To be honest, I became enamored with zaru soba even before I got my first taste of it in Japan. I had seen the Hokkaido episode of No Reservations and became mesmerized watching that soba master make the buckwheat noodles from scratch. It was beautiful to watch and had me yearning for authentic soba ever since.
Hitsubamushi is an eel specialty dish of Nagoya in Aichi prefecture. It’s served in a bowl over rice with a side of yakumi (condiments) and dashi (soup stock).
Yumerindo is a ryokan in Kurokawa Onsen, a quaint hot spring town high up in the mountains of Kumamoto. Set in a forested valley with a river running through it, Kurokawa Onsen is known for being one of Japan’s most attractive onsen towns.
According to one reviewer on TripAdvisor, Warokuya Restaurant allegedly has a sign saying that if you’ve ever tasted better fried chicken, then the owner will close down. Challenge accepted!
A steady flow of seafood and activity is what you can expect on Vinh Khanh Street in District 4. Known for serving the best street seafood in Saigon, this was easily my favorite dining experience in our two weeks in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War played a big role in American pop culture, which is probably a big reason why the War Remnants Museum is one of the most visited attractions in Ho Chi Minh City.
Often referred to as a “mini Angkor Wat”, My Son is a Hindu sanctuary dedicated to the worship of Shiva. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most popular day trip destination from Hoi An.
Open since 1866, Yossou is credited as being the very first chawanmushi specialty restaurant in Japan. They make their signature chawanmushi with nine specific ingredients – white fish, chicken, shiitake mushrooms, kikurage mushrooms, bamboo shoots, ginkgo, kamaboko (fish paste), wheat powder, and anago (grilled conger eel).
Nagasaki’s diverse cuisine is regarded as one of the most unique in Japan. It offers plenty of interesting dishes, perhaps none more famous than this Chinese-Japanese noodle soup called champon.
A specialty of Fukuoka prefecture, motsunabe is a hot pot stew made with beef or pork offal. Innards like beef intestines and tripe are allowed to simmer in a soup base seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and chili pepper. If you’re visiting Fukuoka and like offal, then you need to try this dish.