what it looks like: a solid half loaf of white bread topped with ice cream, maple syrup, prolific extrusions of sweetened chestnut paste, whipped cream, half a candied chestnut and two sprigs of parsley. This is just one variety – you can order your slab of goodness toppedContinue reading “The Godzilla of Toast”

No Seaweed, Extra Chili Peppers

In the battle for the hearts and minds of Japanese midnight noshers, Pizza Hut fights back with the Gorgeous Four, the Melting Camembert and the Super Korean Purokoki! This flyer landed in my mailbox yesterday, promising that with a single phone call, I could be dining on a pie topped with Korean BBQ beef andContinue reading “No Seaweed, Extra Chili Peppers”

Pizza Taco

Sometimes “foreign food” is REALLY foreign in Japan. Like “Mayo Con Beef Tacos.” Or, even more mysterious, “Egg Feeling Tacos.” Basically: Anything in a folded tortilla? It’s a taco! A first I was puzzled by why “pizza” was mentioned – since it seems to be missing from the menu altogether – but I bet they’reContinue reading “Pizza Taco”