Omakase Sashimi Land and Sea Roll
have doubtless seen one or another battling chef
preparing fish liver. Ankimo, thin white discs of
seared monkfish liver dressed with miso sauce,
makes the revered French goose liver foie gras seem
downright coarse by comparison.
One diner was enjoying an assortment of mixed
Nigiri Sushi while watching “Yojimbo,” one of the
several classic Japanese Samurai films from Japan’s
greatest director, Akira Kurosawa, showing on a
wall above the dining room. Adding to the honor of
tradition at Azuki, the maestro’s films are shown in
rotation throughout dinner service. Nigiri sushi pairs
slices of various fish with cool seasoned short grain
“sticky” rice. In most restaurants, a thin slice of fish
sits atop a mound of sushi rice. Here the slices drape
tiny fingers of rice. The variety of fish includes rich
Lychee Saketini
yet subtle sliced scallops, just delivered by air from
Tokyo. At one end of the long platter a large shrimp
Fine Art… JApAnese style
Kappa Maki are readily available, wise diners here opt head sat with antennae wiggling in the air. It had just
But as with so many cuisines that become ubiqui- for more adventurous flavors, often in limited supply been separated from its body, which is cleaned and
tous in this land, quality is often watered-down to and only available on the specials board. Seafood served in the nigiri mix. Just ask and the head, pre-
meet the high-volume demands of a huge dining Sunomono salad has shrimp and scallops lightly sented as evidence of the unadulterated freshness of
populace. Many, if not most sushi restaurants serve tossed in Sanbaizu dressing, made from bonito broth, the sweet Ebi, can be quickly deep-fried and is a tasty,
frozen and thawed, rather than fresh fish and shellfish, soy sauce, sweet sake mirin and rice vinegar. It’s less crunchy counterpoint to the soft rice and fish of the
with the often heard claim that quick freezing at sweet and more complex than the typical rice vinegar sushi. For less venturesome eaters, there are plenty
sea makes the seafood fresher when thawed at the dressing, with the fish broth adding a kind of smoky of delicious cooked items to enjoy, including Citrus
market. After 25 years in the Gaslamp, Tokyo-trained character. or Spicy Teriyaki Chicken, Garlic Scallops, Skewered
executive chef Hisashi “Nao” Ichimura has teamed Sparkling jewels of Sashimi are a revelation. The Beef and Crisp Tempura perfectly cooked that leaves
up with front-of-the-house expert Shihomi Sakai to slices of absolutely fresh fish rest on green bamboo not a drop of oil on the plate. Desserts include a nod
open Azuki Sushi Lounge on Fifth Avenue in Bankers leaves, used not only for their vibrant color, but for to modern tastes. Rather than the conventional
Hill. The stylish tangerine and chocolate brown dining their anti-bacterial properties as well. Deep pink ahi green tea ice cream, Chef Nao offers sweets such as
room, adorned with just a few pieces of abstract art, tuna and bright orange salmon belly and pale pink rich Green Tea Crème Brûlée and Azuki Cheesecake,
is merely the backdrop for presentation of the fine-art yellowtail slices each offer their own delicate sweet- incorporating a sweet paste from the little black
tradition of Japanese food preparation. While Chef ness and unique flavors. Fresh mackerel from Spain is bean that is the restaurant’s namesake.
Nao remains quietly in the background, constantly flanked by a dish of ponzu sauce for dipping, the light Every dish at Azuki is skillfully prepared and fastidi-
monitoring both the hot and cold sides of food prepa- sharpness of the citrus adds a balance to the oily rich- ously composed. Remembering that first we eat with
ration, the tall, cool and elegant Sakai keeps a watchful ness of the fish. If you’ve never tried Uni, do so here. the eyes, each offering is artfully presented and is a
eye on the dining room, checking in with patrons from The golden roe of sea urchin is creamy but explodes signal of the spectacular taste to come once you take
time to time to assure their enjoyment of Azuki’s fare. with taste of the sea. the first bite.
While familiar items like California Roll and Cucumber Fans of the Iron Chef TV series on the Food Network
november 2009 | RAGE monthly 67
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