We take a look at the Tokyo restaurants that stole our hearts (and stomachs) — as well as those that left us — in 2025. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/12/26/food-drink/2025-review-tokyo-dining/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #japanesecuisine #sushi #fermentation #2025inreview

"When #Ashkenazi #Jewish people emigrated to the #US in the early 20th century, #latkes came along for the ride. They’re as popular as ever in Jewish- #American #Hanukkah #cooking, though they’re now made vegetable #oil instead of #shmaltz. They’re so popular in fact that they’ve gone commercial, with some grocery stores carrying dry latke mixes or ready-made frozen latkes. It's a workout to shred #potatoes and make them by hand, so, it’s not surprising that there’s now a market for a quick alternative.

But which brand tastes like homemade? We asked a panel of Jewish professional #chefs to find out what the best store-bought latke is—plus, the best way to reheat them and ideas for serving this traditional Hanukkah treat."

https://www.allrecipes.com/jewish-chefs-best-store-bought-latkes-11866522

"When #Ashkenazi #Jewish people emigrated to the #US in the early 20th century, #latkes came along for the ride. They’re as popular as ever in Jewish- #American #Hanukkah #cooking, though they’re now made vegetable #oil instead of #shmaltz. They’re so popular in fact that they’ve gone commercial, with some grocery stores carrying dry latke mixes or ready-made frozen latkes. It's a workout to shred #potatoes and make them by hand, so, it’s not surprising that there’s now a market for a quick alternative.

But which brand tastes like homemade? We asked a panel of Jewish professional #chefs to find out what the best store-bought latke is—plus, the best way to reheat them and ideas for serving this traditional Hanukkah treat."

https://www.allrecipes.com/jewish-chefs-best-store-bought-latkes-11866522

Make a beeline for chef Taizo Hirokado's hillside restaurant after you’ve taken a soak in one of the hot springs in Beppu. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/12/12/food-drink/beppu-hirokado-seafood-kyushu/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #japanesecuisine #fish #meat #kyushu

Emiko Davies’ latest cookbook, “The Japanese Pantry: From Sake to Soy, Essential Ingredients for Japanese Home Cooking,” is a showcase of homey dishes any Japanese grandma would be proud of. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/12/09/food-drink/emiko-davies-cookbook-japanese-pantry/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #recipes #japanesecuisine #shoyu #kombu

There are salts, and then there are Yuzen Inoue's salts that showcase the nuanced flavors of each season. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/12/05/food-drink/yamaguchi-salt-master-seasonal-flavors/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #japanesecuisine #salt #yamaguchiprefecture

Care to try some sheep brains? How about a serving of kidneys or hearts? Farm Restaurant Cuore in Hokkaido believes every part of the animal offers a range of gourmet possibilities. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/11/28/food-drink/farm-restaurant-cuore-hokkaido/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #meat #hokkaido

Forty years ago, director Juzo Itami unveiled his masterpiece, "Tampopo," showing us that ramen can be elevated to a gourmet dish and egg yolks can be used in, erm, very tantalizing ways. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/11/22/film/tampopo-40th-anniversary-ramen/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #film #tampopo #ramen #chefs #japanesecuisine #japanesefilm #juzoitami

Watching "Tampopo" inevitably makes you hungry. Put together a bowl of ramen in 15 minutes with this easy recipe. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/11/23/food-drink/ramen-recipe-tampopo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #ramen #tampopo #chefs #recipes

Forty years ago, director Juzo Itami unveiled his masterpiece, "Tampopo," showing us that ramen can be elevated to a gourmet dish and egg yolks can be used in, erm, very tantalizing ways. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/11/22/film/tampopo-40th-anniversary-ramen/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #film #tampopo #ramen #chefs #japanesecuisine #japanesefilm #juzoitami

Looking to start a pickling regimen in your kitchen? Turn to Yoko Nakazawa’s debut cookbook, “The Japanese Art of Pickling and Fermenting: Preserving Vegetables and Family Traditions,” for some uncomplicated help. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/11/11/food-drink/art-pickling-cookbook-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #japanesecuisine #vegetables #chefs #recipes #fermentation

If you can’t decide whether you want sushi or “kaiseki” multicourse haute cuisine for your next dinner, Nadaman’s new Ginza Onodera x Nadaman, which combines both dining concepts, is your answer. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/11/07/food-drink/ginza-tokyo-nadaman-kaiseki/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #japanesecuisine #soup #fish #chefs #kaiseki

A microwave and mayonnaise are all you need to make a chicken omelet sandwich for a quick breakfast or lunch bento. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/28/food-drink/oyako-sando-recipe/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #japanesecuisine #meat #chefs #recipes

A growing breed of Nepali chefs are showing that there's more to South Asian food in Tokyo than butter chicken, naan and curry. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/24/food-drink/nepali-food-tokyo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #meat #fish #rice #chefs #vegetables

Ever eaten a helium balloon? Grant Achatz’s Tokyo residency promises edible surprises and immersive culinary theater. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/04/food-drink/achatz-tokyo-alinea-modernist/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #finedining #chefs #tokyo #restaurants #meat #vegetables

In announcing its 2026 lineup of Michelin-starred Tokyo restaurants, the organization made special note of 97-year-old chef Kenjiro Kanemoto, the world’s oldest, active Michelin-recognized chef. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/27/food-drink/tokyo-michelin-three-stars/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #michelin #japanesecuisine #frenchcuisine #awards #tokyo #restaurants

Tuck into a wild boar sausage in a tortilla-like wrap. Chef Shota Itoi's modern French fare is a creative celebration of the region's produce. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/26/food-drink/auberge-eaufeu-french-restaurant-ishikawa/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #chefs #frenchcuisine #vegetables #meat #fish

Rebel without a cause or misunderstood genius? Fukuoka’s hotshot chef, Naoto Ohno, "doesn’t care about the definitions" of French cuisine. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/05/food-drink/syn-restaurant-french-fukuoka/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #meat #fish #chefs #fukuoka #frenchdining

A throwback to old-school “izakaya” taverns, Tanikoretani is a haven for those looking for classic bites paired with plenty of sake. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/08/24/food-drink/tanikoretani-izakaya-kiyosumi-shirakawa/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #japanesecuisine #chefs #sake #alcohol #drinking #izakaya

The pair of Michelin-starred chefs represent a new era for Japanese culinary talents in the French capital. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/08/15/food-drink/japanese-michelin-chefs-kimura-kobayashi-paris/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #japanesecuisine #chefs #paris #finedining #frenchcuisine