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Yuzen, a closer look
Aloha!
11/20/09 - Had a spectacular, super-fantabulous, long-Holiday weekend this past week, a non-stop fun-fest beginning with our visit to Umi no Sachi on Thursday evening and ending with another impressive night at Yuzen Restaurant on Saturday night, the domain of bona-fide Kaiseki Chef Edgar San Juan, whom we'll hear more about later. The time sandwiched in-between was even more of a blur, as we picked-up my niece and nephew for a sleep-over on Friday - you know how it is with two energetic young kids running all over the place, expecting Auntie and Uncle to show them a good time! I guess it's all about training for that day, yes? In fact, we even brought them straight to Yuzen on Saturday, where their parents' then brought them back home after our mini-party of 11 adults and 4 kids was over.
You may not think that kids are particularly well-suited to a fancy Kaiseki meal, but bring them we did, as Yuzen on Makaloa St. is not your typical Kaiseki stop, as you'll soon see. You can check out the Upscale Japanese section for a deeper explanation of the term, but for now, just think of it as sort of like teishoku on steroids! While typical teishoku sets are family-friendly meals that come with a few courses of rice, tsukemono, miso soup, and an entree or two, Kaiseki meals are highly elaborate experiences that can stretch-out for hours at a time, with course after exquisite course, each one showcasing only the appropriate foods in peak season, with all the bells-and-whistles symbolic of Japan, where they are at the absolute top-of-the-ladder when it comes to cuisine. You don't even wanna know about the normal cost of these elegant meals, believe me - makes Alan Wong's or 3660 on the Rise feel like a bento-box lunch (on the wallet, that is!).
Yuzen is located just off of lower Keeaumoku St., right across Walgreen's (formerly Tower Records) on Makaloa St. and in the former Toraya restaurant. They occupy the right-side of that small, one-story building of mostly ethnic eateries, with a single row of limited parking fronting each one. But no worries, as there's usually plenty of parking, sometimes on the road but mostly in a decent-sized lot in the back of the building - just remember, the entrance to the lot is further towards Diamond Head on Makaloa St., while the driveway right next to Yuzen is only a one-way exit.
While the front-door may not be the most inviting, and it comes across as very similiar to the other run-down facilities within the same building, the inside of Yuzen does not continue in this same vein. No, it's not uncomfortably fancy nor too stiff, and you won't find much in the way of sliding shoji doors, water trickling-off bamboo, Kimono-clad waitresses, and other traditional elements normally associated with Kaiseki, but there is a semi-separate, semi-zashiki-style section of the restaurant. There, the floor under the table is recessed so your back won't stiffen, your knees won't break, and your leg won't become momentarily paralyzed after sitting lotus, half-lotus, or Indian-style, even as your supposed friends continue tapping your now-disabled appendage and roll in laughter as you sit there helpless, begging like a baby for time to re-gain control, half-laughing with them, but mostly crying in pain and tortuous agony!
Speaking of friends, we did have quite the group coming-out on this particularly fabulous evening, all of us sitting right there in the zashiki room - each one of which, I have no doubt, would have become raging leg-tappers if I were left in that most brutally hopeless of situations just mentioned...
But there's another group of people I also feel very comfortable about calling friends, even though we've only been around them all but twice. From left to right, Assistant Chef Rich San Juan, Head Chef/Co-Owner Edgar San Juan, his wife Yuuko-san, and Co-Owner/Manager Ramon Agguirre, are all the coolest, most down-to-earth of folks, and it's been a pleasure getting to know them better over the last two visits. Yep, these are the kind you wanna invite-over to hibachi at your place one weekend (something that just may happen real soon!):
In a completely related event just a short while back, I was very pleasantly surprised by a visit to Yoshiya Restaurant at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, where I found the quality and execution of cuisine there at an unexpectedly high level. Little did I know at the time, that a large degree of that excellence was due in part to the fact that Chef Edgar himself was responsible for over-hauling much of the menu in his several years manning the kitchen, and Ramon-san was also there managing the place, as well! Before the two of them left to start this new operation, they made sure to train apprentices, both on the managerial end and on the kitchen side. But of course, as Chef says, with much relish, he made sure not to give away all of his secrets!
