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The melodious invitations of “irasshaimase” (“welcome”) from all the staff at Ippudo NY as I walked into the restaurant quickly transported me back to Japan although I must admit it seemed to me slightly dissonant, almost like a dubbed movie, when I heard the phrase perfectly uttered from some of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed waiters. But the welcome was a nice touch, an additional layer of the place’s verisimilitude. We waited for our table in the busy bar area where ramen bowls lined its red walls like trophies in a hunting lodge. The glowing reviews and reasonable prices make Ippudo NY a very popular choice even at six in the evening - presumably just a late lunch for New Yorkers. The restaurant does not take reservations so expect a little wait. We sat in a narrow wing filled with a concentrate of small tables: You are close enough to your neighbors to smell what they ordered and be influenced by their decisions. We started with the pork bun, a popular choice: It was smooth and creamy but not as sweet as the ones I had in Japan. My wife and I both ordered ramen, she the miso tonkotsu and I the traditional tonkotsu, and we delighted in its milky oil-dappled broth, the telltale soft boiled egg, and the freshly pulled ramen. We finished with the matcha (green tea) ice cream and soft tofu, a distinctively Japanese combination, and it completed our reintroduction to the dining experiences we so loved in Japan and we were left to reflexively whisper to ourselves “oishi.”

If you happen to be in town for Cherry Creek’s annual arts festival in July, Halcyon makes a great base for exploring the neighborhood’s shops and galleries. Crisp white guest rooms with masculine touches have Nespresso machines, smart TVs, and sculptural turntables, as well as subway-tiled bathrooms with brass fittings and peekaboo showers; upgrade to a terrace room for a private outdoor space in which to bask in the Colorado sun. In keeping with its surroundings, the hotel displays more than 700 works by local artists, with an original piece in each room, but there’s plenty of reason to linger in the public spaces. A rooftop pool is lined with neutral-hued cabanas and white cushioned chaises, and two restaurants satisfy every kind of craving: Departure Restaurant + Lounge’s Asian-fusion menu covers miso ramen and roasted-duck fried rice, while Quality Italian offers shareable lasagna, dry-aged steaks, and cannoli prepared tableside. Just don’t be put off by the $30 per day amenity fee on your bill. Though it includes standards like WiFi and pool and fitness-center entry, it also gets you snacks and drinks at the Kitchen Counter, plus access to a Range Rover shuttle for stops around the neighborhood and the Gear Garage, which lends out everything from snowshoes and a Piaggio scooter to Leica and Go Pro cameras during your stay.

A visit to Japan would not be complete without a soak in an onsen hot spring. A fun choice in Tokyo is the Oedo Monogatari Onsen on Odaiba island in Tokyo Bay. This is not a small, traditional onsen but a “super onsen,” with a variety of tubs for soaking, both indoors and out. Plan on spending at least half a day here. Rent a colorful cotton yukata and, between soaks in the hot water, peruse the food stalls offering yakitori, sushi, ramen, and udon. Massages, reflexology, and spa treatments are available. Or join the locals who nestle into a lounge chair for a post-soak nap.

Situated oceanfront on Collins Avenue in the shadow of The Setai (South Beach’s tallest and most expensive hotel), Townhouse is a humble Art Deco concrete building trimmed in red with two very cool venues hidden inside, a subterranean ramen lounge and a laidback rooftop bar. K. Ramen. Burger. Beer excels in all of its eponymous categories and also serves delightful poke bowls and chicken wings, while The Cape is a surprisingly rare rooftop perch in South Beach with a laidback bungalow atmosphere playing host to live music.

By name alone this sounds like a wine bar, but it’s actually a welcoming izakaya, albeit one that has a good selection of wine, as well as sake, shochu, and of course Asahi beer. Vin Vie is on Nongzhanguan Bei Lu, hidden away through a gate and behind a Sichuan restaurant. Dinner here is a cheerful, languid affair as you order a few dishes and drinks, eat and imbibe, and then repeat. Like any izakaya worth its salt, the menu has enough variety to satisfy vegetarians and carnivores. A perfect square of soft, creamy tofu, beef tendon marinated in wine and miso, sardines served warm and in their can, and pickled shishamo (fish) are among the can’t-miss dishes. Reservations are recommended.

For years now, the neighborhood between the Palais-Royal and the Opéra Garnier has been a hangout for Japanese and Korean ex-pats and visitors in Paris, with the Rue Sainte Anne as its culinary epicenter. Lined with Japanese restaurants and Korean groceries, this is where to come for a ‘break’ (if that’s even the right word) from steak-frites and macarons... When I lived in Paris, my Japanese neighbor told me about “Higuma,” which I subsequently introduced to all of my French friends. I’m glad to say that when I re-visited this ramen-house recently, it hadn’t lost its non-chic-charm. No sushi here--fresh hand-made noodles, donburi and curry will fill you up, along with perfectly steamed/fried gyoza--known here as ‘raviolis japonais.’ Grab a seat at the counter and watch your steaming bowl come together. Lines are common at lunch-hour. And even though Higuma now has three locations in Paris, THIS is the original: no-nonsense and venerable in the 1st arrondissement... As for the spelling of ‘lamen’ for ‘ramen’ in this Parisian institution--just enjoy the L-R confusion. Here, slurping won’t be considered gauche...and remember, “bon appétit” = “itadakimasu” and “merci” = “arigato gozaimasu!”

