From the Publisher
[Goulding] manages to be entertaining, informative and inspirational as he recounts his many meals in one of the world’s most popular food destinations….[his] gift for phrasing and razor-sharp prose elevate what could have been yet another rote travelogue into something much better.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Rice, Noodle, Fish isn’t just a travel document…it’s a literary exploration of just what makes Japan the place that food lovers lay awake at night and dream of.” — Men’s Journal
“Whether you’re the sort of person who brakes for a new ramen-ya or a neophyte who still thinks that a California roll is an acceptable sushi bar order, you’ll have fun, learn some things—and probably start looking up flights to Narita on Kayak after reading a few pages.” — Los Angeles Times
“The world needs Roads & Kingdoms. It needs this book.” — Anthony Bourdain
“A food connoisseur expertly unravels the intricate dance surrounding food in Japan” — Kirkus Reviews
“Goulding successfully illuminates the vast and deep yet acute and precise palatal scale that is Japanese cuisine—using words. Encompassing Japan’s seven key regions, the author peels back the layers of access and entry, tradition, and history through the lens of food [in] this new breed of travel book.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Refusing to claim either expert or insider status makes Goulding both a fantastic and relatable narrator,...and his unique, impeccably observed meals make the book a page turner.” — Eater.com Eater.com
“The book reads like more of a travelogue than a true travel guide. And that’s what makes it so refreshing. Goulding leaves you not just thoroughly informed about Japan’s culinary culture, but craving it. The result is enjoyable to read whether or not you have any travel planned.” — Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers
“If this is the future of food writing, I love it.” — Tim Hayward, Financial Times
Men’s Journal
Rice, Noodle, Fish isn’t just a travel document…it’s a literary exploration of just what makes Japan the place that food lovers lay awake at night and dream of.
Eater.com Eater.com
Refusing to claim either expert or insider status makes Goulding both a fantastic and relatable narrator,...and his unique, impeccably observed meals make the book a page turner.
|Los Angeles Times
Whether you’re the sort of person who brakes for a new ramen-ya or a neophyte who still thinks that a California roll is an acceptable sushi bar order, you’ll have fun, learn some things—and probably start looking up flights to Narita on Kayak after reading a few pages.
Anthony Bourdain
The world needs Roads & Kingdoms. It needs this book.
Lisa Ko
The book reads like more of a travelogue than a true travel guide. And that’s what makes it so refreshing. Goulding leaves you not just thoroughly informed about Japan’s culinary culture, but craving it. The result is enjoyable to read whether or not you have any travel planned.
Tim Hayward
If this is the future of food writing, I love it.
Los Angeles Times
Whether you’re the sort of person who brakes for a new ramen-ya or a neophyte who still thinks that a California roll is an acceptable sushi bar order, you’ll have fun, learn some things—and probably start looking up flights to Narita on Kayak after reading a few pages.
Men’s Journal
Rice, Noodle, Fish isn’t just a travel document…it’s a literary exploration of just what makes Japan the place that food lovers lay awake at night and dream of.
Los Angeles Times
Whether you’re the sort of person who brakes for a new ramen-ya or a neophyte who still thinks that a California roll is an acceptable sushi bar order, you’ll have fun, learn some things—and probably start looking up flights to Narita on Kayak after reading a few pages.
Associated Press Staff
The book reads like more of a travelogue than a true travel guide. And that’s what makes it so refreshing. Goulding leaves you not just thoroughly informed about Japan’s culinary culture, but craving it. The result is enjoyable to read whether or not you have any travel planned.
Eater.comEater.com
Refusing to claim either expert or insider status makes Goulding both a fantastic and relatable narrator,...and his unique, impeccably observed meals make the book a page turner.
Society of American Travel Writers
A good travel book makes you want to change your plans; a great one makes you want to change your life. Rice, Noodle, Fish falls into the latter category through its deft and delectable combination of gorgeous photography, compelling writing and cunning usability. Matt Goulding knows Japan and the importance of the “shokunin” to Japanese cooking, the artisan’s “quiet pursuit of perfection” in all things edible. This story is about more than just food; it’s about devotion.
Kirkus Reviews
2015-06-23
A gourmand's tour through Japan. Roads & Kingdoms editor and co-founder Goulding, who co-authored the bestselling Eat This, Not That! series, takes readers to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, and Noto, chronicling his wanderings through the streets, bars, teahouses, and restaurants of each locale. Throughout the book, the author brings to light the food found in these cities. In Japan, eating, cooking, preparing, and even selecting the food products to cook are near-sacred tasks. The Japanese transform what many might consider mundane chores into sublime acts of devotion, where time slows down and reverence is as much a key ingredient as the freshness of the food. Through Goulding's eyes, ears, and especially his mouth, readers can sense the perfection that each shokunin ("an artisan deeply and singularly dedicated to his or her craft") strives for as he or she dedicates his or her life to cooking just one item—e.g., grilled beef intestines or buckwheat noodles—constantly tweaking ingredients, heat, and timing to reach a transcendent state of food ecstasy. Thanks to Goulding's obvious love of the exotic and his ability to write mouthwatering descriptions of food, readers will appreciate the smells and tastes of gizzard shad, cod sperm, dried sea cucumber ovaries, and numerous other animal and seafood parts many would never consider eating. The author munches and crunches his way through bite-sized portions of sushi, soups, dumplings, and noodles, washed down by rounds of sake, to bring readers an epicurean bonanza in addition to insights into the men and women who have devoted their lives to the perfection of certain dishes. Though it does not contain recipes, the book will whet readers' appetites for fresh, flavorful foods and inspire them to travel to Japan to taste the country's main delicacies. A food connoisseur expertly unravels the intricate dance surrounding food in Japan.
