I’m really sorry that I didn’t have my camera with me when I was treated by my son to a dinner at Kabuki Japanese Restaurant. Haute European cuisine may think plating and presentation is an art. At Kabuki, they demonstrate the Japanese have it down to a science. The food simply is edible art. Words will do it little justice.
Kabuki, a stylized theater that features bizarre masks, provides the name and the logo for the growing Southern California chain. Its self-stated mission is to bring the finer points of Japanese cuisine to the mainstream American pallet. The restaurant was busy and there was a constant stream of customers. It would appear that Kabuki is making good inroads to American tastes.
The restaurant is modern Japan without the kitsch of a pseudo, old time oriental look. There is glass, chrome, designer lighting and a look of the perfect arrangement of tables, booths and aisles. Clean, bright, energetic yet subdued to provide a restful dining atmosphere. I liked the facility even before I tasted the food.
Kabuki has a large selection of sushi and sashimi. The waiter brings a lengthy check list for pencil in your order for the sushi chef. But Kabuki isn’t just sushi. It features many cooked seafood, beef, chicken and noodle dishes, be it barbecued, teriyaki, or tempura. There are selections on the menu to please just about everyone.
Son and daughter-in-law pored over the sushi list while my sister and I perused the main menu. Prices are reasonable for a Ventura Boulevard eatery. Lunch specials and combinations run from $8 to $12. Dinner offerings $11 to $16. A few of the more elaborate boat dinners, for that special occasion, are $19 per person.
After we ordered, we whetted our appetites on miso soup and steamed edimami. It was a pleasant conversation interlude before the main course. My choice was chicken teriyaki with shrimp and vegetable tempura. The meal was served on a black, lacquered, compartmented tray. All of the elements were carefully arranged and the presentation was beautiful, pretty as a picture. The teriyaki chicken, in good portion, was well seasoned and very tasty. Tempura is not easy to do well. Different vegetables cook at different rates and it is difficult to have the vegetables done and the tempura coating golden brown, not pallid or overcooked. The tempura was, as they say, all golden brown and delicious. The vegetables cooked just to done. An excellent meal.
Son and daughter-in-law shared their sushi and lobster roll selections. They enjoyed their meal and offered only praise. They have come to think of kabuki as their special place and treat themselves whenever possible. That is high compliment for any restaurant.
Sister ordered seafood udon soup. Another pretty as a picture presentation. The soup, a rich broth with lots of udon noodles, shrimp, scallops calamari and mussels, was enticing by itself. It was made ever so much more appealing by the footed, gleaming black bowl with its matching free-form tray and condiment bowl. The portion is very large. Sister said it was very flavorful and would order it again should the opportunity arise.
Our server was Japanese. Although his English was thick with accent, we had no trouble conversing. He was eager to please and quick to answer questions without patronizing. He was an enjoyable part of the whole Kabuki experience. Should my travels take me back to the Southern California area, I shall certainly endeavor to stop in for a meal at Kabuki.
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