Zama

Over a year has passed since this Rittenhouse sushi spot opened to much fanfare.  Although I'm arriving late to the scene, I'm pleased to report that Hiroyuki "Zama" Tanaka, formerly of Pod, Morimoto, and Genji, is still delivering fun, high-end sushi in a sleek-but-social atmosphere.

Slightly less publicized, but equally pleasing as the sushi, is Zama's extensive drink menu.  I started with a yuzu gimlet, which featured yuzu juice, citrus vodka, and simple syrup, a great blend that highlighted the yuzu flavor (one of my favorites).  Of course, warm house sake hits the spot on a cold night.  But interestingly, Zama offers warm sake after-dinner drinks.  I indulged in the ginger version -- warm sake with ginger liqueur.

After starting with the seaweed salad, which featured an unusual mix of the "usual" seaweed with more lettuce- and radish-like varieties, we moved onto the roll menu.  I opted for the "Bronzizzle," Zama's "cucumber and avocado inside out roll with Bronzino finished with yuzu-soy sauce and hot sesame oil."  Surprisingly refreshing, the roll hit the high notes of a crispness mixed with a sharper flavor.  I was most interested, however, in trying the "super crunchy" maki, pictured below.

I was expecting tempura flakes, but instead got this interested rice puff exterior, which was indeed crunchy.  Unfortunately, it was also spicy, which I was hoping to avoid as Zama offers both spicy and crunchy, but the rice puffs balanced out the spice.  Certainly a change of pace.

Zama picks up on the dessert sampler scene (a favorite of mine at Continental, which offers $3 dessert "bites"), where you can choose three desserts for $10.  The hazelnut bread pudding was warm and heavenly, as was the sake soaked pear upside down cake.  Combined with the warm ginger liqueur sake, the experience was a perfect antidote to a cold winter night.

Zama is located at 128 S. 19th Street, Philadelphia, http://www.zamarestaurant.com/.  First photo with thanks to http://www.opentable.com/. 

Maido and Miso Soup

When I returned from Japan, I was desperate to find a place where I could buy and recreate some of the wonderful food I had there. While Chinatown and Washington Ave. markets do offer some Japanese food, Maido in Narberth features only Japanese food - and is great fun.

Most of the foods offer Japanese labels (although thanks to regulations, an English "nutrition information" sticker is usually somewhere on the package) and finding the place can be tricky (follow the website directions closely), but I found that once I arrived, Maido offers the foodie equivalent of an excellent used book store - someplace in which you could get a little lost browsing.

Here are some highlights of what I purchased. My mother was coming for Easter and hesitantly agreed to try an all-Japanese meal (I sold her on the idea that it would be more healthy than ham and potato salad, which it is, although that's not saying much).

Onto miso soup! I pulled these recipes from http://www.epicurious.com/, although Martha Stewart's new cookbook also features them in almost identical form. Apparently, there are few ways to make it. Here's what you will need:

1 oz. kombu (kelp)
1 cup katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)
1/4-1/2 cup dried wakame (seaweed)
1/4 cup shiro miso paste (white fermented soybean paste)
1/2 pound soft tofu
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Miso soup starts with dashi, "Japanese Sea Stock." To make dashi, you put about 1 ounce of kombu, or dried kelp, into 6 cups of water and bring to a boil (pictured right). Once boiled, you add 1 cup bonito flakes (pictured left) to the mix, remove from heat and let stand for 3 minutes. Bonito flakes are a type of dried fish (skipjack mackeral, according to one website) and have the consistency of flaked prosciutto - a bit oily. They're also very pungent. (My cats go a little crazy when I open the bag). After three minutes, strain all of that stuff out with as fine a sieve as you can find. I strain mine twice, because I find the bonito to be just that strong.

And congratulations - the hardest part of making miso soup is now over for you. Once you have the stock, simply heat it up (if it's not hot already), take a cup out and mix with a 1/4 cup of miso shiro paste to blend it (pictured right). Add the blended mix to the stock, along with 1/2 pound soft tofu cut into cubes and thinly sliced scallion greens.
If you'd like seaweed in your miso, soak 1/4 cup of wakame in a warm water about an inch over the wakame until it is reconstituted and add that to the soup, too.

And voila! Miso soup, ready to serve. I think it tastes better than most restaurants to make it fresh, but it's not too different from what you might get. It's also nice to add the ingredients according to your taste preference.

Thanks to my mom for helping me with the pictures and being such a supportive taster.

Maido is located at 36 N. Narberth Avenue, Narberth, Pa., http://www.maidookini.com/.

