Authentic Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen

Fu-Un Ramen is authentic Hakata Tonkotsu ramen. Tonkotsu (creamy pork soup) is probably the most popular type of Ramen now.  But it was only available in Kyushu before.  It is originated in Hakata, Fukuoka, and Hakata city has always been the capital of Tonkotsu Ramen. Now Tonkotsu ramen is so popular and spread throughout the nation, and there are many luxury fancy ramen.  But Hakata ramen is originally simple fast food.  People come in, just order how stiff you want the noodle to be boiled, ramen comes within a minute, you slurp it all up and go, leaving one coin (JPY500) behind on the table.   Fu-Un is that kind of simple, fast, but good […]

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Hearty Healthy Breakfast of Okinawan Tradition

Just off the bustle of Kokusai Street, Okinawa Dai-ichi Hotel maintains its premises quite, private and very comfortable.  3 buildings are surrounding a nice garden in the middle. Okinawa Dai-ichi Hotel is a small hotel with only 5 rooms, operated by a local family.  No relations with a nation wide hotel chain of Tokyo Dai-ichi hotels. Their breakfast was started 40 years ago by the lady owner and now has been passed on to her daughter.  It has solid reputations for nourishing veggie cooking. This is the restaurant.  Reservation is required a day prior.  Breakfast starts from 8:00, 9:00 or 10:00. We had a reservation at 9:00.  50 minutes for each group. […]

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The best Kanpachi of the season!

Now the Kanpachi (amberjack) fishing season is in its mid-season here in Okinawa. Time to fish and party!     This is a mackerel tuna.  The best tasty one in Katsuo family.  “Suma” we call it.  It’s got the signature black dots under pectoral fins. You hardly find this fish in the market.  They move in very small groups and they are scattered in the open waters.  They are so good to eat, and fast to go bad.  So fishermen usually keep and eat them, and don’t sell to the market.  It’s an angler’s privilege to enjoy this fish. Look at the marble in the belly. This fish is fast […]

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Medium-rare Pork from Ganaha

It’s ignorant of me, but only recently I learned that in 2011 USDA: United States Department of Agriculture has officially lowered the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160F degrees to 145F degrees and adding a 3-minute rest time. 145F is about 62C degrees.   That is medium rare! And I love medium rare. (New guideline does not apply to ground pork.)   I’ve always thought the pork had to be cooked thoroughly. That’s what my mom taught me. Even though I have been kind of eating pork while pink at good Yakiniku (grill-your-own-meat type) or shabu shabu restaurants recently, I was feeling a little guilty […]

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