About Ippai.
Like most cooks, after countless hours in the kitchen and long work weeks, the most gratifying feeling is to eat comfort food on days off. On those days, I craved my mom's cooking, but I quickly found that if I wanted a certain dish, I had to make it myself. In Portland, you see the typical sushi, teriyaki or ramen joints around town, but the dishes I was craving were everyday foods you'd find in a Japanese home—very seasonal and vegetable-driven. I started Ippai as a way to share my love for Japanese home cooking and work with local farmers to showcase all the bounty of the Pacific Northwest.
The name "ippai" comes from the Japanese word for "full." For me, that word captures all of the warmth, comfort, and happiness of my mom's kitchen growing up. I'm getting back to my roots to recreate what I've been missing most, and to extend the Hashi family table to you.
See you at the table!
Jane Hashimawari
