From a dinner in the past.
We were lucky to have the opportunity to experience Kiss Sushi with 2 regulars. Being with knowledgeable regulars seemed to be an essential component of experiencing Kiss at its best. To say that this is a tiny restaurant is the ultimate in understatement. Kiss seats only 12 people with the most coveted spots at the 5-seat sushi bar. Naka-san cooks and prepares everything himself. There is one only other server. Naka-san is from Hokkaido and his cuisine is “country” in style, featuring fish from the cold waters of this northernmost of the major islands of Japan.
Obviously we did not order and let him set the pace with an Omakase dinner. I am hoping my descriptions are accurate, but I apologize in advance for any mistakes.
A “salad” of bamboo, hijiki, lotus root and soy bean.
Japanese pear, Herring Egg, Japanese Greens, Micro Shiso
Sashimi – baby striped bass, squid, toro, fluke, mirugai
Hakusai – a layered terrine of Napa cabbage and minced tuna and baby striped bass in a white soy bean sauce topped with chives and pickled ginger flower
Now sushi – I really liked the proportion of rice to fish with the rice being the supporting component with the fish pristine.
Back of the tuna marinated in soy for a couple of minutes
Salmon Eggs
Aji – Horse Mackeral
Giant Clam
Chawanmushi – a silky smooth egg custard with halibut, snow peas, and ????
Amberjack
Abalone with Abalone Liver
Saba
Uni
Naka-san referred to this as “Kimono Sleeve” – Fluke with Shiso, Rice and Plum
Kiss is not the haute cuisine Kyoto-style experience of Urasawa or our neighborhood sushi place Takao with its emphasis on “cooked” dishes. But if Kiss was in my neighborhood, it would soon become a favorite haunt – Japanese comfort food at its best. It is definitely a “find” and the company equaled the food.
For another post on Kiss:
http://www.bunrab.com/yummychow/Reviews/SFReviewsFrameset.html?KissReview.html
Refined Palate 