Some dishes here at Yuzen, you won't find anywhere else, and are original creations I personally have not seen before. Check this out:
Or how 'bout this:
On-top, a seafood mix baked in sweet Fuji apple, and next, another seafood filling, tucked inside of a nori wrap made from soy, then deep-fried to a light, golden-brown. I don't know what it is about me, but I'm not particularly fond of fresh, whole fruit in hot entrees. I can, however, appreciate the artistry and originality of the first dish, along with the tasty, perfectly-done combination of seafoods within. The second was a bit more familiar in both look and taste, kinda resembling a fried shumai, but just knowing the wrap is a soy product makes it all the more unique and enjoyable.
It's little or large differences like these, among other things, which serve to make Yuzen that much different from your average sushi or izakaya spot. You see, the reason for all this Kaiseki talk is because Chef Edgar has actually spent about a decade in Kamakura, Japan, learning through great travail the intricacies of both Kaiseki and Sushi! That's a feat in itself, especially on the kaiseki side, as only a handful of Chefs here on the island are trained in this highly traditional art form, and they are all big-name celebrities - Chef Hiroshi Fukui of Hiroshi's, Chef Seiya Masahara of Hakkei (nabe section; defeated Iron Chef Morimoto), and Hiroshi Shimada of Rokkaku (Upscale Japanese section)(last two created the menu and trained selected Chefs to continue operations here in Honolulu while they tend to larger, more global operations).
In this kind of elite company, it's easy to see why all the big critics in town are giving this place high marks. And can you imagine the fortitude it must have taken for a Filipino guy in Japan to learn two of the most touted of culinary disciplines in that most stoic land of fanatical perfectionism, zealously-guarded traditions, and radically-driven competition (not to mention the elitism and prejudices!)? That's a real hard-core evironment, lemme tell ya! Yes, under all that cutesiness, extreme politeness, and societal order still runs a seething cauldron of the same fierceness that pulsed through the veins of Samurai Warriors who fought-off Kublai Khan's fearsome Mongol's, as well as WW2 pilots who dive-bombed American warships at the cost of their own lives. Hat's-off to Chef Edgar, as he didn't even have to tell me how difficult it was, humble as he is - upon asking, one look on his face told the story better than a thousand words could ever say!
Nevertheless, through it all, the chaffe gets burned-off and what remains is pure gold, and is quick to acknowledge that the skills he now possesses made it all worth the effort.
Because of such a unique and special background, Chef offers many options here at Yuzen - Traditional sushi. New-wave sushi. Full Kaiseki sets. Smaller teishoku sets. Izakaya-like small dishes, ordered one at a time. Omakase, or let the Chef decide. Depending on the day, and if time and ingredients permit, you can often order custom dishes not even on the menu, according to what's arriving fresh. And if it's not fresh, Chef won't bring it in at all, as we found out one day when the supply of moi from the huge underwater cages off the Big Island of Hawaii was disrupted for some reason, and was therefore unavailable at the restaurant. A few days later, however, upon returning with our larger group, the moi showed-up once again, in all it's freshness and glory:
Quite the stunner, this moi sashimi platter was, and built with all the delicately-balanced, zen-like qualities of any genuine Kaiseki Chef. And the crisp, sweet taste of fresh moi, dipped in a little shoyu and wasabi, is definitely one item you all need to try for yourselves. Along with onaga, the two are my favorite sashimi pieces from fish found right here in the islands. Not to mention the fact that we here in Honolulu can boast of fish not usually available in Japan!
After cleaning-off the moi, they take back the head, fins, and tail, then deep-fry the whole thing until even the largest bones are crunchy-edible. Being a bit bigger-boned than the normal aji fish that's usually done in the same way, the moi was a bit harder to eat, but still every bit as delicious!
A great way to start-off any meal here is with one of their ahi or salmon salads. Coming as a fresh bouquet of greens, reds, oranges, and purples, this refreshing beauty is under-girded by several gorgeous slices of salmon, ikura, and fresh blueberries, then finished with a zippy aioli dressing and black sesame.
