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Zen Shu, a closer look
Aloha!
3/9/09 - Wow! Little did wifey and I know how much of a treat we were in for this past week! It wasn't supposed to be a big night out, just a few pieces of sushi and small dishes on a quiet weekday evening, but one thing led to another, and pretty soon we were splurging on a big-time culinary education that pushed right out to the very borders of everything I imagined good sushi was all about! In fact, for sheer diversity, creativity, and presentation, this had to be one of the most memorable sushi dinners I've had yet!
That being said, we both walked into the Zen Shu that night with very little in the way of high expectations. Being hailed as a kind of Sports Bar, we both assumed it would lean heavily on the local side, with the usual culprits like crispy garlic chicken, fried noodles, sliced rib steak, and other such choices, along with a mediocre sushi consisting of sub-par-quality rice and a few basic varieties of fish - just enough to hold us over until we got the real thing later in the week. Our eyes began opening wider, however, with one look at the sushi bar, which was large and cram-packed with a wide variety of exotic-looking items, several of which are seldom seen anywhere on the island!
But the real kicker was when someone very much unexpected came popping out of the kitchen. Chef Ryuji-san (most just say Yuji-san - and that's not him above!) is a long-time veteran of several top-knotch sushi establishments on the island, including Tokkuri-tei, Maguro-ya, and Yohei. When he then explained he was not only a Chef in this operation, but part-owner, I knew right then and there we were in for something special.
The store design was a healthy fusion reflecting both a clean, simple Japanese decor and a schnazzy, upscale sports bar-look. I'm not so sure about looking at colorful reef fish all night on those large, brightly-colored screens, though - I kept thinking the scene would change once-in-a-while, maybe veering off to a passing moray eel or hungry ulua snapping up some dinner, but it stayed constantly serene the whole time, as if a live-action video camera were anchored onto the reef and simply left there. Perhaps this was the Zen side of Zen Shu?
Nevertheless, this is a sports bar, too, so there are yet other screens playing all your favorite highlight reels. Another section opens up to a few more tables and a full bar, which is where you'll find a little more action.
Wifey and I were sure to talk story a little bit with Chef Ryuji-san and get the scoops on what items were coming in particularly fresh that day. There happened to be so many of them we ended up just doing an omakase, the name used for not ordering anything yourself, but leaving fate completely and totally in the hands of the Chef. Naturally, it's considered an honor and sign of trust in the Chef's skills and abilities, as you are giving him the freedom to present his own special array of tailor-made dishes, each unique course reflecting only the very best the Chef has to offer on any given day.
Of course, we already know Chef Ryuji-san personally, so he asked us if there was anything in particular that we really favored or didn't favor. It's not a conversation you may wanna have during an omakase without knowing the Chef - it'd probably be a wise thing not telling him how or what to serve you during the process - unless he asks and seems to favor that kind of inter-action, that is - all Chefs are different, you know... In fact, if you know there are certain things you can't eat, it's better to just order piece-by-piece, and he should be more than happy to converse and accomodate your like's and dis-like's as you go. For a pure sushi-lover, however, there's simply nothing better than omakase, so long as you're willing to pay for it - get ready to shell-out anywhere from $75-$100 at most places.
Our first round came almost as quickly as we could take our first sip of icy-cold Kirin draft, and in the form of a very dramatic opening...
Yes, that is a fire, burning from a mound of salt crystals and a touch of alcohol. It's called sazae, or sea snail, and is very popular all over Japan but seldom seen here. It's not something I'd order myself, actually, but wifey goes crazy for this delicacy. While in Japan, I've had it simply roasted lightly over an open fire, which is the way it's normally enjoyed, but pulling out and finishing the whole creature, just barely-cooked and with its huge section of black guts, was just too much for me to handle! This one was much easier to eat because sections were already pre-cut, so I ate only the cleaner, meatier parts of the snail. Furthermore, since I took so long trying to get the perfect picture, it was also a little over-done from sitting on this fire a bit too long - the crispy-charred pieces were perfect for my wimpy self, but not for wifey, who surely ain't gonna wait for me again next time!
Next-up were a couple of waaay cool-looking items...
These pretty bowls couldn't have been much longer than my pinkie-finger, each one containing a trio of what I thought were baby squid, but were actually fully-grown adults called hotaru-ika. Found seasonally in Japan, the name means firefly squid, so named because they come up from the deep waters and actually glow in the dark, blanketing the surface of the ocean and providing quite the show for fisherman, who are sometimes seen throwing them up into the air for added effect.
Of course, when dead they no longer glow, but still make for quite the show when served whole and propped-up beside a pinch of green onion and bathed in a luscious, perfectly-matched togarashi/miso cream sauce. Though the combination of flavors was simply outstanding, just the presentation alone, with the iridescent-pink of the cutesy squid, off-white sheen of miso sauce, crisp-green of onion, and deep-blue of the tiny porcelain bowl, was enough to set my own sense of culinary fascination on fire, heightening the mood and creating an anticipation deep inside of us, especially knowing that we were yet only two orders into this Royal treatment of dishes!
