I\u2019m down to the last three bites of the most scrumptious rice ball I\u2019ve ever eaten when I notice something funny: Many strands of the brown rice seem \u2026 stretched. As I peer closer into the onigiri \u2014 the specialty of a quaint breakfast caf\u00e9 in Tokyo\u2019s Asakusa district \u2014 I also see that the snack is dotted with dozens of minuscule black specks.<\/p>\n
Suddenly I realize what that mysterious briny, zesty flavor and subtle crunch is: dozens of teeny-tiny tadpole-like fish mixed in with the rice.<\/p>\n
Instantly I summon a terrifying food memory that has haunted me since grade school: Finding live moth larvae squirming inside a half-eaten vanilla sugar wafer during school lunch. (Thanks, Mom!) That single experience may be why I generally pass on caviar and anything resembling small bugs today.<\/p>\n
Yet here in Japan, wonked out on jet lag and wide-eyed from waking up in a totally foreign land, I pause. And smile. The chewy, pseudo-lemony rice, contrasted with savory miso-mushroom soup and refreshingly cold matcha tea (that morning\u2019s \u201cbreakfast set\u201d special), is so unusual and alluring that I can\u2019t help but crush the rest of it.<\/p>\n
This is how I overcome a lifelong food aversion\u2014and it\u2019s all thanks to Yelp.<\/p>\n
Usually I consume online reviews with many grains of salt. However, comments for Misojyu, located a few blocks from the ancient Sens\u014d-ji Buddhist temple, are unanimously positive. Plus, I learn that the owners speak English as well as Japanese, so ordering is easy. Taking a chance ends up paying off as one of the best meals I eat during a three-night whirlwind in the Land of the Rising Sun.<\/p>\n
Since acquiring a side gig at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in February 2018, I\u2019ve covered thousands of miles, and I\u2019ve eaten exceptionally well on each stop. Here\u2019s how I seek out great food, wherever the path leads me.<\/p>\n
JOIN A TOUR<\/p>\n
The fastest way to experience loads of local culture in just a few hours, I\u2019ve found, is to hop on a tour. My favorites have been through Airbnb, which in January 2017 expanded to offering \u201cExperiences\u201d led by locals in addition to home stays. (I wrote about Australia adventures last year in my column \u201cTour De Course,\u201d<\/a> published June 7, 2018.) Do this on the first or second night in a city to gather intel from the guide (and fellow travelers), and have vetted venues to explore for the remainder of your trip.<\/p>\n In Tokyo I meet eight other people from the U.S., Canada, South Africa and South Korea at 6 p.m. on a bustling street corner for \u201cShinjuku Life After 5 \u2014 Foods & Drinks.\u201d This turns out to be a prime example of how an event\u2019s title only tells a smidgen of the story; Kioka\u2019s description offers a deeper glimpse into what will happen for the next three hours.<\/p>\n \u201cI will take you to the best izakaya (Japanese restaurants and bars) or standing bar or chicken skewer bar in Shinjuku\u2026locals patronize these places,\u201d he writes. \u201cThen we will walk you through the red-light district, called Kabukich\u014d in Japanese, one of the biggest areas here, and witness the actual nightlife of Japan.\u201d The tour ends in Shinjuku\u2019s famed bar district, home to \u201cover 200 bars, an area famous for its time-period subcultures.\u201d<\/p>\n For $32 and the cost of a few extra drinks (cherry blossom cocktails! Coedo craft beer!), we sampled marinated tuna (maguro zuke) with fresh wasabi; grilled chicken meatballs (tsukune) with egg-yolk infused soy sauce; and scallops (hotate). My least favorite, shimmered giblets (motsu nikomi), was a palate opener that I definitely would not have ordered on my own. Later, at the Ryoma \u201cstanding bar\u201d in Kabukich\u014d, we sampled an array of skewered, tempura-fried treats, including wagyu beef, lotus root (renkon), cheese (chi-zu), and quail egg (uzura tamago), washed down with shikuwasa sour, a beverage infused with a Japanese lime that boasts intense citrus flavor.<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible I wouldn\u2019t have found Tokyo\u2019s landmark alley, Omoide Yokocho, or known how to navigate among those 200 bars in the Golden Gai without an expert shepherd. Kioka even sent us a list of our many stops with links, including favorite ramen joints, parks for peak cherry blossom viewing, and useful Japanese phrases. Verdict: It was delicious (oishi katta desu).<\/p>\n ASK A LOCAL<\/p>\n Whether an Uber driver, lodging host, hostel operator, or random guy on public transit, the people who live in a place know all. While chatting up a bouncer at a breezy dive bar in Ocean Beach, my travel pal and I learned that the owners of OB Noodle House (one of the most popular eateries in the \u2019hood, as evidenced by online reviews yet best solidified with an emphatic in-person recommendation) recently launched Skrewball peanut butter whiskey. Yep, that\u2019s right, and while the booze is served in a shot glass rimmed with salt and sugar, an OB Noodle House cocktail\u2014such as Peanut Butter & Jealous, with raspberry liqueur\u2014offers the ultimate expression. The more you know!<\/p>\n USE YOUR EYES<\/p>\n Look for locals, and read the room. We almost skipped House of Xian Dumpling in San Francisco\u2019s Chinatown in favor of the more, ahem, elegant eatery next door. Almost. Once we cracked open the door and found the frills-free space crowded with Asian diners, however, our enthusiasm got a boost. Tender pork-scallion potstickers sealed the deal.<\/p>\n GO SHOPPING<\/p>\n The best souvenirs, in my humble opinion, are experiential. Find the edible variety, then, at the usual suspects: supermarkets, farmers\u2019 markets, corner bodegas, and specialty shops. In Mexico, that might mean scouting indigenous corn husks for tamales. In San Francisco, my friend and I followed the scent of sourdough. On a Sunday last spring in Sydney, I chanced upon the Carriageworks, where I sampled fresh vegetables, bone broth, baked goods, artisanal cheese and regional wine in the cavernous former factory-turned arts center. Vendors will be able to offer suggestions on how to use obscure ingredients, too.<\/p>\n Sadly, I wasn\u2019t able to bring back any pre-packaged onigiri\u2014Japan\u2019s OG fast food\u2014which crowd shelves at every 7-Eleven. But I did score a 5-pound bag of short grain brown rice that has pushed my homecooked Asian food to the next level.<\/p>\n CROWDSOURCE\u2014\u2019CAUSE WHY NOT?<\/p>\n Occasionally I\u2019ll throw out a query on social media, seeking fresh ideas. One colleague suggests hanging out at hostels for the best recommendations\u2014for anything, food included. Flock to the most coveted milk-crate seats set out beside food carts. Follow food bloggers.<\/p>\n \u201cFood off the beaten path is pretty much the purpose of my entire journey coming up,\u201d texts a veteran globetrotter of 40-plus years.<\/p>\n What\u2019s your process? I ask.<\/p>\n \u201cTurn left,\u201d he replies. \u201cWhen road ends, turn next.\u201d<\/p>\n