TOKYOMANGO

Taste test: the new Ajisen ramen joint in San Mateo

Last night, a few friends and I went to the pre-opening of a new ramen joint in San Mateo. It's the latest iteration of Ajisen, located at 211 E 3rd Avenue. Opens today.

I had the Handmade Premium Pork Ramen, and here's my two cents:

- broth = awesome
- noodles = a little on the soft side, but very tasty
- meat = sooooo good
- lots of veggies = healthy

The only down side was that there were so much meat and veggies on top of the noodles that I had a hard time slurping them.

After the meal was over, owner Akira Onozato brought us a special plate of three kinds of chashu. Sooo good. I recommend you try this place just for the chashu.

Digital vending machine at Sendai Station

I spotted this digital vending machine at the Sendai train station. Maybe it's old news, but I had never seen one before--it seems more practical than putting empty cans on a shelf. I also found it funny that it was sitting beside these super analog coin lockers.

Nikkei Trendy reviews white rice

White rice is a big deal in Japan, as evidenced by this taste test conducted in this month's issue of Nikkei Trendy. Four experts review five different kinds of koshihikari, and each concluded that a different one was better than the other.

My little brother used to be the pickiest white rice eater ever. He could tell instantly if my mom bought a different brand or let the rice soak overnight vs. a short soak in the morning before breakfast. My white rice taste buds, on the other hand, are not as picky. Besides, I live in California, where we eat stuff like brown rice sushi and quinoa.

Sushi made with Peeps and other candied things

If you like the idea of a sushi party but prefer sugar to vinegary rice, this Steamy Kitchen post has all the info you need to make it happen.

(Thanks, Alyssa!)

Mameshiba commercial reveals why eels are brown

In this funny commercial for the Dentsu ad agency character Mameshiba, a fava bean pops out of its shell to tell these ganguro Shibuya girls that the reason eels are brown is because they tan too much. My sister-in-law was part of the team that created this popular character, which appears not only in cute bean-themed ads but as pillows, bedside lamps, and toy keychains for people with OCD.