By the time the next round came, I was simply floored. Could life be any better than at this very magical moment in time?
And yet, even this gorgeous shot fails to reveal the whole story behind this master-piece! Everything you see here, besides the shiso leaf and green onion, is made from different parts of a karei, or flounder, flown in from Japan. The fan-shape is, of course, made from the sweet, white flesh, while the brown, irregular-shaped pieces are from the liver. The bright-orange mound contains its roe, while the thick, pinkish-white slices come from the fattiest portion of the fish. A back-side shot of this beautiful presentation also reveals a silvery-gray mix that is actually flounder skin, minced into small shreds.
Our kind waitress, one of several who provided excellent customer service in a sweet, laid-back, but very helpful and attentive way, explained that a little bit of everything was meant to be placed and rolled inside of each slice of the fan-shaped sashimi cuts, then dipped inside a small bowl of ponzu sauce. The thick, fatty slices on-top were a little too big to mix-in, however, besides the fact that I wanted to savor this prized section alone. Unlike buttery-soft toro, or fatty section of tuna, this cut was firm and crispy, reminding me of engawa, which is the fatty area coming from just under the dorsal fin and mostly associated with hirame, or halibut.
Not only did this dish have a show-stopping presentation, but it also came with a taste, freshness, and creativity that very much matched the modern, fusion nature of this operation. I'd love to linger a while longer on its many unique qualities, but with so many dishes coming, I think I'd better just move along...
Wifey sure was happy to see a small bowl of kazunoko, or herring roe. These firm, crunchy fish eggs are presented in a number of different ways, and often right along with the konbu seaweed they are naturally attached to in the wild. Here, Chef Ryuji-san simmers them in a soy/dashi/sake mix, which left them much sweeter and more mellow than the salty brine it usually comes in.
When we were talking with Chef earlier, I remember telling him that while I pretty much enjoy any type of fish on my sushi, wifey sometimes prefers the more exotic, non-fish choices (not that she doesn't go crazy for fish, too!) like lobster, uni, squid, and the next item up, a set of seared scallops. I forgot to mention, however, that she'd rather have them all raw, not cooked like so many of the dishes were tonight. Of course, she was still impressed and enjoyed absolutely everything served, but it was I who benefitted most from this evening, as raw invertebrates are not the most savored things on my sushi wish-list. No worries - next time we'll have her order every kind of creepy-crawly she wants, completely and totally in the raw, while I just order my own set of separate items!
These scallops seemed to take on the firm texture of smoked or dried scallops, but they were also simmered in a soy/sake-based broth that permeated the meat with flavor and provided a certain wetness that gave it a more delicate touch. The black you see on the right are simply sheets of nori seaweed served alongside.
Another bi-valve came next, this time a set of Big Island mini-abalone. Again, much to my delight, they came cooked, deep-fried in a light, golden batter.
To tell you the truth, these small shellfish are very much on the firm side when eaten raw, much like larger opihi can be, but when lightly-cooked, it actually gets softer and more palatable.
And finally, for wifey's sake, a non-fish dish that came totally raw - ika, or squid. Honestly, I don't know what it is about raw squid that people love so much. To me, it's very much on the flavor-less side when fresh, and stinky-slimy when not. Of course, sushi-lover's everywhere are already scoffing at my unsophisticated lack of palate concerning this popular taste, but what can I say? Me, I'd rather have a dusted, deep-fried calamari with wasabi or mustard aioli!
The bright-pink you see on-top comes from another fish-egg roe called mentaiko, or pollock roe. On-top of that lay the tiny quail eggs so often used in sushi, their size making the perfect match for any sushi piece. This was actually wifey's favorite dish of the entire evening, but me? I have no idea how any of this tasted...
The next dish was right up my alley, however. All that fresh flounder flown-in from Japan was being put to good use that night, as these fatty pieces sat next to a crispy-fried section of bone and skin. On most sushi nights, we eat so much raw fish and rice that I look forward to at least a little piece of fried-anything to kinda round all the flavors out, but on this particulary lovely night, everything was so rich and luxurious that I was actually looking for a simple, raw piece of fish or scoop of white rice to also round-out the flavors, only this time, in the opposite direction! To tell you the truth, I couldn't help but having the same type of feeling swoop over me as occurred on our last visit to Alan Wong's, when the richness factor was so amazing I knew I couldn't go on much longer without falling into a level of decadence seemingly reserved only for Sheik's, Prince's, Emporor's, and dicatator's!
A perhaps more familiar-looking dish, at least to visitors of this website, came in the form of two of wifey's favorite's, raw uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon eggs). Only when uni is super-fresh can I handle it, and this evening it was, indeed. Not only did several pieces go down my amateurish sushi-hatch, but I was also surprisingly able to down the ikura, as well! Chef Ryuji-san says he wanted to do something a little different by diffusing the normally savory-strong flavors down a bit, soaking them in a soy/mirin base that made them extremely less salty and more palatable. Those white slices in-between are cuts of yama-imo, a mountain-type root vegetable that is very crisp, but also gives off a super-slimy substance many enjoy.
