When a beautifully packed meal from M Café showed up at my door, I wasn’t expecting to be completely wowed by something as simple as fried chicken. But this was no ordinary chicken—it was Chef Kajino’s Dashi-Buttermilk Brined Chicken, served alongside a delicate dashi-based soup and seasoned cabbage. Elegant, crispy, and packed with flavor, it was a meal that redefined comfort food with a Japanese twist.
The chicken was tender and juicy on the inside, wrapped in a light, crispy coating that practically melted in your mouth. Thanks to the buttermilk and dashi brine, every bite was infused with subtle tang and umami richness. A touch of lemon and dipping sauce took the experience to the next level, while the soup and cabbage brought balance and freshness.
The star behind the umami magic? Kayanoya, the Japanese maker of dashi powders and seasonings. Their products are deeply rooted in centuries of Kyushu’s traditional foodways, including farming and harvesting from pristine seas, and reflect Japan’s ideals of purity and freshness. Kayanoya’s signature dashi includes bonito flakes smoked with broadleaf tree wood and grilled flying fish—ingredients that deliver deep, nuanced flavor and evoke the comforting warmth of Hakata zouni soup, beloved in Kyushu. Kayanoya is committed to sharing these time-honored flavors with American consumers through their e-commerce platform and Amazon.
Make It at Home: Dashi-Buttermilk Brined Chicken
Ingredients
Brine:
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1 lb free-range chicken tenderloins
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1 packet Kayanoya Original Dashi Stock Powder
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¾ cup hot water
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½ cup buttermilk
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¼ tsp salt
Seasoned Flour:
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking powder
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⅛ tsp salt
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3 tbsp brine liquid
Preparation:
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Dissolve dashi powder in hot water and mix in salt. Let it cool.
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In a ziplock bag, combine the chicken with the cooled dashi liquid and buttermilk. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 2–3 tablespoons of brine to form a slightly clumpy coating.
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Dredge chicken in the flour, dip back into the brine, and re-coat in flour.
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Fry until golden brown and crispy. Serve with lemon and dipping sauce.
Spotlight on Kayanoya
Behind every great broth is a story—and Kayanoya’s begins in the coastal hills of Kyushu, Japan, where tradition meets precision. For generations, this family-rooted company has quietly perfected the art of seasoning, drawing from the sea, land, and centuries of culinary wisdom to create their signature dashi.
What sets Kayanoya apart isn’t just the ingredients—though theirs are exceptional. It’s the process: bonito flakes gently smoked over broadleaf wood for fifteen days, flying fish char-grilled to deepen flavor, and a deep respect for purity that touches every step of production. The result is a dashi that’s not just savory, but soulful.
Now available in the U.S. through Kayanoya’s website and Amazon, their offerings invite home cooks to experience a kind of depth and elegance that usually comes from generations in a kitchen. It’s a little bit of Japan, in a spoonful.
About M Café & Founder Yuta Tsunoda
M Café isn’t just another health-conscious eatery—it’s the vision of Yuta Tsunoda, who comes from a legendary restaurant family with roots dating back 390 years to the original Hijage Chaya tea house in Hayama, Japan. After an early career at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills, Yuta joined the family’s restaurant group in 1993 and eventually became CEO of the Chaya Restaurant Group, which included both Chaya and M Café.
In 2005, he launched M Café on Melrose Avenue, introducing modern macrobiotic cuisine to Los Angeles long before “clean eating” became a trend. Today, Yuta continues to champion a blend of traditional Japanese hospitality and innovative, health-driven dining that still feels indulgent.
In conclusion..
Whether you’re enjoying a beautifully prepared meal from M Café or rolling up your sleeves to recreate it at home, this dish is proof that healthy, comforting food can also be full of complexity and joy. And when it’s powered by centuries of culinary tradition—like Kayanoya’s dashi and the legacy of M Café—it’s truly something special.
