Foodle

🌟🍕 #CheesesteakLovers rejoice! @lorenzo_pizza_steaks in my childhood hometown of Marlton, NJ has burst onto the scene with rave reviews—and trust me, the cheesesteak is 🔥!

Cheesesteaks have come a LONG way since my Delaware Valley days in the ‘80s. This one’s rocking Cooper Sharp 🧀 and a seeded roll 🥖—neither were the norm back then but are now all the rage. In today’s social media era 📱, where bigger often reigns supreme, this beauty strikes the perfect balance: big enough to satisfy hearty appetites (hello, #HappyFatGuy 😅) without scaring off smaller eaters. Oh, and those onions 🧅? Chunky and unapologetic—every trend has to start somewhere, right?

👉 Bottom line: It’s a must-try and definitely ranks among my faves. My list of places to explore always outpaces the number of meals I can squeeze into a trip here (#FoodieProblems), but grabbing a hoagie and/or pizza from Lorenzo’s before heading back is SO tempting! 🍕🥖 Marlton just got itself a fantastic new gem.

#FoodieFind #EveshamEats #CheesesteakGoals 💯 Less

@kafibbq

We finally tried this viral halal bbq spot 🍖🤤

The brisket is probably the best in DFW. That fat on it melts right in yo mouth. It does get cold fast so don’t wait to eat when you get it. We got the 1 pound and it was more than enough for 3 people.

We also got the jalapeño cheddar sausage which was PHENOMENAL 🔥 I will go back just to have that 😩

Now the sides - Mac and cheese was really flavorful but the tallow fries were very disappointing. They were mostly cold and didn’t taste fresh..

Rating:
Brisket and mac n cheese - 8.4
Jalapeño cheddar sausage - 8.9
Tallow fries - 3.1
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#food #foodstagram #foodblogger #halal #wagyu #dfw #dallas #halalfood #texas #meat #bbq #brisket #sausage #new #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocal Less

Tucked away in the coastal city of Iwaki, Chef Harutomo Hagi’s eponymous restaurant is more than a fine dining venue — it is a profound, culinary declaration of revival, resilience, and respect for the land. Honored as the Destination Restaurant of the Year 2023 by The Japan Times, Hagi is a place where cooking begins not in the kitchen, but in the soil.

The experience at Hagi is deeply personal. The dining room accommodates just eight guests per night, allowing for total immersion in a slow-paced, seasonally-driven omakase that stretches to fifteen courses. It’s a journey through the terroir of Fukushima: over 90% of the ingredients are sourced within an hour’s drive, each one infused with meaning and narrative. The dishes are not dressed up in technical pomp — they are quietly radical in their simplicity. A slow-roasted onion dug from the earth 30 minutes prior to service, left to soften in the wood-fired oven for over an hour, tasted impossibly sweet and hauntingly complex. A humble char egg amuse paired local fish with forest vegetables, emphasizing flavor born from connection, not manipulation.

Chef Hagi, once trained in classical French cuisine, abandoned fine dining orthodoxy after the 2011 disaster devastated his region. Instead of scaling back or giving in, he doubled down: closing lunch service, scrapping à la carte, and creating a single daily menu built around whatever his producers — many recovering from catastrophe — could supply at peak vitality. He stopped bargaining on price, paying fairly to support those who dared to keep growing in the radioactive shadow.

This ethos defines every course. Mehikari (greeneyes), the city’s signature fish, was wood-grilled and paired with sake lees and foraged koshiabura. A morsel of turtle tail with wild garlic nodded to the wild, primal instincts of local cuisine. The beef course — lean, muscular wagyu raised in Fukushima — had none of the ostentation of Kobe or Matsusaka but instead spoke of clean diet and careful husbandry. Even the bread — made from sun-dried, pesticide-free wheat from Fukushima — tells a story of rebirth and independence.

The pairing menu further elevates the experience. The restaurant offers wines and sakes not for prestige but to echo the land. One highlight was a non-alcoholic pairing based on house-made herbal infusions — a revelation in restraint and clarity.

Dining at Hagi is an act of listening — to nature, to memory, to loss, and ultimately, to hope. It is not a performance. It is a conversation between guest, chef, and the land. Few restaurants embody a sense of place so profoundly. And few leave you so full — not just of food, but of feeling.

