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Posted

Hi there. I am going back to NYC soon after a 6 year stint in Osaka, Japan including 2 years of culinary school here.

I am planning on opening my open restaurant in the city and am kind of hard-up for ingredients that are common-place standards here in Japan including: Dashi Konbu Seaweed, Katsuo-bushi (Bonito flakes).

I am especially interested in buying Japanese mountain yams (Yama-imo, Naga-imo, Tsukune-imo) since it is a main ingredient in so many different kinds of dumplings and mousses, and is fresh produce.

I realize Chinatown is a literal treasure trove of asian groceries but I don't ever remember seeing Yama-imo or Naga-imo. I remember seeing one article where Wylie Dufresne bought some at the Union Sq. Greenmarket, but I need these puppies in relative bulk -- not the occasional quirky special. :rolleyes:

Anybody ever see them for sale at relatively low-prices in bulk?

Thanks for the help!

Posted

Wow you'll have to let me know when and where. Everyone knows the food's better in Kansai anyway....

I imagine you can find something _close_ at the markets in Chinatown... and it's more about the texture as there aren't a lot of flavor in those...But it seems like the Japanese imogrowing coalition has them all wrapped up - the cheapest I've seen them is at Mitsawa which is just the other side of the hudson in Edgewater, and even then, not too cheap.

I go through a lot of them making okonomiyakis during baseball season...

Posted

Sunrise mart (on 9th st ) might be able to help you find leads. Also Asia food market on mulberry might be able to help. good luck.

does this come in pork?

My name's Emma Feigenbaum.

Posted

Funny you mention that....in San Francisco, they just started popping up at the Chinese grocery stores. Around $3 a pound. I would imagine the same in New York's Chinatown.

Posted

You should have no trouble at all finding kondu and Bonito flake. Try Asian Market on Mulberry. They have just about everything, and will deliver small quantities same day.

Posted (edited)
You should have no trouble at all finding kondu and Bonito flake. Try Asian Market on Mulberry. They have just about everything, and will deliver small quantities same day.

Great! I was somewhat concerned about katsuo-bushi. But I was considering substituting yam-powder something along those line for the yams. Hopefully Asian Market will have them on the cheap.

Thanks for the info folks! I can't wait to head back to NYC and start looking for locations then I can start drawing up floorplans and applying for permits. Woopee :biggrin:

Edited by kinkistyle (log)
Posted

I was trying to remember where we got our ube from at Nobu, and I think the Japanese produce purveyor was Akimono.

Hope that helps.

Posted

you should have no problems finding yamaimo, alot of the japanese vegs come from this one farm in canada, can't recall the name. You should take a trip to mitsuwa one day and check out labels on the japanese eggplant, shiso, mitsuba, mizuna, shishito, negi, peamon, daikon, etc and try to look them up.

Posted

There is a supermarket called Yagura on 41st Street between 5th AVenue and Madision (close to B,D subway at 42nd street and New York Public Library/Humanities). I have gotten Yamaimo for Yamekake there and it is quite good and less expensive than Sunrise Market.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Found this on Alibaba

http://liansheng.en.alibaba.com/group/5011...aimo_Root_.html

I could ask any number of chefs that use them in town but I don't know any that use it in significant quantities....

Thanks for all the great info folks.  I am heading back to NYC to talk to my lawyer and scope out locales at the end of July and will pay a visit to various Japanese markets to check on the producers (I never thought of doing that, heh).  Can't wait.

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