Japan - Kaiseki

Recently, I spent 15 days in Japan. Hence my absence from this blog. The experience really rearranged my palate. Or at least that's how I can best articulate what happened after my steady diet of fish, rice, noodles, and various things I cannot name (because, to this day, I have no idea what they were). I currently find myself disdainful of the heavily portioned, rich, somewhat boring, American diet. I am hopeful for my overall health that this outlook will last for at least a couple of weeks, but it remains to be seen. In any case, I offer the following description of the best meal I had in Japan in lieu of a Philadelphia-based review to make up for lost time.

The meal was consumed at the "the good Kaiseki place," as my friends currently living there call it, in Misawa, located in the northern part of Honshu (about three and half hours north of Tokyo). Most restaurants in Japan, except for McDonald's and KFC, post their names in Japanese - in Japanese characters. As a result, we went to places like "the best ramen place" and "expensive sushi restaurant." We don't know their actual names.
This meal, as I came to think about many of my meals in Japan, was amazing. Not only for taste, but also for diversity, precision and size. This first dish - sesame tofu with wasabi, was delicious. A perfectly silken but firm piece of tofu, topped with just enough wasabi to offset the sweet soy sauce. I don't even like wasabi, and I loved this.
The next course consisted of (clockwise from left), egg with shrimp and sea urchin, "seafood" (a bit like escargot, maybe) served in a seashell, salmon roe with daikon, chicken with black sesame, and "fish." All of it was unlike anything I've ever tasted. Even though I had salmon roe before, this batch seemed especially flavorful, as though little bubbles were bursting in my mouth. It was also amazing to have a series of such diverse tastes that clearly reflect considerable effort, all in small portions on my plate. Apparently Thomas Keller was not the first to think of the multi-course amazing tasting menu.
Next was - you guessed this one - sashimi. But also perhaps the best sashimi I have ever had. It consisted of scallop (causing me to question why I have never ordered scallop sashimi here), tuna, and flounder. The scallop possessed all of the excellent qualities of cooked scallop in terms of texture, but in an intensified way.
The grilled fish entree course, common in kaiseki meals, was mackeral with spring onion and miso. We were instructed to dip the onion in the miso bean mixture. As expected, the contrast was delicious and the fish done to delicate perfection. Because scale is not always clear, I will tell you that the fish was about three bites big, the perfect size for an eight course meal.
The next course, although not entire clear from the picture here, consisted of an amazing soup that featured crab, fish, squid and mussels topped with this odd rice-like grain (and another great addition of a little wasabi). The taste of seafood soups was always extraordinary in Japan, infused with a rich flavor. This was no exception.
The sixth course remains perhaps my favorite of anything in Japan (although I do tend toward both exaggerated and superlative descriptions, I did love this course). It consisted of crabmeat and cucumber wrapped in soy paper served on top of sliced persimmon, with rice wine vinegar and topped with chrysanthemum. A tremendous effort and a great result - all for two perfect bites.
The seventh course was a combination -- one of rich rice, infused with a mushroom that we were told was "very expensive" and prized by the Japanese, and clam soup. I wasn't sure what the fuss was about the rice, although it was rich and flavorful in an almost meaty way. But the soup was flavored simply with the clams and shiso leaf, a particularly interesting combination that was quirky and satisfying.

The last course was a perfect finish - apples poached in red wine and sugar. Refreshing but sweet, the perfect end to the meal. All in all, the meal, much like my trip, was unsual and inspiring.

Japan is a group of islands in the Pacific, east of China, Korea and Russia.

Zento

In preparation for my upcoming trip to Japan, I have tried to immerse myself in all things Japanese (especially food, of course). I should not have waited for such an excuse to try Zento, however. I might blame its unassuming exterior, which unfortunately blends with the row of other restaurants on the 100 block of Chestnut. In any case, it's well worth adding to your list of best sushi restaurants in Philadelphia. It is a little pricey, but offers unique combinations of exquisitely fresh fish.

