Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is a decent, but not amazing Japanese cookbook. As an avid fan of Japanese cooking, I own 10+ cookbooks and being a fan of Morimoto, this one was a little disappointing. While the recipes are OK, they tend towards the Americanized versions of the dishes with a flavor balance towards the very salty and very sweet flavors - consider reducing sugar and soy from written recipes and add more later if needed. Too many Japanese cookbooks teach Teriyaki sauce and Miso Soup, and I was hoping for Morimoto's to teach more more modern home dishes such as Yakiniku and Shabu Shabu sauces. Additionally, even though the recipes are geared towards home cooks, they still on average tend to require at least 5-10 ingredients and 1 hour or more. If you're looking for simple yet very delicious Japanese home cooking, I recommend starting with Japanese Home Cooking by Yoshihiro Murata, also found on Amazon. The recipes look deceptively simple but they are the best versions around! The reason I still give this cookbook 4 stars is that I've learned a few good tips and tricks from the book and there are some advanced recipes which I will try soon and update the review. My recommendation is to rent this from the library first before buying.