Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

Witty and I stopped by Amu Ramen for lunch. Our server suggested these wonderful bacon bao. The soft bun gives the ideal complement to the cured flavor of the bacon. My pork ramen was pretty darn good, too. The broth was silky smooth.

Witty and I headed to AmuManu for lunch where we tried this bacon bao. Great flavor with a hint of peanut. We both went for the tonkotsu: great broth, noodles with just the right amount of chew, distinct ginger.

I arrived at the airport in time to catch a meal. I generally find that eating on the ground is the safest choice for long flights. The food court outside of security at Narita provides a wide range of options, some better than others. I have always enjoyed their soba noodle restaurant so I headed there and enjoyed once again these delicious cold buckwheat noodles. But the siren smell of meat lured me to the restaurant next door for a second course. Their specialty is Wagyu beef. I enjoyed these slices cooked at my table on this skillet. My server added some sauce that was OK but the meat by itself would have been just as enjoyable. After two courses, I was ready for a long flight back home.

Hanami, across from the University of Maryland campus, provided the perfect spot for our lunch meeting. The quite atmosphere was very conducive to discussion. My sushi lunch was very enjoyable. It featured many of the greatest hits, including my favorite tuna and salmon. We also had a chance to try dessert. This lava cake featured lava mainly on top but it was quite tasty.

I needed some lunch before boarding my plane. The hall outside of security at Narita Terminal 1 has a wide range of restaurants. Some have large menus. Others, like this soba shop, specialize. I ordered the soba noodles made from high-quality buckwheat. They were served cold with two sauces, one spicy and one savory. The noodles had a delicate flavor and texture with a touch of earthiness. I tried and enjoyed both sauces. This was a wonderful, peaceful meal that set me on my journey home.

With the wind chill below 0, Justin and I were interested in warm food and a short walk for lunch. AmuManu fit the bill. It has a classic college vibe: good food, casual atmosphere, friendly service. I ordered a bowl with tofu and peanuts. The noodles were outstanding with just the right amount of chew. The tofu slices and peanut shavings gave a good sense of heartiness. The moderately spicy broth was tasty and warming. A very enjoyable meal.

This trip to Japan has turned out to be pork-themed. When several of us got together for dinner, Tim suggested the local outpost of a well-known Ton Katsu (pork cutlet) chain that is highly regarded. His recommendation was spot-on. Most of us ordered the special described in the first photo, a particularly high quality cut of pork. The result was exquisite. The pork was very tender and juicy with a delicate porkiness. The panko breading was the best I've ever had, both fluffy and crispy. This meal reunited me not only with my Bell Labs friend Tim, but also my student, grand student, and great grand student. The excellent food complemented the conviviality. This trip also marks the return to the location where, ten years ago, I started this blog. Atlanta etc. began during my last visit to this conference when it was held in Yokohama. The blog has been a pleasure as have been the friends I have made through it. Don't worry, I'm not retiring from blogging. T...

This video at my new YouTube channel shows my visit to a Mister Donut location in Tokyo. The audio is sometimes hard to understand---sorry about that---but you can catch a glimpse of both the excellent donuts and the curiously upscale service.

Cathy and I decided to conduct our evening discussion over an excellent meal at Domo. It is located in a fast-changing neighborhood near Auraria but the restaurant still conveys, despite being in the middle of the city, some of the peace of a quiet Japanese inn. The food is very Japanese but also very different from the typical Japanese food one sees in American restaurants. The menu is inspired by country cooking and is very hearty. The meal started with an assortment of appetizers. A few were vegetarian but many contained meat. Cathy ordered this excellent pork katsu. The photo of my noodle soup didn't come out but the dish was very hearty with meat, mushrooms, egg, and vegetables in addition to thick udon noodles.

Momonoki is hidden on the I-75 access road at 8th street. It serves Japanese fast casual food: noodles and sandwiches. As you can see, they have a large outside eating area as well as inside seating. This dish serves a savory sauce alongside noodles, bean sprouts, hard boiled egg, and pork belly. I poured the sauce into my bowl and got busy. The sauce itself has a good dose of fish sauce. My favorite aspects of the dish were the pork belly and egg, which were very satisfying and homey. The noodles had a nice chewy texture.

