Polished. Casual. Unconventional. Memorable. Traditional. Modern. These are some of the words that define a downtown hot spot that tells a fascinating story of Japanese culture and cuisine. And we were at the center of that story when we came to you live this weekend from OBON!

Jim Marten, Michael Luria, Matt Russell, Chef Creamer & Marlee Palmer

Our celebrity co-host was fellow whiskey enthusiast and member of the Tucson Medical Center communications team, Jim Marten. Jim showcased some of the Scotches he’s been enjoying in this early fall season with their distinct expressions of barley. We also caught up with Michael Luria of Children’s Museum Tucson who shared the news on his upcoming Evening of Play (an event that Jim Marten is chairing!). We then made our way over to the OBON bar with mixologist Marlee Palmer who revealed some Asian inspirations for her libations, while Chef Creamer whipped up some wonderful and reportedly weird stories from the back of the house.

Fried Spam steam buns with kimchi, house-made pickles, green onion, and spicy mayo. Right?

We experienced the perfect pairing of Marlee’s Gangnam Style cocktail with toasted sesame infused vodka and Creamer’s fried Spam bun with kimchi and ponzu cream!

Outrageously OBON!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:44 — 12.5MB)