Description
Exquisite rice-bran pickles and fish cakes with seasonal vegetables, both made in-house, are just two instances of the authenticity -- not in the sense of canonical Japanese flavors, but the sense of dishes taken all the way back to their base -- that chef Takashi Saito infuses into the food at Izakaya Yuzuki. He serves warm tofu, curdled moments before it arrives at the table, and cultures his own koji, aka Aspergillus oryzae, a mold used to make miso and sake. The self-proclaimed izakaya (pub) has solid sake and beer lists, but those who go for skewers of grilled meat and fried snacks will be disappointed. Izakaya Yuzuki's more of a place for Japanese home cooking, such as vegetables Kyoto-style and an ethereal chawanmushi, or steamed custard.
