Roll Sushi Like A Pro, Courtesy Japanese Grocery Store Yamato-Ya

With Yamato-Ya in the city, there’s pretty much everything you could possibly need to churn out a Japanese or Chinese meal from the comfort of your own kitchen. So, the next time you eat an Asian meal and think, “I can cook this”, know that you can.

They stock perfectly-portioned cuts of fish and seafood for sushi and sashimi. Head to the basement for nori, wasabi, pickled ginger, sushi rice, bonito flakes, soy and, best of all, Kewpie mayo {roasted sesame, sigh!}, so you can make everything from Maki Rolls to California Rolls.

The salmon, eel, tuna, marlin and prawns here are perfect for sashimi and, since they’re already sliced, you can’t go wrong with it.

Choose from a variety of dinner meals with choices of Udon, Soba and flat noodles. We were drooling over the large selection of meaty Ramen and walked out with half the stock. There’s more in the frozen section – from ready-to-fry Takoyaki {sesame roasted kewpie comes in handy once more!} to dim sum and spring rolls, it’s all there.

You’ll also find one of the finest collections of ready-to-cook Ramen, primarily meat variants but if you’re lucky they have a couple with mixed mushrooms and only shiitake.

The ground floor is all about frozen foods, from whole chickens with skin to amazing cuts of pork – don’t forget to pick up the ribs! There’s cuttlefish, mussels, lamb rack, ham, prime bacon and chicken wings to make your next party super fancy!

The silken tofu here is one of the finest we’ve laid hands on and, if you’re in luck, they may have a fresh stock of Japanese salad greens or herbs to sauté it with. Add a box of fresh Miso paste to your basket and there’s a vegetarian Asian meal you’re not likely to forget.