tabletop journey

A Tabletop Journey: Osoba Horai (December 2025)

A tiny counter-only soba shop down a Gion alley, Osoba Horai. The star is the nine-compartment appetizer treasure box. From sashimi and spring rolls to soba with plenty of condiments and an ice-cream monaka finish, this is a solo tabletop journey in the order each dish arrived.

2025.12.23

Solo Gourmet

A Tabletop Journey: CANAVON (December 2025)

CANAVON, a vegetable-and-natural-wine bistro near Jingu-Marutamachi in Kyoto. After all the clever dishes, the one that stole the show was the fries. A solo tabletop journey that proved the strength of a classic.

2025.12.19

Solo Gourmet

A Tabletop Journey: Gion Rohan (October 2025)

An à la carte dinner at Gion Rohan, a Japanese restaurant just steps from Gion-Shijo Station in Kyoto. Fig shiraae, hamo and matsutake hot pot, karasumi mochi, and the famous saba sando to finish.

2025.10.10

Solo Gourmet

A Tabletop Journey: Sarashina Horii (October 2025)

I went all the way to Azabu-juban just because I was craving that soba. At Sarashina Horii, founded in 1789, I savored pure-white sarashina soba and discovered shichimi is best sprinkled straight onto the noodles.

2025.10.09

Solo Gourmet

A Tabletop Journey: NeRoLi herb (July 2025)

A solo tabletop journey to NeRoLi herb in Omotesando. I popped in for herbs and stayed for a body-kind curry plate and the day's soy-milk soft serve.

2025.07.17

Solo Gourmet

A Tabletop Journey: Napule (May 2025)

A lunch where light pouring through the windows felt just right. In a back alley of Omotesando, I took my time with wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, from pomegranate soda to tiramisu.

2025.05.23

Solo Gourmet