Japanese Food and Cooking

On The Line: Hiro Noguchi Of Sushi Noguchi, Part One

Hiro Noguchi may have required a translator to answer our questionnaire, but we shared a rapport over his omakase menu one afternoon. While skittish about dining on fresh coronet (pictured), it quickly became apparent that Noguchi would be our sushi hero, saving us from Americanized rolls and introd ... More >>

Meiji Seimen, New Noodle Shop, Opens in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa is OC's ramen country. We know this for a fact. But ramen isn't the only noodle game in town. There's also soba and udon, to name just a few other slurpable options. But so far, if I recall correctly, there's only one notable from-scratch udon maker in town: Sanukiseimen at the Mitsuwa Ma ... More >>

Revolving Sushi Restaurant To Open in Fashion Island

Up to now, the closest thing to a sushi bar you could get at Fashion Island was Hana Grill at the food court. Blue C Sushi will change this soon. It is a revolving sushi joint where the plates of sushi roll by on a conveyor belt, just as it does at all the other kaiten sushi restaurants in our count ... More >>

Long Beach Lunch: Sushi Boy

The only cool thing about slaving all day at a computer buried inside one of the many faceless Irvine office parks is that one hour of freedom where you get to drive to the nearest retail corner and get a plastic plate full of fast casual ethnic food at lunch-special prices. In my glory days of boun ... More >>

Long Beach Lunch: Long Beach Marché in the New Long Beach Airport Concourse

Attention: the future of airport food is here. And the best part is, it's exactly like food in the real world, down to the prices and all. I discovered it on a casual travel day a few weeks after the Long Beach Airport's new $45 million concourse began hosting passengers in early December. Hearing a ... More >>

New Izakaya Opens In Fullerton

There's a new izakaya in Fullerton. No, not Honda Ya. That's old news. Izakaya Kopan is taking over the spot of Red Chopsticks, a pho purveyor located next to the popular sushi joint Chomp at 141 E. Commonwealth Ave.

Long Beach Lunch: Maru Maki Sushi

The restaurants near the corner of Broadway and Alamitos Avenue are an intriguing slice of Long Beach life. LGBT-catering Hamburger Mary's butts up against Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles while the dive-y Irish pub Clancy's stares at Maru Maki Sushi across the street. Unfortunately, the tiny Japane ... More >>

Ennar Calasian Grill Puts Japan in Little Saigon

The new izakaya takes over Xanh Bistro's old space

Who Invented The California Roll?

For sushi novices, it's the gateway dish. The California roll can be found everywhere from grocery-store fresh-food aisles to cafeteria menus in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Typically packed with crab or imitation crab, avocado and cucumber, then rolled "inside out," the nonthreaten ... More >>

The Mein Event: OC's Best Noodles

Noodles, noodles everywhere, from pho to pad Thai and everything else

Sit Like a Shogun at Honda-Ya

The Tustin haunt brings its formidable brand and izakaya food to Fullerton

VIDEO: Ramen Gets Set on Fire at Kyoto Restaurant

I just returned from an awesome trip to Japan, home of sakura blossoms, crazy vending machines, maid cafes, kawaii adorableness, Pocky and ramen--so much ramen. I slurped my weight in noodly goodness. Oh, pork broth and soft-boiled soy sauce egg, how I love thee. The most unique ramen experienc ... More >>

10 Great Japanese Restaurants in Orange County

​For this list of Japanese restaurants, we intentionally left out the sushi bars, because, well, we already did that list. We also shut out the ramen joints, teppanyakis, and yakinikus because, well, we still want to do those lists. But you can certainly have ramen and sushi, even a Californi ... More >>

On the Line: 'Sushi Dave' Fernandez of Sushi At the Venetian Gentlemen's Club, Part Two

​Our conversation continues, as Dave craves corned beef and pastrami across the street at Roscoe's Famous Deli. I realize this is probably his breakfast, lunch and even dinner (based on how busy he was in part one). If we didn't have places to be, I probably would've asked about the next destinati ... More >>

Ramen Yamadaya Offers Oink Noodle

The first OC restaurant of this LA titan simmers the piggiest soup in Costa Mesa

Q&A With Jiro Dreams of Sushi Director David Gelb

Magnolia Pictures​The other night, I had the chance to attend a Los Angeles screening of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the documentary about 85-year-old Jiro Ono, who is considered by many to be the greatest sushi chef in the world. In a way, the film can be described as 81 minutes of food porn (that fatt ... More >>