Affectionately called the First Lady of Waikiki, this grande dame opened in 1901. Its gracious architecture harks back to the sugar-plantation era and wraps around a courtyard anchored by a massive banyan. Pull up a chair under its spreading branches—or else a seat overlooking the ocean—and enjoy island-inspired fine dining. East meets West here with appetizers like Kona abalone bourguignon, tempura asparagus with Parmesan custards, and twice-cooked octopus with macadamia romesco. Entrée standouts include the miso salmon and Korean-fusion Beach Bim Bop starring fiddlehead ferns, kimchi Brussels sprouts, and Ali’i mushrooms from Hawaiian grower Hamakua. Save room for its tour-de-force finale: A “dessert tree” with small bites of everything from macarons to red-velvet cheesecake.

On the main road through Grace Bay, this is where locals and return visitors go for the best fresh sushi in town. And while it does amazing sushi and sashimi, including some innovative rolls all ordered off iPad menus, I was really impressed with the seafood ramen noodle soup bowl. The environs are sophisticated and noise level not too loud. A great romantic dinner choice.

Craft cocktails and modern Asian cuisine reign at this hip noodle bar in Honolulu‘s Chinatown. Dig into a bowl of ramen, garnished with sesame seeds, green onion, ginger, a soft egg, and wakame (dried seaweed). From there, things get lively with additions like oxtail won tons and togarashi shrimp with housemade kimchi. Other standouts include lamb lumpia and pork belly bao (buns). Adventurous eaters should try the uni gnocchi—made with creamy urchin gonads—enhanced by leeks, tomatoes, and butter cream sauce. A popular late-night stop, Lucky Belly serves its full menu until 12 a.m. every night except Sunday. Its takeout window serves specials—announced via @_dawindow on Instagram—until 2 a.m., Thursday to Saturday.

Wahso, part of the Bill White Enterprises family of restaurants in town, is the perfect example of White’s propensity to lavishly decorate his popular eateries. With Asian artifacts that White collected from around the world, and elegant touches like the velvet curtains encasing each booth, it doesn’t get more romantic than this. The food is excellent, and the prices reflect that. Try the green curry mussels, the watermelon and goat cheese salad with arugula, fennel, cherry tomatoes and lemon basil dressing, or the Miso Black Cod with aromatic rice, shiitake, bok choy and mushroom-ginger broth. By the way, “Wahso” is a phonetic play on the French word for bird, “oiseau.”

Palsaik Samgyupsal, which means, “Eight Colors of Pork,” is a divine discovery for a bacon lover like myself. Seriously, what can be better than a restaurant that specializes in flavored bacon? You can’t help but salivate as marinated slices of pork sizzle and pop on the grill in front of you. The eight flavors—Original, Wine, Ginseng, Garlic, Herb, Curry, Miso Paste, and Red Pepper Paste—take your tastebuds on a delicious journey as K-Pop music videos play on flat screens in the background. There is always a crowd, so make sure to call ahead, get there early, and prepare yourself for a massive meal of meat and endless sides.

Nobu, at the Atlantis, is the Bahamian outpost of acclaimed master chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Venturing far beyond familiar sushi and tempura, the kitchen here turns out food so extraordinarily good that you will either guard your plate jealously or insist that everyone at the table try a bite. The mini tacos, filled with seafood or steak, are a fun starter, and for entrees, one of Nobu’s signature dishes is a black cod that has been bathed for three days in a marinade of miso and sake—the result, seared and served simply, is sweet and buttery and unforgettable. Dinner here often begins (and sometimes ends) at the magnificent bar, and if you get the chance, visit the sake cellar, one of only a few in the Western Hemisphere.

As its name suggests, this strip mall gem near Kahului Airport celebrates all things poi, a Polynesian staple made by steaming and mashing the cooked stem of a kalo (taro) plant. Come here for takeout or be prepared to wait a bit—the rib-sticking fare is quite popular with locals. Must-try dishes include ramen garnished with green onions, kimchi fried rice, and the lau lau plate featuring pork wrapped in taro leaves and slow steamed to perfection. Most menu items come with poi, but you can also opt to try it in a poke bowl or on its own as a side dish. The setting here may be modest, but nothing beats it for an authentic Hawaiian meal.

James and Connie Roberts, the husband-and-wife team behind Toutant, opened Dobutsu in 2018 with the aim of bringing quality seafood to Western New York. At their Larkin Square spot, the menu highlights American and Asian Pacific fare, with a strong focus on fish dishes like Caribbean jerk snapper and grilled Nova Scotia salmon—though options like Wagyu beef ribs and tomahawk pork tonkatsu are also available. The Hawaiian poke bowls are especially popular, served with either bigeye tuna and sesame soy, or marinated Atlantic salmon and ginger miso. If you’re celebrating something special, opt for the omakase and let the kitchen choose your courses and wine pairings.

In the Akihabara neighborhood, giant anime billboards, towering Sega arcades, and electronics shops dominate the streets. The area’s denkiya, or electric appliance stores, boast an unparalleled selection of gadgets for gear geeks. The giant among them is Yodobashi-Akiba, an electronics megastore located directly east of Akihabara Station. Yodobashi-Akiba has nine levels of appliances, electronic toys, sports gadgets, and travel items. Check out 700,000 yen (about $7000 USD) Leicas as well as the many non-electronic offerings: lightweight kimonos known as yukata, anime figurines, bicycles, and books. The first and eighth floors offer sustenance and a break from shopping, with restaurants serving up ramen, tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), soba, and sushi at any hour from the popular Tokyo chain Sushi Zanmai. The ninth floor is devoted to golf and baseball, complete with a driving range and batting center.