Your train pulls into the station with a comforting hiss. You’ve heard things about this part of Japan, wonderful things: its unique landscape has made it the perfect breeding ground for mouth-watering dishes of all sorts. You decide to ask the locals for their expertise, but now, you’re at a crossroad. One man suggested the 5-course kaiseki meal at the reservation-only ryokan on the outskirts of town, while the man with the hanging cigarette pointed to a smoking shack just over there on the corner pumping out bowls of grease. Turns out, they’re both right. More on that later. A Word on High Scores Grades can be intimidating, especially when … Continue reading Making the Grade: A vs. B-class gourmet in Niigata