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Eating With A Japanese Chef In Her Brooklyn Apartment

January 1, 2015 by The Runaway Guide 4 Comments

P1070338To my left is an Australian couple asking for advice for their upcoming USA road trip. To my right are two young teachers from New Jersey who have traveled to more off beat places than most. And in front of me is the most delicious Hokkaido style Nabe I’ve ever tasted.

I have to admit I was bit apprehensive about throwing myself into a dinner with a bunch of strangers in a random Williamsburg apartment. I’m always doing dinners like this on the road but in my hometown it just feels kind of strange.

Although I did feel a bit awkward at first, it quickly turned into one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had in New York.

The Hosts

Ai and Matt are their names. They’re a young couple with a bohemian style flat who deeply enjoy sharing their home and food with anyone looking for a true local experience.

Matt is a graphic artist/cartoonist but when dinners on, he transforms into a witty and affable host.

Matt welcoming new arrivals

Matt on the left welcoming new arrivals

Ai is from Hokkaido, the northern most island in Japan. She’s one of the coolest Japanese girls I’ve ever met. Plus she’s one incredible chef.

Ai and I after a few glasses of wine

Ai and I after a few glasses of wine. Gotta get my tooth fixed.

Together they create a unique dinning experience. While Matt is sparking interesting conversation, Ai is cooking away before your eyes, serving dish after dish of her health conscious Japanese soul food.

The Food

This night was Nabe night. The meal began with some homemade Kambucha that complimented a refreshing Watermelon radish salad.

Japanese rainbow radish salad

Japanese Watermelon radish/Fuji apple salad

Next up, two huge hot pots of Nabe! Unlike traditional Nabe from Kyushu, this Nabe had a miso based broth, and was filled with chrythanthems, fish balls, mushrooms, tofu and big chunks of fatty salmon that were cooked with just the right amount of tenderness.

Nabe hot pot!

Nabe hot pot!

Then Ai decided to add some Udon to the pot and things got even more filling and delicious.

Nabe with Udon

Udon in Nabe broth

Finally dinner ended with a delicate serving of Yuzu(lemony-orange) peel laced frozen yogurt.

Frozen Yogurt Dessert

Frozen Yogurt Dessert

The Apartment

If I we’re going to live in Brooklyn it would be here. This place epitomizes the high ceiling lofty style apartment that you think of when you think of Williamsburg. There were 20 bicycles behind a large drop down projection screen, a thousand different glass jars lining the shelves, and cool signs and art peppering the walls.

Bit of poetry on my napkin

Bit of poetry on my napkin

The Guests

Anyone who goes to a dinner like this is going to be cool, and the people at this dinner definitely were. I ended up talking with the young teachers about riding the Bamboo train Cambodia for most of the time. I also gave the Australians a few unorthodox road trip tips. It was great hanging out with them and it reminded me of being in a really cool hostel.

P1070358

How I Found Ai and Matt

I learned about Ai and Matt’s Japanese dinners through a site called Eatwith.com. It seems like they’re just starting out but they have a pretty large selection of dinners all over the world. I think it’s a really cool idea and something that I would definitely do again, especially with Ai.

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Let Me Know What You Think!

  1. Best holiday destinations says

    January 2, 2015 at 1:49 am

    Looks delicious food!! Can’t wait to eat. Its looking so spicy. fantastic experience. Thanks for sharing nice views.

    Reply
    • The Runaway Guide says

      January 14, 2015 at 6:21 pm

      It was a delicious experience and one I definitely recommend if you can afford it.

      Reply
  2. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer says

    January 1, 2015 at 7:21 pm

    I keep hearing about EatWith, and I am really interested in trying out one of the dinners that is hosted around the world. It seems like a really cool experience! :D

    Reply
    • The Runaway Guide says

      January 14, 2015 at 6:26 pm

      It was a great experience. Definitely worth a go especially with Ai in Brooklyn.

      Reply

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Who Is The Runaway Guide?

When I was 16 I ran away from home and traveled the world with nothing but the clothes on my back. Over 10 years later and I'm still "on the run," surviving in style, thriving off adventure, searching for that elusive road to enlightenment, and cultivating the life of travel that I want to live. More...

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