If I had to pick a favorite for the evening, I think it would be between either the baby squid shown as our second course, or this next one, which was a toro (fatty tuna), ever-so-slightly grilled. I often waver between completely raw and this quickly-heated style when it comes to highly fatty cuts like salmon and toro, as I think it kinda brings a lot of the fat content out, much like warm butter is more flavorful than cold, and also provides a nice contrast, with the inner portions still completely raw. This fish was so creamy-soft and buttery-good, I think either way - flash-grilled or raw - it still would have been one of my favorite's.
And I didn't even mention how great the sushi rice was yet! Well, these fluffy-white, shiny grains definitely come from a superior grade and cooking process, for sure! Whether it's Koshihikari, Tamaki Gold, or whatever, I have no idea, but it's top-knotch, and that's probably all you need to know...
Taste aside, the hands-down winner for most, uh, interesting dish of the evening went to our next course...
Hmmm....
Any guesses...???
Lemme give you a hint - it's very closely related to another, very-infamous dish known by several different terms - tender groins, mountain beef, cowboy caviar, huevos del toro? Heck, I'll just give it away in saying Rocky Mountain oysters, or... bull's ball's! No, fish don't have ball's, but they do have a whole lotta sperm, which is what this dish consists of!
The creamy-white sperm sacs called shirako, this time coming from cod, is a delicacy that not even a whole lotta Japanese can appreciate! It is simmered, again, in a soy/sake/dashi-based broth and presented simply in the broth and a simple garnish. I'm sorry, but this thing was just waaay too rich for me, especially after all those decadent dishes already served! Even wifey, who usually loves anything and everything wild and exotic as this, didn't seem to care so much for it. They say the sperm sacs of fugu (pufferfish) and tai (sea bream) have an even more flavorful and sought-after taste, but I was kinda hoping for something with a little, uh, less taste?
Oh, well - we had to do it!!! I couldn't live with myself, otherwise. Actually, when Chef Ryuji mentioned it in our little pre-meal conversation, it was the one thing I specifically requested trying! No regrets, at all!!!
It was kinda funny how a total of 11 dishes had already been served, and for some reason, it seemed to all pass by in such a flash! When Chef came by presenting yet another dish, he placed it on the table and said he'd hold off for the time being, leaving us to consider either continuing, placing any special orders, or calling it quits.
"What??? Already!!!"
It was kinda strange, really, as I was left with a sense of culinary scizphrenia, as if my unconscious mind were somehow blocking any sense of satiation or time, desperately seeking to not allow this amazing stream of fabulous dishes to end. Nevertheless, by the time we finished off this pair of U-9 shimp, the largest size commercially available on a regular basis, both grilled to a delicious perfection and topped with a slightly-mellowed wasabi, there was no doubt as to whether I could go any further.
"It all just went by so fast," I thought, my mind still somehow arguing, even feigning surprise that something so grand had met its inevitable end. Of course, having eaten much of wifey's portions as well, she still had room for another round, closing with an uni chawanmushi and their signature Zenshu martini, coming with Kai vodka, ginger juice, rakkyo (pickled baby onion), ume (pickled plum), and a single leaf of shiso - you could not think of a more suitable drink for her, each ingredient seemingly pulled out of a wish-list of some of her most favorite items. If you're Japanese, especially of the female variety, you simply have to try this drink - it's a little small, but even I loved it!
And what more can I say? Zen Shu on Kapahulu Ave. wildly exceeded my every expectation. It's definitely not a menu I'd want duplicated every night, though, as specialty items like abalone, uni, kazunoko, giant shrimp, and, in fact, just about every other course, were super-rich, decadent, and sure to induce that age-old rich-man's disease so many of my friends come down with every so often - gout! Really sucks, from what I hear!
Actually, I did tell Chef that wifey especially loved the more exotic, non-fish items, so he was only listening to our own preferences (besides the fact that I forgot to tell him raw!). Next time we go in, I'd probably prefer a more traditional, simpler spread of mostly fresh fish and more of that delicious sushi rice, a request I know Chef could easily present just as well. I came off not really feeling like I'd just partaken in a sushi dinner, but was instead wow'd by a lavish fusion of modern and traditional, a progressive twist on old-time techniques using the freshest of ingredients and most dramatic of presentations. In other words, it was all really darn good!
Be sure to stop by and say hello to Chef Ryuji-san - he is the coolest of guys, really down-to-earth and not your stereo-typical, sushi-Nazi-type Chef. He'll be happy to accomodate your needs and concerns, and will indeed whip up a grand feast that'll probably leave you just as happy and impressed as wifey and I were.
So I hope you're all recovering from the weekend, and ready to get back into the 'ol grind once again! I'll leave you all with a final shot of the outside, taken as we left full and satisfied.
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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