Fireless Charcoal The real draw for me is the Robatayaki (“fireside cooking”), a uniquely Japanese style of slow grilling skewered morsels over blazing hot charcoal, ideally white oak. It sears in all the goodness. You can’t go wrong with any of the vegetable side dishes ($4.50 each), like the Sweet Potato in ginger teriyaki, or the charred Brussels Sprouts with grainy Japanese mustard and those sinuous bonito flakes. The Yuzu-Miso Black Cod ($32) was a revelation; I can’t remember ever having fish this buttery. It arrives wrapped in a charred leaf, which helps seal in the moisture. The addition of yuzu to the miso adds a lovely, perfumed element to the dish. The pickled onions cut the richness of the fish in just the right way. While the Chicken Teriyaki ($15) with shiitake mushroom salad and the Ginger Teriyaki Salmon ($19) are solid options, and the steaks smelled amazing, we were surprised by the depth of flavor found in the Wild Mushroom and Mountain Vegetable Rice Hotpot ($12). For an additional $5, they will gild it with real truffle oil, which plays off the mushrooms in a very yummy way. It was like a funky but delicious Japanese risotto. Lunch is a viable choice here, and the specials are a bargain for the quality. The Maki Set ($16), a threesome of Salmon-Avocado, Tuna Maki and spicy, Crispy Butterfish, comes with miso soup, pickles and salad; Omaha Prime Beef ($18) from the robata grill is served with miso soup, rice and grilled veggies. My favorite, though, was the Assorted Sashimi Salad with Chirashi Soy and Mixed Greens; it was incredibly fresh and flavorful. Not Quite Done! There are three desserts available, all made in house. The best was the fragrant Sesame Cake ($8), served warm, topped with mixed berry compote and paired with a scoop of coconut-lime sorbet. It was a lovely ending in a totally unexpected location—who knew one could eat so well at a shopping mall? I’m a doubter no more.
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makeitbetter.net
october 2013
79
9/9/13 3:22 PM