A modern twist on the Argentinian Asado. Their use of smoke in addition to grilling as well as unique flavor combinations sets La Carnicería apart from all other asados. You can’t go wrong with any of their cuts but the Corte Ahumada (smoked rib) is so tender and smokey that a knife is not needed. A perfect way to Change it up a bit while still getting your carnivore fix on.
Possibly the best pizzaiolo you have never heard of is Dan Richer from Jersey City. His pursuit of bread and butter perfection is beautifully captured in the attached video and the resulting pizza is outstanding. He bakes in a wood-fired oven and sources his Buffalo cheese locally. Tomatoes are sourced from the USA and Italy and are blended for optimum results. There is real artisan talent on display in these pizzas. Don't forget to try the stunning bread and butter while you are there.
Ya Kun Kaya Toast is a Singaporean chain of mass-market, retro-ambience cafés selling kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs, and coffee. Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944 (before Singapore’s independence), Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but have expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. They have over 50 outlets across six countries and are a Singaporean cultural icon.
Go to the OG location to experience the toast grilled in an original way by the “original men”. In its nostalgic atmosphere, members of the Loi family still prepare breakfasts for people enthusiastically. The toast at Ya Kun is very thin and crispy, thinner than its counterparts and crispy like crackers. And the eggs perfectly soft-boiled (great for dipping).
Tsukemen cold dipping noodles are served alongside piping hot and thick, viscous pork bone and seafood-based soup. It really is fun and delicious to dip the cold noodles in the piping hot soup. While Tetsu did not invent Tsukemen, Tetsu did popularise them as Tokyo went nuts when they launched in 2005. If your soup cools down, ask for "yaki-ishi" where a hot stone is dropped into your soup to heat it back up. The experience is entertaining and delicious.
Legendary Yamagishi-san 's Taishoken has been serving ramen since 1955. He is credited with inventing the Tsukemen dipping custom which he called mori soba. This historic venue is a cornerstone of Japanese ramen culture and is presented here with thin, curly noodles, menma, chashu, and yuzu for citrusy flavor that is different than most. Unmissable for noodle aficionados.
Another favourite sweet among locals, Hakata no Hito brings out the delicious flavour of eggs and highlights the delicate sweetness of the red bean jelly. Literally translated to “Lady of Hakata,” the thumb-sized pastry features traditional German cake filled with adzuki bean jelly. Sweet and moist, the sweet has been loved for more than 40 years since its release in 1972.
Pro tip: Associated with prosperity or longevity, the dessert is a popular gift for auspicious occasions, due to its appearance like layered tree rings.
The Hakata Torimon is one of Fukuoka’s signature foods. The heavenly steamed bun combines rich butter and milk with traditional sweet beans. Created by the Meigetsudo Company in 1993, it quickly became popular and locals consume it in abundance. Whereas the traditional manju is filled with sweet azuki bean paste, the Hakata Torimon has a filling of white azuki beans mixed with butter, eggs, condensed milk and cream, which adds a richness regular manjus don't have. The result is a smooth and unctuous manju that melts on your tongue. You can find the treat at the Fukuoka Airport, the Meigetsudo souvenir shop inside the Hakata Station, and at many other locations around Fukuoka. Of note: They depict the characters and creator of a popular manga in Japan - Hakatakko Junjo ("The innocent Hakatan").
Mizutaki is a one-pot dish of chicken and vegetables that are put in a soup made from chicken bones and then eaten while dipping it in ponzu sauce (citrus soy sauce). The order in which mizutaki is eaten is unique. First, put the soup stock and spring onions in the pot and taste it, though even the way you should taste it differs by the restaurant. Next, add the vegetables one by one. Note that each restaurant uses its own soup base and ingredients, as well as special ponzu for dipping. After you have eaten all the ingredients, you put rice in the pot to make rice porridge (a softer kind of risotto), and then finish the meal by eating the rice with the delicious soup base. While there are many restaurants in Fukuoka that serve mizutaki, Toritden is famous for its special golden ponzu and the speciality spices used in the soup that brings out the delicious taste of meat.
Karashi mentaiko (pollock roe soaked in red peppers and sauce) is eaten with rice or added to pasta. While the name bears the term karashi (chili), it is not extremely hot but has a distinct spiciness that comes from the depth and flavor of the crushed mustard seed sauce used to soak the roe. There are numerous shops that sell karashi mentaiko, but just a few where you can order it as a meal. Ganso Hakata Mentaiju, Fukuoka’s first shop dedicated to mentaiko, is the place to go. Try the Mentaiju, the dish named after the shop, for a serving of rice topped with marinated konbu maki mentai (cod roe wrapped in seaweed). Diners can choose between regular and spicy cod roe. With the perfect match of the rich taste of cod roe and the seaweed rice, you would find yourself emptying your bowl quickly.
Motsunabe, Fukuoka’s local dish, is a boiled pot of motsu (offal) of cows and pigs filled with leek, cabbage and bean sprouts, then flavored with soy sauce and miso. You can finish off the soup by putting noodles into it. A high-protein, low-calorie dish packed with vitamins and nutrients, it is also popular among women, thanks to its significant collagen content. Oishi, the area’s famous reservation-only motsunabe restaurant, is known for its soup’s rich and deep miso taste. Blended with four types of miso, it’s more popular than their regular soy sauce flavor. It is a local custom to eat motsunabe during the winter, but locals eat this dish even during the summer while they sweat.
Pro tip: Oishi is very popular. Make a reservation.