sk_ward

Yes it is. It really looks a terrific book. Rather than being page after page of recipes, it's an interesting read and is visually stunning. I think that those who have moved beyond the basics of Japanese cooking would still be interested to see what she has to say about the recipes and Japanese cooking in general. I wonder if Carrot Top (or anyone out there) has had a chance to try out any of the recipes?

Yesterday I happened upon what I think is Elizabeth Andoh's newest book, "Washoku." It's terrific with interesting text and beautiful pictures. The first chapter goes into quite a bit of depth on basic Japanese ingredients. For the seasoned Japanese cook, the recipes might be too basic. And for those seeking "innovative" Japanese cuisine (eg Nobu-esque), this is not the book for you. But for the beginner who really wants to get a feel for what real Japanese home cooking is like, it seems like it would be perfect! I wanted to buy it but decided that I wouldn't want to lug it to Japan when I move there in April. Surely there are other great cookbooks to be found in Tokyo, right? I learned a tremendous amount from Hiroko Shimbo's "The Japanese Kitchen." Similar to "Washoku" it covers all the basic ground. It's not as shiny and glamourous, but I would definitely recommend it for the beginner. My first post, after reading probably thousands!

I mentioned this place in the "Japanese Restaurants in the Triangle" thread, but if you're looking specifically for Japanese products, this place may have more of what you're looking for then Grand Asia and the like. As a bonus, sometimes they give you free inari-zushi and rolls of futomaki along with some daifuku (pounded rice filled with red bean paste). I haven't figured out what it is that I have to do in order to get the freebies--smile real big? spend a certain amount? Sometimes I get the goods, other times I don't... Toyo Shokuhin & Gifts 748-L East Chatham St. Cary (919) 319-1620

I happened upon this store by accident, but I've made several return trips since then. It's run by friendly people who have been helpful in answering questions and deciphering labels. They have a great selection of Russian and Middle Eastern products. I could be wrong, but I think that the owners are Persian. There's also a small section of Indian products. A lot of spices, grains, drinks (great beer selection!), refridgerated items, bulk candies and snacks. For those who can speak the language, they carry some books, magazines and even have a mini video loaning service. Out of curiosity, I bought a bag of "honey cookies," kind of oval shaped brown cake-like cookies. They are delicious! A mildly crunchy crust with a soft, chewy interior infused with just a bit of sweetness. Cheap and not that horrible for you. Also out of curiousity, I tried a plain flavored carbonated yogurt drink. Wow, talk about an acquired taste. It's akin to carbonated rotten milk. I took one sip and was ready to dump it, but I thought that maybe I had to just get used to it. A couple hours later I tried again, and after the third try I was convinced that it just wasn't for me. Apparently, there are peach and mint varieties available. Anyone willing to do a taste test for me?

I checked out Waraji last weekend and had a great time! I sat at the sushi bar, so I didn't try any of the entrees. But with all of the sushi that I ate, I didn't have any room for an actual entree anyway. I was surprised to see that they didn't have any daily fish specials, offering what's in season, because it seems as though they certainly have the customer base to support offering something like that. What they offer now is pretty standard sushi fare, nothing exciting, but high quality. It would have been fun to think that I might be able to try something new on a repeat visit. Another thing that I found a little odd is that aside from ordering the sashimi platter, there is no option to order sashimi a la carte from the sushi bar. It's either rolls or nigiri. That wasn't a big deal, though. They have an extensive list of all of the crazy cream cheese, inside out, California/Bonzai/Spider/whatever rolls you could imagine, but I stuck with the more straight forward stuff. I ordered a couple of appetizers, the suimono soup (clear fish/seaweed broth with crab, seaweed, and a slice of fish cake) and the maguro yamakake (ground yam on top of tuna sashimi). The suimono was light and delicate, a perfect start to the sushi. I was actually pretty surprised to see the maguro yamakake on the menu as many people probably have a tough time getting beyond the texture that has a striking resemblance to snot! But with an open mind and a bit of soy sauce, it's pretty tasty! It is a very strange concept to me that such a tasty restaurant can be found smack in the middle of a non-descript strip mall, but I guess that I'm just not used to having 90%+ of local businesses being in strip malls. To answer my own question, I asked the friendly sushi chef if he knew of any Japanese grocery stores around here and he told me of this place: ToyoSyokuhin & Gifts 748-L East Chatham St. Cary, 27511 (919) 319-1620 I was very pleased with the selection available. Many of the things available fresh in stores with higher turnover in places like CA or NYC are available here frozen. They have all of the basics that I could have ever thought of and also a decent sake and Japanese beer selection. There is a limited produce selection and no fresh meats. However, they do have frozen fish and frozen thinly sliced meats, if you ever think you might make some sukiyaki or shabu-shabu. Also, if you speak the language and need your fill of Japanese Dramas, they have them available for rental! For everyone who ever wondered where they could get five types of miso, several types of Japanese pickles, or several different flavors of Pocky, this is it!

Hi everyone. Out here visiting the area for a couple of months and based on a recommendation, went to Sushi Blues on Glenwood. The atmosphere was fun and hip, but the food was pretty sad. My rice was hard, the sushi rice wasn't even vinegared, and the sashimi wasn't very fresh. I am sure that there is better sushi/Japanese food to be had in this area. Looking over other threads, Fin looks like a great prospect. Also Asuka in Morrisville. Anything else? Also, along the same lines, I am trying to find a Japanese market. I've been to the super Asian grocery stores, but they carry mostly Chinese products. I'm hoping that there's one hiding in some strip mall somewhere out there... Thanks in advance!!