rice

At one point, the district switched from white to brown rice — a healthier whole grain.

The Japanese concept of kō, or micro-seasons, reads like a fieldworker’s prayer: fish emerge from ice; farmers drain fields; last frost, rice seedlings grow.

Food that is past its expiry date is sometimes served, she told us, and meals often lack fruit and vegetables, and contain mainly heavy carbohydrates such as bread, chips and rice.

“Even though we struggled, it wasn’t uncommon to see her share a bag of rice, beans, or pick up a coffee for a friend.”

Lincoln Park also offers one of the best midday deals in the city: a $38 lunch tasting menu with edamame, spicy tuna crispy rice, sashimi and nigiri, a scallop hand roll, and more.