FOODIE INTERNATIONAL 
‘ Tokyo, Japan has officially embraced the international food truck craze, “international” being the key word. Throughout the city, mini restaurants-on-wheels dish out increasingly popular alternatives to traditional Japanese cuisine, from tacos to jacket potatoes to pizza. In Minato City, hungry locals head to 246 Common, Tokyo’s hottest food trailer park serving international hipster cuisine from purveyors like Brooklyn Ribbon Fries, …
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Epic Omakase in Tokyo – The Best Sushi I’ve Ever Eaten
I’m in Tokyo to eat. It’s my second food-centric visit to the concrete jungle of culinary obsession and for the next three days, I’m ready to throw myself – body and soul – into every smell, taste and texture I encounter. I believe every trip to Japan begs for at least one indulgent, no-holds-barred sushi dinner. I’m talking about real deal omakase. …
Continue readingAmazing Local Markets Around the World (PHOTOS)
One of my favorite ways to experience local culture while traveling is by visiting a market. Loud, crowded and colorful, it’s easy to immerse oneself in this multi-sensory slice of daily life abroad. In every destination, I’ve found a market worth visiting, from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market – the biggest seafood wholesaler in the world, to Bamako’s recycling market – …
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Off the Beaten Plate: The Making of a New Web Series
Maybe you’ve noticed — lately things have been quiet here at Foodie International. That’s because all the action is happening at a different URL: http://offthebeatenplate.tv. For the past five weeks I’ve been on the road (and in the air) filming my brand new web TV series, Off the Beaten Plate. I’ve eaten my way to some amazing destinations: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, …
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Tokyo’s Best Sushi You’ve Never Heard Of: Sushisho Saito
Don’t confuse Sushisho Saito, a tiny, hushed sanctuary for the serious sushi aficionado, with the 3 Michelin-starred tourist haven Saito. Though the latter has received much international press, our destination, Sushisho Saito is where the real foodies go. Like many of Tokyo’s hidden gems, the restaurant is located on the second floor of a nondescript office building, in Akasaka. “Sho” …
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Tokyo by Night, a Foodie Fantasy
Tokyo is a city of fantasies, from the current cosplay rage (dressing up in costume, in public, mostly anime characters) to hyper-sexualized maid cafes. When I called the “Tokyo Fixer” Shinji Nohara, I had my own specific fantasy in mind (albeit a foodie fantasy): a wild night of izakaya-hopping. An izakaya is a Japanese gastropub, churning out a variety of …
Continue readingMeet Japan’s Food Expert: The Tokyo Fixer
Following A Food Expert’s Guidance on Tokyo’s Best: Tastes of Ramen, Tonkatsu Fried Pork and Late-Night Organic Fare Every great adventure has a jumping off point, but where does a foodie even begin in Tokyo, the world’s largest metropolis; a city housing more than 100,000 restaurants? Because of spoken and written language barriers, it’s difficult to immerse one’s self in the …
Continue readingTokyo Restaurant Review: Tapas Molecular Bar
There’s nothing like some serious molecular gastronomy to soothe one’s creeping jet lag after flying for 18 hours. From the moment our wheels touched down at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, I was on a foodie mission to make my reservation time at Tapas Molecular Bar. The Michelin-starred eatery is housed inside the main bar at Tokyo’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel (opened in …
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