Phoebe Amoroso

Tokyo

Reporter and Journalist at Freelance

Reporter / multimedia journalist / writer / Japan food & travel consultant. 日本語 OK! Often found cycling, trail running or hiking. Almost always eating.

Articles

The cold complexity of 'pure' Japanese cocktail ice

3 weeks ago | japantimes.co.jp | Phoebe Amoroso

In the dim light of Ginza’s Star Bar, a Negroni seems to radiate an amber glow. The cocktail all but conceals a large cube of ice carved to fit the rocks glass exactly. No effort has been spared in its creation: Moments before pouring the cocktail, the bartender diligently fans the crystalline cube to warm its surface to minimize the risk of it cracking when liquid is added. Seen from above, the ice, which the bar calls “ninja ice,” frames the Star Bar logo printed on the coaster.
Slowly but surely, Osaka emerges from Kyoto’s fine-dining shadow

1 month ago | japantimes.co.jp | Phoebe Amoroso

A single clam and lotus croquette crowned with a halo of crisp lotus root sits poised in a pool of delicate cream. A drizzle of emerald parsley sauce harmonizes the dish with its freshness and earthiness. Both visual and textural perfection, the dish is part of a course at Liaison, a Michelin-starred establishment in Osaka, and served up by chef Yuji Tsuji, who was working his second to last night on the job in late October.
Tokyo vs Kyoto: which Japanese city should you visit first?

1 month ago | lonelyplanet.com | Phoebe Amoroso

For travelers planning their first journey to Japan, one question inevitably arises: Tokyo or Kyoto? Tokyo might seem like the obvious choice, right? It's the capital and it dazzles with its sheer scale and lightning-paced energy, a metropolis where ancient shrines neighbor neon-lit skyscrapers and world-class dining ranges from Michelin-starred sushi to backstreet ramen.
Tokyo vs Kyoto: which Japanese city should you visit first? - Lonely Planet

1 month ago | flipboard.com | Phoebe Amoroso |Daniel Stables

India beat Australia by four wickets in Dubai in the first semifinal at the 2025 Champions Trophy. Virat Kohli led the way with 84 runs off 98 balls as India beat Australia by four wickets to reach the final of the Champions Trophy. Kohli’s 74th ODI half-century helped India finish with 267-6 in …
Fresh off awards, Japanese cheese seeks a taste ‘unique to this land’

2 months ago | japantimes.co.jp | Phoebe Amoroso

Emiko Nakayama only began learning to make cheese three years ago, and yet she has suddenly found herself in the international spotlight. Her creation, Setana, a Camembert cheese, won a top award of Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards held late last year in Viseu, Portugal. Only 104 of the 4,786 global entries were awarded Super Gold status by a panel of world-leading cheese experts, which put Setana in the top 2.2% of the competition.
Why tatami is going from the floor to the dining table

2 months ago | japantimes.co.jp | Phoebe Amoroso

The lacquerware tray and tableware signal the start of a serious sushi meal: A perfectly rolled warm towel, crisply folded napkin, chopsticks and a geta (wooden serving board) beckon the arrival of freshly made nigiri sushi. But there's one piece of tableware that seems both familiar yet unfamiliar — an oblong tatami coaster for a smartphone. This is the scene at Sushi Yatagarasu, a high-end omakase (chef’s choice) restaurant that opened in September 2024.
Top eats in Japan 2024

Jan 8, 2025 | pheebzeatz.substack.com | Phoebe Amoroso

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Feeling lonely and time on your hands? Try dinner with a group of strangers.

Dec 1, 2024 | japantimes.co.jp | Phoebe Amoroso

I am tottering my way down two flights of grimy stairs to a basement curry restaurant — the kind of place that only promises a good time if you’re already five drinks in. “Table one,” I tell the staff. They mutter among themselves and seat me at a table for one. It’s quite a funny mix-up given that I’m on a mission to connect with other people. Fortunately, the confusion is quickly resolved, and I find myself seated at a table of complete strangers, entirely as intended.
Japan in a cup of coffee

Sep 24, 2024 | asia.nikkei.com | Phoebe Amoroso

The small medicine bottles are lined up on the counter, one by one, carefully positioned for rational inspection. The dark plastic obfuscates the contents, white labels with minimalist print detailing the contents. I inspect each one carefully, choosing my prescription for the day. This, however, is no pharmacy. It's a coffee shop and caffeine is my drug of choice.
Cafe Tsumugi’s Spectacular 18-dish Breakfast

Sep 23, 2024 | culinarybackstreets.com | Phoebe Amoroso

Those arriving at Tsukiji Station on an early morning food hunt are most likely in pursuit of some breakfast sushi. Although Japan’s world-famous Tsukiji fish market relocated to Toyosu in October 2018, the ramshackle outer market remained, with its eclectic mix of household goods, tea and dried goods, and seafood donburi shops. Those in the know, however, might head for a different and very unusual breakfast experience in the area – one that has its origins in traditional vegan Buddhist cuisine.