You know, there is one thing you should probably know about this place. If your experiences covering Japanese foods are Gyotaku, Shirokiya, okazuya outlets, and Genki or Ninja Sushi (no offense to these spots - I love them all under certain parameters!), you may be in for a bit of a surprise. The taste and look of the dishes here actually reminds me, to the tee, of the multi-coursed, elite Kaiseki meals I've had in Japan (not including atmosphere, number of courses, and a few other variables), and are much cleaner, much more delicate, and much less rife with added seasonings and flavor bases. Part of the whole philosophy of Kaiseki in the first place is a harmony with nature, and showcasing the natural flavors of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and meats with minimal interference is highly desirable. This emphasis on a more refined taste is well-achieved here at Yuzen, and is, trust me, very similiar to what you'd find in Japan, but local tastes, as you know, come with much more boldness and flavor, so just be aware of this whole deal coming-in.
A few members of our party weren't very much aware of this fact, and in hindsight, I probably should have ordered for them! Most opted for a full, $60-$80 Kaiseki meal, just because these meals are at the top-of-the-ladder in Japan, when actually, I think they would have been even more satisfied with a simple teishoku set for $30-$40, or perhaps individually-ordered dishes that are a bit on the heavier, more local-familiar side.
For sure, a few of them hadn't experienced dishes like these Kaiseki starters before, from left to right - lightly vinegared shishamo (smelt), unagi (eel) wrapped in dashi tamago (egg), Kabocha pumpkin, and a cold seafood salad:
Not exactly the type of fare they were accustomed to. We're talking really traditional stuff here. I take full blame, actually, for not tuning-in closer to what they were ordering, and should have led them to dishes that were a bit more robust, a bit more powerful than these daintier choices. The biggest surprise of the night, however, came when a couple of them chose the steak Kaiseki meal, expecting hot, juicy steaks for their grand finales - I didn't even notice the smaller caption describing the steak as being prepared tataki-style, meaning, just as in a maguro tataki - seared only slightly on the outside, served cold, and raw in the center!
Eeeeh, these are just a few examples to be aware of, depending on what your preferences are. I had several pieces myself, and I definitely loved the soft, tender cuts and lighter taste of the steak. Dipped into a light ponzu, it was a completely different meal than a fat steak off the barbie, and as long as you don't compare the two and appreciate this dish for what it is, I'm sure you'll agree that this is a very interesting and enjoyable dish.
Furthermore, you should also know that my one friend in particular, on this very fine evening, is the kind of guy who prides himself on being Buddha-headed, old-school, and simple, and wouldn't be able to taste the difference between Kubota Manju and cooking sake, even as he still demands ketchup and Tobasco on his USDA Prime steaks, fresh off my hibachi grill! Yup, good ol' Trace, a good guy who's always good for tons of laughs, especially the ones at his own expense! We had a similiar experience with Trace way back when, to one of our very first Closer Looks, at Akinono sushi/izakaya restaurant.
With all these divergent tastes in mind, I have little doubt that just about any guest from Japan, and any guest with a more refined taste in general, for that matter, will definitely appreciate and enjoy the degree of of quality and skill in this type of cuisine.
Not that the local boy in you won't find any familiar faces scattered about, however, as you can still find items like new-wave sushi, fried ika (squid), hamachi kama (gill plate section of hamachi), teppanyaki ribeye steak (yeah, of the hot variety, not cold!), miso butterfish, and, at lunchtime, donburi-mono, as in tenjyu, unajyu, katsujyu, or oyakojyu. And then there's dishes like the next two shots, a mixed tempura and a quarter-eaten (sorry!) oyster dynamite:
Throughout the evening, many different courses arrived, and I couldn't really keep track of who ordered what, so I'll just give you shots of some of the courses in random order. You may be surprised to know that rice is customarily served near the end of a traditional Kaiseki meal, and so one of the last courses was an individual sushi set, served on long wooden planks. Whatever your taste preferences, one thing's for sure - everything was super-fresh, super-crisp (I'm talking delivery and presentation, not necessarily texture!), and as good as it gets:
Knowing that opakapaka, or crimson snapper, is one of the most highly esteemed fish in Hawaiian waters, I had to try an order, o-nigiri-style. Normally baked or steamed at the best Hawaii Regional restaurants, it's not a fish always found in sushi cases, especially in accords with Japan-born sushi chefs. Since I hadn't tried raw opakapaka for a while now, I just wanted to confirm the taste all over again, and found it much the same as I knew before - not quite as crisp nor sweet as its cousin, onaga (ruby or long-tailed snapper), but still a decent, mellow-flavored sashimi choice.