Speaking of combinations, we decided to forgo Zento's extensive other options (including a bento box) in favor of its rolls. Its list of rolls is extensive but not overwhelming, offering appealing, fish-centered options. I chose the Green River Roll, which included toro, eel, avocado, and plum paste with dried seaweed outside. The plum paste was a nice compliment to the fresh fish and richness of the roll without being overpowering, offering a peaceful sweetness. I also tried the Love Roll, with salmon, tuna, eel, asparagus, and yellowtail wrapped with soy paper. The soy paper was reminiscent of the doughy coating to mochi, although more subtle. Check out the presentation of two of the pieces, which managed to be both lovely and tasty. Again, the flavors worked well together and were quite fresh. My dining companion ordered the Center City Roll, with broiled yellowtail, tuna, salmon, white fish with crab, asparagus, scallion, and spicy sauce and Zento Square Sushi, with eel, avocado and plum paste inside, tuna or salmon on the top glazed with sweet and spicy sauce. Or at least I think that's what was ordered. Darn my inability to take notes while dining. In any case, rave reviews all around. Although at $15/roll, we had limited ourselves and both ended up a bit hungry. At our waiter's suggestion, we ordered the highly recommended black sesame mochi, which was delicious. The green tea was equally good and provided a nice accompaniment to the meal.

Zento's chef/owner, Gunawan Wibisono, worked his way through sushi restaurants, including Kisso, before becoming a sushi chef at Morimoto. His talent is readily apparent. I would highly recommend Zento; hopefully its BYO status will offset the high prices of its sushi.

Zento is located at 138 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa, (215) 925-9998.

Misso (Updated: Now Closed)

At least someone's air conditioning was working. On some of the more sweltering summer days, it's hard to think about food, let alone trudge out into the heat to find it. Sushi always seems like a good compromise, however, and Misso was on my list of new restaurants to try. Housed in the first floor of a high rise on Spruce Street near Broad, Misso is tucked away under awning, with a neon "Open" sign. Once inside, however, the atmosphere is warm and crisp (but air-conditioned, of course). And as these pictures reveal, Misso is also more dimly lit, providing a calm, zen-like setting.

Beginning with the seaweed salad appetizer, Misso's offerings are presented well, managing to be both pretty and generous with the portions. Eager to try the tuna balls, I was impressed and easily found them to be Misso's best offering. Employing the ever-appealing "tempura flakes," succulent tuna, flakes and spice are mixed together to form these refreshing treats. They even appealed to my spice-sensitive palate (I don't normally eat even wasabe, I know, I know, what am I doing in a sushi restaurant). The tuna balls also far exceeded the tuna tartare offering, a strange dish of the same tuna in the balls, without the flakes or spicy bite. From there, we ordered two rolls and sushi for our meal. The Dragon Roll (avocado, cucumber layered with broiled eel, sliced avocado and sauce) and the Spruce Roll (yellow tail tempura roll) were a mixed bag. The Dragon Roll was delicious, but predictably so from broiled eel and avocado. The Spruce Roll was disappointing. Instead of yellowtail mixed with tempura flakes, or even lightly cooked, the yellowtail was well done and the crispy tempura texture was all but absent from the roll.

I have been branching out in my sushi lately, departing from what is normally included in your average sampler and more toward things like I tried that night, including striped bass (suzuki) and red snapper. The striped bass was my favorite, with an interesting and refreshing taste.

Because I have recently developed a taste for sake, my dining companion was kind enough to bring both filtered and unfiltered. Choosing the latter, I found it to be the perfect, cold, and crisp accompaniment to the fish. Ultimately, although Misso also had a number of intriguing other rolls that may merit a return visit, its inconsistency on the sushi makes me want to stick to my side of Broad Street for now.

Misso is located at 1326 Spruce Street in Philadelphia, 215-546-2355

Fuji Japanese Restaurant

Often the bearer of accolades beginning with "best of," Fuji Restaurant in Haddonfield was overhyped for me. I did like the decor, but only relative to most other sushi restaurants and not to, let's say, a charming BYO or Morimoto.

I had even picked out exactly what I was going to order. I read LaBan's review and convinced an equally enthusiastic friend to add it to our Jersey excursion. Arriving slightly before opening, we were nonetheless greeted warmly and served wonderful hot green tea.

We didn't bother with soup, opting instead to go directly for sushi. I got the subject of much praise, the Fuji roll, consisting of yellowtail, scallions and burdock root inside out with tobiko (fish eggs). The burdock root is looks strikingly similar in both looks and taste to baby carrot, somewhat of a disappointment to me. I also tried the Rainbow roll, which Fuji changes up a bit through the addition of the Waluu leaf, a similar taste to mint. It struck me as out of place, honestly. Finally, I went for a safe favorite, a shrimp tempura and avocado roll. It was just that -- safe and plain. My friend, mindful of the recent reports of mercury, stuck with a vegetarian line-up and was pleased with the selection.

Fuji was good but ultimately a disappointment. I am a sucker for a creative roll with a perfect flavor combination. Perhaps Fuji's strong point is the freshness of their fish, something that did not particularly shine (nor detract, in all fairness) for me in my selection. If you find yourself in Haddonfield, though, certainly stop in.

