Out and About

I Dreamed a Dream of Japan

Philadelphia rocks the 2022 James Beard nominations— including one of Queen Village’s own favorite restaurants.

By Michael and Cait Allen

On March 16, 2022, the James Beard Foundation announced its nominees for the 2022 James Beard Awards. In the Best Chef category for the Mid-Atlantic region (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC), Philadelphia earned three of the five nominations: Christina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa in Bella Vista; Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon of Kalaya Thai Kitchen, also in Bella Vista (though we get dibs on her as a QV resident!); and lastly Jesse Ito at Queen Village’s own, Royal Izakaya.

Royal Izakaya (780 S. 2nd St.)

Sake merchants first offered patrons a place to sit and drink centuries ago. They joined the words iru (to stay) and sakaya (sake shop), thus birthing the modernday Japanese-style pub or izakaya. Royal Izakaya’s chef-owner Jesse Ito began his craft preparing sushi in Fuji, his father’s restaurant in Haddonfield, New Jersey. When he turned his thoughts to a new “cool, dark, moody Japanese pub,” Queen Village had the “perfect vibe.” The building’s façade, tin ceiling, and brick walls have all been preserved and incorporated into this fusion of shadowy-hipenergy-meets-Philadelphia-history. We began with a sake poured spillover style in its square masu. (As a pair of sake newbies, we did get clearance to pour the generosity back into the glass— waste not want not!) We also sampled the Cherry Blossom cocktail, a bourbonbased complexity that layers sesame, lemon, and cherry.

The real excursion began with a delicate spinach salad and burdock root— nicely crunchy with a bit of zing. After the first bite of the spectacular pork buns, we gripped our seats to keep from leaping, falling, exclaiming. We then dissolved into a soft and unctuous tuna guacamole so delicious we started to wonder, “Is all of this even real?” We were floored.

After brushing off our pants, we were presented with a stunning assortment

A glass of sake poured in the masu spillover style. Photo: Michael Allen

Baby spinach salad and burdock root. Photo: Michael Allen

Flown in direct from Japan, a stunning assortment of sashimi. Photo: Michael Allen

Jesse Ito. Courtesy Royal Izakaya

of sashimi flown in from Japan (also featured in Chef Ito’s omakase experience—a tasting menu personally created for eight guests lucky enough to pass the waiting list). Talk about a cut above! Finally, the dessert creations featured delicate complexities—a sesame panna cotta and a tea-ceremony-worthy tiramisu. Back on the street, we turned to the door and the signature red paper lantern that signifies an izakaya. Was it real or was it a dream? Only with lots of return visits will we know for sure. ■

Sesame panna cotta and tiramisu to top off the meal! Photo: Michael Allen Photo: Michael Allen

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