This amber-hued liquid is the epitome of full-flavored versatility. Used widely across Japan as a stand-along sauce, soup base and a quick and bold way to dress cold noodles, we love the umami-packed zing mentsuyu brings to the table, as its main ingredient is soy, but it also yields sweet, earthy, salty and smoky flavors. That unique balance is what makes its taste so distinctive and layered. We love this one, made from premium ingredients and no artificial additives. Savory awase dashi broth, briny kombu (seaweed) and rich katsuo dashi (made from bonito) come together to form a flavorful stock, while a special mixture called “hongaeshi” is added to draw out even more complexity. It entails slowly melting sugar into a mixture of soy and mirin over a low temperature. In our store, we have dashi bases, mushroom broths, soys and all sorts of flavoring agents from Japan, but this one is unique in that it is equal parts ingredient and finisher—it won’t overwhelm your dish while also being complete as is.

Pale gold and lightly sweet, this mirin-type condiment is a staple in Japanese pantries for bringing a hint of umami to broths and more. Compared to other mirins you can find in the store, this has much more character and nuance, while supermarket versions can skew heavy, syrupy and astringent. This one has the gentle sweetness and complexity of fermented rice that we want without tipping into syrupy, with a hint of salt that doesn’t overpower the slightly savory and sweet character of the fermented rice base. If you can’t have the real-deal hon mirin, mirin-type condiments are great alternatives, and this is one of the best we’ve tried.

This premium cooking sake is made entirely from organic rice, resulting in a delicate character, subtle sweet grain and aromas of fruit. Thanks to the addition of salt, it' leans a little more savory than standard sake, yet doesn't have the harsh mineral quality that exists when you actually taste salt. The straw-colored liquid is slightly more viscous than standard sake and its pleasant flavors come through when incorporated into recipes. Many other brands we’ve tried are so salty and astringent that they bear no resemblance to sake at all. So compared to others we’ve tried, this one is downright elegant, with a subtlety of flavor not generally found in any salted cooking wines. Also, this is a small bottle and should last longer once opened, so it's a great option for someone who wants to try recipes that call for sake without committing to the fridge space, or being left with an almost full 750mL bottle after cooking.