The sushi bar is quite stocked and of a decent size, sitting as a center-piece where Chef Edgar is normally manning the counter. For now, Co-owner/Manager Ramon keeps Kumi company on our first visit, where we closed the place down!
To steal the name of the restaurant from our last Closer Look, Umi no Sachi, which means bounty or treasure from the sea, you've probably noticed that there's quite a bit of ocean treasure and bounty here at Yuzen, as well. Another course from the Kaiseki menu was an individual-sized sashimi platter, arriving as pretty as can be:
But little brother was no match for big brother, lemme tell ya! Chef will put together a killer display just like the one on the next platter shown, picking and choosing the freshest items of the day, or if you want - whatever types of fish best suit you. Don't worry about Nazi Chefs here - like I said, these guys are really laid-back, super-cool, and very accomodating, so don't be afraid to ask questions or put-in requests!
Honestly, I didn't even want to touch this exquisite and very impressive collection, marveling at the various little bamboo props, the color coordination, and most of all, all that great seafood! Featured were oysters, hamachi, sanma (see his little head, poking-out next to the shrimp?), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), mirugai (geoduck clam), and a buttery o-toro:
Now, sanma is not a fish I go particularly crazy for in sashimi form, as it's only a few notches less stinky than saba, as far as fishy oils go, and should only be enjoyed when really, really fresh if you don't want the taste lingering in your mouth even upon leaving the restaurant. While I haven't met a raw saba that I've enjoyed yet, this sanma was surprisingly clean, and for good measure, eaten not only with shoyu/wasabi, but also a small dose of grated ginger.
Another show-stopper comes from the whole Maine lobster, quite the steal at $30 for sashimi and $28 for onigarayaki-style, a term I've heard for the very first time here at Yuzen. Since we had so much sashimi already, we decided to go with the onigarayaki, which meant it was split in half and grilled in a house-made aioli sauce:
Chef's creamy, mysterious sauce was delicious, and definitely did its part in accompanying and accentuating the generous chunks of meat stuffed into these shells. The sauce was perfectly balanced, having just enough taste to sense the miso (guts), especially near the top, but not enough to gross-out the folks accustomed only to the clean, cooked, white parts of crustacean, such as crab legs and lobster tails.
Though I think spiny or even slipper lobster would be much sweeter and better for this dish than a Maine, when it comes to presentation, how can you compete with a whole Maine lobster? With those fearsome, giant claws standing as a kind of trophy to the brutish, animalistic nature in all of us, I once again hesitated to actually break into this dish, seeing how cool the presentation was!
What can I say...?
You know, the interesting thing about Yuzen is that they are not advertising in Japanese magazines, websites, and papers yet, all of which have a huge impact on traffic from the East. I mean, sometimes, there are places that locals don't even know about, but because of good advertising in the Japanese community and with Japanese tourists, they are literally packed, and not just the stores in Waikiki! I guess that concerns me just a bit, as like a local boy to fresh ahi poke and zip pac's, Japanese National's would recognize this taste and be much appreciative of the great effort it takes in putting-out such an excellent product. Guys like Trace? Well... At least he did recognize the difference, which is a huge step up for the guy, telling me afterwards:
"Ey, dass da kine fancy Japanee, aaah? Not da kine regulah-kine."
Good ol' Trace, I tell you. We'll just keep giving him the old, rancid wine while we sip on Hibiki whiskey and Koshino-Kanbai sake, the latter of which is, by the way, so valuable it is produced only in limited quantities, and you'll find it only at finer Japanese restaurants, such as right here at Yuzen - just another example of the type of caliber you're dealing with here!
So if this type of fine cuisine is your cup of Genmai-cha tea, and perhaps even if it's not, you definitely owe it to yourself to pay these guys a visit. It's like experiencing genuine Kaiseki dishes without the pomp and circumstance, and while prices are perhaps right in line with your higher-end sushi and izakaya spots, it's definitely cheaper as compared to Kaiseki or other upscale Japanese fare, that's for sure! I know we'll definitely be back, with or without my camera!
Much Mahalo's for stopping by!
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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