10 Great Sushi Restaurants in Orange County

​You don't put out a Top Ten list of sushi joints in OC and not inspire some discussion. I'd be disappointed if this one didn't. So the comment board is open for objections, inclusions and even agreement on the ten we've chosen.Without further ado, the list:

On the Line: Chris Kim of Rolling Sushi Van, Part Three

​Our luxe lonchera love for Rolling Sushi Van ends with langostino. Ask Chris Kim for his sushi rice recipe, and you're good to go. If you would like to see a particular chef featured in On the Line, drop us a line note, and we'll see what we can do. To check out more of our interview, part two ca ... More >>

On the Line: Chris Kim of Rolling Sushi Van, Part Two

​Our sushi entrepreneur continues rolling out answers as we learn more about Chris Kim's biggest influence, as well as how honey factors into a perfect dish. His no-nonsense interview begins in part one. If you're curious about his recommended dishes, stick around tomorrow for some langostino.Hard ... More >>

Introducing Mitsuwa Irvine's Other Food Court Vendors That's Not Santouka

​As you compete for seats at the new Irvine Mitsuwa Marketplace's tiny, tiny excuse of a food court, there are three other food vendors who hope that you're not just there for the ramen at Santouka.Here is a brief rundown of who they are and what they offer.

Excellent Sushi in Yorba Linda--Yes, Yorba Linda

Dave Lieberman​One of the best things about writing about food in Orange County is the discovery of something great in a really out-of-the-way place. If you'd asked me what there was to eat in Yorba Linda, I'd have stammered something about the Wild Artichoke and are you sure you can't get to Plac ... More >>

Anthony Bourdain's Comic Book Now On Pre-Order! Yes, I Said Comic Book.

Amazon.com​Anthony Bourdain. Chef. Author. Travel show host. Novelist. And now a comic book creator?! The man who seems to say everything and do everything (His new show The Layover premiered a month ago) has written a graphic novel about "a renegade and ruthless sushi chef, known to decapitate pa ... More >>

Yosuke Sushi Says Yes, No, Amaebi

This Anaheim Hills Japanese restaurant has it all, from live sweet shrimp to teriyaki served in hubcap-sized combo plates

Fast Food Sushi vs. Supermarket Sushi

Edwin GoeiSushi Boy's Sushi​ Fast food sushi. If there's a better food oxymoron out there, I think it'd have to be "veggie burgers". But that's disingenuous of me to say. I've actually enjoyed more "fast food sushi" than veggie burgers. Most of the time, it's Sushi Boy; not usually for the sushi, ... More >>

Sushi Box Is Teriyaki-rific

[Hole In the Wall] Elevating the placing of grilled meat on top of rice to an art form

Mitsuwa's Hokkaido Food Fair Starts Tomorrow

Edwin Goei​ I went to lunch at Costa Mesa's Mitsuwa yesterday and saw booths already being set up for the market's annual Hokkaido Fair, a veritable celebration of Japanese food (particularly those from Hokkaido).

Five Things You're Doing Wrong with Japanese Food

​I'm just as guilty of butchering foreign word pronunciation as any American, but there are times when the media perpetuates mistakes that will make you look like a schmuck. This week--five things for you to avoid sounding like one in a Japanese restaurant.

Japanese Gourmet Fair at Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa This Thursday To Sunday

Edwin GoeiMitsuwa during their Autumn Japanese Food Festival​I was browsing Mitsuwa for exotic Kit Kats when I noticed booths being set up inside the store/food court for something big this week. Then I realized it's about the time of year for Mitsuwa's Umaimono Gourmet Fair.The food event starts ... More >>

Ranchan Ramen & Slapfish: Lots of Luxe Loncheras Launch Lately

​Two new food trucks, Ranchan Ramen and SlapFish, have launched in Orange County recently.SlapFish serves sustainable seafood (they are in cahoots with the Aquarium of the Pacific) and Ranchan serves pizza Korean tacos ramen, sliders, okonomiyaki (!) and yakitori. Both showed up at Anaheim's Noble ... More >>

On the Line: Owner Daniel Woo and Chef Greg Ong of Sushilicious, Part Three

Kevin LaraChef Greg Ong​To conclude our time with Daniel Woo and Greg Ong of Sushilicious, today the two gents share a recipe.  If you missed the interviews, click here to read owner Daniel Woo's answers from yesterday, and click here for Chef Greg Ong's from the day before.