Verdict:
A must-visit for travelers seeking culinary meaning beyond Michelin stars. Hagi is not just a restaurant. It is the taste of Fukushima’s future. Less

Tempura Seiju, nestled in Tsukiji, is a bastion of classic Edomae tempura led by Chef Yoshiake Shimizu. A disciple of the legendary Rakutei, Shimizu brings quiet precision and deep respect for seasonal ingredients. The setting is understated—a traditional cypress counter, quiet service, no theatrics. Just focus and skill. It’s a place for purists: no tricks, no frills, just carefully crafted tempura. The experience reflects humility, tradition, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

A rock-solid meal—precise, consistent, and deeply satisfying. Each piece arrived crisp, light, and never oily. Standouts included kuruma ebi with sweet, springy flesh, and a perfectly fried scallop with a buttery center. The seasonal vegetables were simple but resonant, especially a vivid green asparagus and a tender maitake mushroom. Nothing overly elaborate, but every item was well-executed. The pacing was excellent, and the meal closed with a textbook kakiage and light miso soup. A true craftsman’s meal. Less

Nikuya Tanaka Ginza is one of Tokyo’s most exceptional destinations for wagyu lovers, offering an intimate kappo-style experience that centers on aged Japanese beef of the highest pedigree. Helmed by Chef Satoru Tanaka—a third-generation meat expert with decades of experience—this nine-seat counter in the heart of Ginza is a stage for the finest expressions of wagyu. Tanaka, who previously earned acclaim for his Michelin-recognized restaurant in Nagoya, brings a craftsman’s precision and a butcher’s instinct to every dish. His approach is grounded in deep knowledge of animal aging, cut selection, and traditional Japanese techniques like binchotan grilling and kombu curing. What sets him apart is not only his access to rare Tajima-gyu cattle but also his insistence on working with beef aged far beyond the norm—unlocking complex umami and extraordinary textures. Each course at Nikuya Tanaka is composed with balance and clarity, highlighting both the purity of ingredients and the artistry of preparation. The setting, designed by Yasumichi Morita, reflects understated luxury and allows guests to fully immerse themselves in the unfolding performance at the counter.

Our recent meal at Nikuya Tanaka Ginza was a masterclass in aged wagyu. The chef presented an exquisite progression of cuts from cows aged between 48 and 57 months—far beyond the typical market standard. Each variety offered its own distinct personality: complex, deeply marbled, and profoundly flavorful. The aging lent a remarkable depth and intensity to the meat, with textures ranging from delicate silkiness to satisfying bite. One highlight was the abalone served in a silky wagyu tendon sauce, beautifully accented with fragrant sando pepper—an inspired marriage of ocean and pasture.

Equally memorable was the somen dish, served cold in a completely transparent ice bowl. The presentation alone was stunning, but the real brilliance lay in the sauce—a rich, velvety blend of ankimo (monkfish liver) and sesame that coated the delicate noodles with deep umami and nutty elegance. Superb.

Every element of the meal was precise and intentional, underscoring Chef Tanaka’s extraordinary understanding of beef and Japanese kappo tradition. Dining here is not just about indulgence, but about witnessing a philosophy—where age, origin, and cut converge to tell a compelling story on the plate. An unforgettable journey into the rarest expressions of wagyu excellence. Less

Kagurazaka Ishikawa – A Culinary Sanctuary
Tucked away in the quiet lanes of Kagurazaka, Ishikawa offers one of Tokyo’s most serene and exquisite kaiseki experiences. From the discreet entrance to the polished service and elegant counter seating, every detail is meticulously orchestrated. The cuisine is refined yet deeply comforting, guided by seasonality and presented with understated grace. Over numerous visits, the consistency in execution, hospitality, and creativity is remarkable. This is not just a restaurant, but a sanctuary for those who revere the soul of Japanese cuisine, where warmth, precision, and a sense of quiet joy pervade every course and every moment.

Chef Hideki Ishikawa – Master, Mentor, Maverick
Chef Ishikawa is a rare blend of artist, athlete, and entrepreneur. His culinary talent is equaled by his humility and generosity. A former baseball player and avid golfer, he brings discipline and humor to the kitchen. He designed each of his restaurants personally, infusing them with character and beauty. Beyond his own kitchen, he mentors aspiring chefs, funding their ventures while nurturing them within his group. Most notably, he closes his group every Monday so his young chefs can eat at other restaurants—with him footing the bill. Ishikawa isn’t just a chef; he’s building a culinary legacy through people.

May 28, 2025 – A Meal to Remember
Our fifteenth visit to Kagurazaka Ishikawa may have been the most exceptional yet. Every course was a masterclass in balance and technique—from the opening pike eel with sea cucumber innards to the ethereal truffle cream egg dumpling. Highlights included the marbled sole with sea urchin, a hauntingly clear turtle stock with wax gourd, and perfectly seared bonito laced with horseradish and leek. The rice pot course was deeply satisfying, the wagyu with sesame soup both rich and subtle. The harmony of flavors, textures, and pacing created a meal that felt at once elevated and deeply personal. Simply astonishing. Less