A blog about food, history, data visualization, and more
Update, August 2016: Fixed broken links and updated Microplace’s status “If you eat, you’re an investor” is the motto of Slow Money’s entry into the crowd-funding marketplace. Called Credibles – a word derived from “edible credits” – it joins Kickstarter, Kiva * , the now closed Microplace ** and others as alternative sources of capital […]
(Updated 10/15/16: new photo, fixed or removed broken links; 1/7/17: new labeling law in New York) As a follow up to my piece about seafood mislabeling, let’s take a trip to the sushi bar, where things can be even more confusing. An already challenging language barrier is made more difficult by mangling of Japanese words […]
(Updated 3/28/15: new information about the San Francisco Diggers and their namesakes from 17th century England. 12/14/16: fixed broken links) Some birthday parties are enlivened by a clown, a magician, or a karaoke machine. But when an legendary restaurant like Chez Panisse hits 40 in a creative city like Berkeley, California, you can expect something […]
Although pizza baking in the San Francisco Bay Area and other locations (e.g., Sunset’s list) has undergone a renaissance in recent years with higher-quality ingredients, improved techniques, and better ovens, I think that the service side of the pizza scene needs some serious work. I’m not talking about the people who take your order or […]
Dinner at the Mount View Hotel in Japan was one of the few times I’ll need to use the panoramic feature on my camera to capture a meal (photo above). At this hotel, a fixed menu dinner and breakfast were included in our room price, with meals taken in shifts in a large dining room […]
Most Americans have one of two opinions about tofu: 1) it’s an abomination, 2) it’s a convenient source of protein for vegetarians but not much more. In Japan, however, tofu is appreciated as a special delicacy. Across the nation, you’ll find entire restaurants that are devoted to the many incarnations of bean curd and soy: […]
I just spent a few days in Seoul, South Korea. It can be a tough city for vegetarians, as meat and seafood feature prominently in modern Korean cuisine. And then there is the language barrier and my lack of understanding about local restaurant customs to make it even more challenging. But thanks to great on-line […]
Update 3/8/17: Ubuntu closed in late 2011. Details about the fates of the two chefs who led the kitchen (Jeremy Fox and Aaron London) are at the bottom of the post. Although the S.F. Bay Area is close to being a vegetarian paradise — with its glorious bounty of vegetables, fruits and cheeses, and vegetarian […]
On my occasional trips to Asia, I really notice the commercial signs. Something about their bold and unfamiliar designs catches my attention. Or, more likely, my senses are heightened while traveling (and I always have my camera with me). It’s possible that the local signs are just as interesting, but I don’t notice them (one […]
Super-dosa, as I’m calling it, stands outside of Komala’s vegetarian restaurant at the corner of Kitchner and Serangoon Roads in Singapore’s Little India (across the street from the Ferrar Park MRT stop). The first time I saw it was 18 months ago, when I visited Singapore for two days during an extended Asian trip. But […]