On the Line: Owner Daniel Woo and Chef Greg Ong of Sushilicious, Part Two

Kevin LaraChef Greg Ong​Yesterday we heard from Chef Greg Ong of Sushilicious.  Today, for Part Two, it's Daniel Woo's turn at the mic as he talks about iPods, marketing, and how the name Sushilicious came into being.Tomorrow, the guys share a recipe!Proudest moment as a restaurant owner:The ... More >>

Nuclear Meltdown Might Cause Sushi Shortage

ynetnews.com​With as many sushi restaurants as we have in Orange County, the possibility of a sushi shortage after the tsunami disaster hadn't crossed my mind until this story in Israel's Ynet Business News. It's true that nearly all the hamachi sold is farm-raised and most likely routed through J ... More >>

Habuya Represents the Perfect Prefecture

This Tustin dive dazzles as the first Okinawan restaurant in Orange County

Naked Sashimi Shunned in South Africa

Flickr user Ko_An​ South Africa's ruling party has proclaimed that eating sashimi off a semi-nude model's body is officially offensive. Known in Japan as nyotaimori, the practice involves a nude female model lying supine, her lady-parts covered discreetly with leaves or other garnish on which raw ... More >>

Bistro Anju Has an Iron Chef

Hideki Saito weathers drunkards and the clueless alike at his Laguna Niguel eatery to deliver greatness

Get Your Bukkake On In Fountain Valley

Dave LiebermanPrior to toppings...​I have a confession to make. I only ate at O-Udon because I happened past their menu online and saw bukkake udon. I know what they meant, and it's a perfectly normal, non-perverted usage of the term, but the inner thirteen-year-old Mike Judge character in me ("ah ... More >>

O Fine Japanese Cuisine Pleases

Visit this Laguna Beach sushi place for rolls and traditional Japanese food

No Sushi, No Problem at Izakaya Meijiya

Another (delectable) attempt to make a small-plates Japanese eating-and-drinking concept work in OC

#20. Hakata Ramen at Shin Sen Gumi

ProfessorSalt.comNot the ramen from your college days​Just as New York, Chicago, Naples, and Rome have evolved their distinct styles of pizza, different parts of Japan have regional styles of ramen, distinguished primarily by their soups. Did you know Orange County has adopted its own ramen style?

Dueling Dishes: Sushilicious vs. Kaisen

Edwin Goei SushiliciousOn this episode of Dueling Dishes we pit two revolving sushi houses. Sushilicious is the newcomer; Kaisen is the long-established contender. But this week, we're not comparing just a single dish between the two of them. Since one dish can literally constitute just one b ... More >>

Drunk After Work: Sagami

Edwin Goei​The Place: Sagami, 3850 Barranca Pkwy. Ste B., Irvine, CA 92606, (949) 857-8030 . The Hours: Monday to Thursday, 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The Deal: Sapporo on tap for 50% off ($1.88 for a frosty mug). Hot sake, also 50% off. $4.95 sushi rolls (Rainbow, Spicy Yellowtail, Salmon Skin, or S ... More >>

Buy Me Some Sushi and Cracker Jack

[Summer Guide] A rundown of the best non-chain eats at the Big A

Mizuki's Openly Flamed Ramen

Is the Irvine noodle restaurant as overpriced and underwhelming as the Yelpers and Chowhounds make it out to be?

Okazu Ramen House to Open in Orange

Signs went up recently in the Target Plaza on Tustin St. and Meats Av. in Orange for Okazu Ramen House, at 2143 N. Tustin St. #A1, at the far southeastern end of the plaza.avlxyz @ flickr.com CC BY-SA 2.0​

Battle Supermarket Sushi

It'd be nice to be able to eat Bluefin or Shibucho every time the sushi urge strikes, but sometimes lunch is grabbed on the way between two meetings; sometimes dinner needs to be a quick pick-up before drinking the bulk of one's daily calories (other people do this, right?) and that precludes a real ... More >>

Get In With the In Crowd at Ohshima Japanese Cuisine

[Hole In the Wall] The Cheap Japanese Fare at Miyabi-Tei Is Your Chopstick-Ready Stimulus Plan

Kula Offers Sushi Not As Art, But As a (Still Tasty) Commodity

Full Moon Sushi to Open in Tustin at Old Haru Izakaya Spot

Edwin Goei​I can't say I'm surprised. The spot previously occupied by Haru Izakaya -- the Korean izakaya I reviewed for OC Weekly and chronicled when it folded -- is being reworked into a sushi joint.

Presentation: Japanese Tea Ceremony & Tasting

Bowers Museum