Meat on a stick means good eating in any language. Before my flight, Changhong and Chia-Han took me to one of Changhong's favorite local restaurants. I really don't know the name but it was located in a fancy shopping center. You can see the wide variety of stick-ready meats. Here are some of our selections, which included beef, beef tongue, pork, and chicken thigh.

Bowl Bowl is located in Terminal 2 of Tokyo's Narita airport. It is a fairly typical airport food line with a Japanese fast food menu. Lots of matcha-based baked goods; I guess the matcha craze is even stronger in Japan than in the U. S. The Japanese also do a good job of cutlets and meat-on-a-stick. Soup is comfort food so I ordered ramen. The broth was very salty but that is the Japanese style. The warm broth and soft noodles felt good after a long flight.

Kansai Airport is built on an artificial island, a pile of rocks in the middle of Osaka Bay. The buildings are designed with spare Japanese efficiency. Most of the restaurant options are before security; there isn't much at all to choose from near the gates. In any case, I wasn't very hungry before I boarded the plane but I did want a snack. This rice cake fit the bill. The wrapping is very clever: on the shelf, it appears that the seaweed is wrapped around the rice, showing its final presentation; in fact, the seaweed is kept dry and crispy with a separate pouch. I wrapped my rice cake and enjoyed. Inside was a bit of red bean paste to enliven things. A few minutes more waiting, then onto the plane.

Jiang wanted to be sure that I was comfortable on my flight, so he gave me this special treat. Mochi is made all over Japan; this is a special Nara version. The basic mochi ball is made of glutenous rice. The Nara version has a gentle green powder on top and red bean paste in the middle. They have a very soft and comforting texture and just enough sweetness to make the mouth water. The effect is a little like marshmallows but richer.

Yuan, Angela, and Andrew treated me to an excellent meal of an Osaka classic, okonomiyaki. It is a pancake stuffed with all sorts of ingredients---anything goes. I have seen it made in New York but never before tasted it. The batter is poured, the mixins added. After cooking on one side, the entire contraption is flipped over. Botejyu was founded just after the end of WW II. Mayonnaise was one of the many new foods introduced to the Japanese public by American troops. Botejyu figured out how to use this rare ingredient with classic okonomiyaki. Despite their very different origins, these foods do really go together. I ordered the Moonlight Special. Underneath that egg are several kinds of meats: beef, cuttlefish, and something else that I can't quite remember. Both mayonnaise and BBQ sauce were added to moisten everything and round out the flavors. This is rich, hearty food and deeply enjoyable. I think that Waffle House could score a big hit with this one---call it...

I landed at Osaka Kansai International Airport in a hungry state and ready for some comfort food. So I headed for the airport food court. These sorts of food courts are common in train stations and airports in Japan, with lots of small vendors serving a variety of quick meals. Subway was in one booth but most of the food is very Japanese. One of the restaurants specialized in eel---very popular in Japan but not so much with me. I chose this spot with their appetizing grill out front. Here are my pork with noodles. The sorts of Japanese food we see in the U. S. tends to be light and refined but the Japanese also excel at hearty, gut-satisfying dishes. My noodles were flavorful and savory with a hint of ginger and another taste I couldn't quite identify. The dish had just enough pork to add flavor without being too heavy. This is the sort of meal that hits the spot after 12 hours crossing the Pacific in coach. And in case you have any lingering doubts about the Japanese ...

I hit the ground in Los Angeles ready for a light, convenient meal. I headed to the Japantown mall and Oomasa, a sushi restaurant at the entrance of the mall. This is a touristy restaurant in a touristy neighborhood but my meal was satisfying in a simple way. This is my sasimi assortment. The fish was fresh and refreshing. I also enjoyed a bowl of noodles. The soft, chewy noodles are a nice change of pace. The broth was salty in a good way and went down easily.

Dave introduced me to Akane, a comfy Japanese restaurant. It's tucked away on a side street in downtown Los Altos. Service was friendly and efficient. The amuse bouche of pickled vegetables was a refreshing way to start the meal. My miso soup was delicate and nourishing. For my main course, I ordered the salmon teriyaki. The serving was generous. The fish was tender and moist. The teriyaki gave a nice bite but was subtle enough to not overwhelm the salmon.