Fuji Restaurant is located in the Shops at 116 on East Kings Highway in Haddonfield, NJ, http://www.fujirestaurant.com/.

Cho Cho San

If wonderful sushi is served in a strip mall in North Wales, is it still wonderful sushi? Why is this placed named after the iconic heroine of Madame Butterfly? Such philosophical questions are best put aside on your journey to Cho Cho San. I will not overhype this place for you, I will simply advise you to go. Put it in mapquest, print it out, and go.

First and foremost, Cho Cho San offers a unique creation (at least for me, perhaps another restaurant has also dreamed it up): the sushi sandwich. This happy idea, pictured at right (with spicy tuna) essentially sandwiches spicy tuna, or yellowtail, or another "salad" version of sushi, with tempura batter (think crispiness) between a layer of rice and seaweed. Thickly. Which means you get a rich taste of spicy tuna, a hint of crispiness for texture, with a relatively smaller amount of rice and seaweed. Believe me when I tell you this works. And for spice-phobes like myself, you can ask for it "not spicy." You will begin to crave these puppies, which prompted my second visit recently.

Second, there's everything else on the menu. The avocado salad with ginger dressing offers a generous portion of avocado; the seaweed salad is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, with the seawood done to a vermicelli-like perfection. The descriptions of the rolls take some time to peruse, but favorites will emerge. Mine is the "fancy roll," whose complexity makes up for its rather simple name. It includes shrimp tempura, caviar (don't get too excited, this is the same stuff in the other restaurants), top smoked salmon, eel, and avocado. I'm not a fan of mayonnaise in my sushi, but the "rock and roll" is popular, with shrimp tempura, top crabmeat mixed with mayonnaise and caviar. Roll specials are posted on the bulletin board as you walk in and are worth a look. Cho Cho San offers the kind of selection that has you planning not for just this order, but for your next visit.

What of the atmosphere? Did I mention it was in a strip mall in North Wales? Well, still not as bad as you might think. The servers are tremendously friendly, even conspiratorially giggly as we observed them devouring a bucket of KFC chicken in the back (it was an off time). The artificial fish tank in the back speaks to the charming efforts. It really doesn't matter. Order green tea, iced or hot, and save room for the sushi. This is a find and worth the drive.

Cho Cho San is located at 981 North Wales Road, North Wales, Pa., (215) 855-1681.

Pod

It's all about the bling. Much like the other Stephen Starr restaurants, Pod creates a concept and delivers a theme. A theme that weds my love of Disneyworld with my love of feeling hip. Resembling the inside of a spaceship, Pod offers many interest decorational quirks. The "pods," for example, large round booths (all done, like the rest of the restaurant and its seating, in white sculpted plastic) can be set to different colors of light by the diners. Not surprising from the design firm that brought you Nobu and the W Hotel in New York.

Just as I settled in and was deciding whether the plastic dining chairs were, in fact, comfortable (I'm going with "yes"), Mark Wahlberg walks in. Marky Mark. With an entourage (pardon the pun) of behind-the-camera-looking folks. I know this not because I watched him walk in, but because rather suddenly, TPB lit up, smiling widely but conservatively, and giving a warm nod to people passing directly behind me. Soon after TPB whispered Wahlberg's name to me, followed by a reverent rejoinder, I'm not kidding. So began the refrain of stealing glances, commenting on his real-life versus screen appearance, and speculating on his guests.

Which is all just accoutrement to the scene that is Pod. Wahlberg fit in, as did cocktails named after the colors of the rainbow ("Blue," "Orange," etc.), and Tron, which was playing on a loop on the televisions behind us.

Could I describe the food? Sure, but I'm telling you, it's only part of the ensemble cast at work here. The miso soup was among the best I've had, thanks to generous portioning of tofu and fresh green onion. The dumplings were steamed with a tangy dipping sauce inside of them, a magical and satisfying trick. The "tuna three way" special, which featured tuna tartare, spicy tuna with mango roll, and a spicy tuna taco with large pieces of sashimi in a puffed noodle shell, succeeded for both the mouth and the eye. The bulk of our meal was sushi a la carte, including yellow tail and rainbow roll, among other selections. The sushi doesn't rival the freshness of Sagami or even Genji, but it was still very good.

With my second drink, a sake mojito that I highly recommend, I settled into my star-gazing and hipster posturing. Definitely a good time.

Pod is located at 3636 Sansom Street, http://www.podrestaurant.com/.