Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Let's Eat Kochi, Contemporary Local Japanese Food!
We realize our readers are highly intelligent, food enthusiasts. For your loyal following and our high rankings in the aroundhawaii.com website, we thank you. However, it seems that we may need to create an "intellectual upkeep" for some new readers and/or for those who are critics of the critics.
So let's start this column by stating for the record that every month we write our columns using virtually the same format. When reading theses article body paragraphs written before our segmented restaurant critiques, understand it simply contains ideas, opinions and some facts pertaining to the food industry in general. It's content may have absolutely nothing to do specifically with the restaurant being critiqued within the same column. Although there may be theoretical similarities in our written content, do not assume it is representative of the restaurants featured. Good or bad. These writings are our think box, and it is situated and built separately from everything else we may write. Understand it or don't.
To tell the truth, interestingly enough, we almost didn't write a column this month. It's not because we were lazy, uninspired or unprepared. It wasn't even because we were busy, although we always are. It wasn't because of bad weather or good weather. It wasn't because of car trouble, absent-mindedness or because of homework eating dogs.
We will shortly reveal our reasons for procrastination, but first we would like to publicly apologize to our chief editor, assistant and staff. Sorry guys, we will make it up to you with free dynamite sushi rolls.
We think our tentative short-lived authors sabbatical was promoted by an unfavorable research situation due to a column content candidate. One of us in the chef crew experienced some "indirect client insubordination." It's hard to explain and it's actually a very long story, but that incident nearly convinced us that maybe people (content clients) don't really appreciate exactly what we are doing.
However, we are not stupid. We fully understand what it is we do and how it can impact someone's business. Not everyone under the sun can appreciate what we do, or associate someone else's success for themselves. Sometimes an individual's poor attitude can make it hard for others, especially local business owners that we want to support. We were angry at the presence of ignorance. However ignorance is something that you can't let upset you, since there is no retribution in punishing the ignorant. Self taught lesson #1.
A good friend once shared with me a borrowed philosophical statement that says "2+2=(4) never (Jello)." Hopefully everyone can see the brilliance of this logic. Otherwise, regrettably, those who cannot understand it may suffer from ignorance and not even realize it. We believe the "Jello" statement has ubiquitous genius and reason, in more ways than one.
After cooling down, by deliberating a week past our mid-month column deadline, we decided to get back into the game and talk story to our readers as usual. The effects of the "ignorance incident" reinforced our ideals on the necessity to continue on our commitment to entertain, opinionate and educate.
Flashback to our most recent food reviews, in which the last two months we wrote about and ate nothing but sushi. Yeah boo hoo for us, but for a change of pace, we visited our good friends at Kochi Restaurant located next to the Craft Supply of Honolulu at the old Makino Chaya location on S. King Street. The owners are brothers Lee Takara and Cory Makishi who are famed from their continued works of their family's immensely successful Gulick Deli locations in Kalihi (1512 Gulick Ave.) and (1936 S. King St.) location adjacent to Kochi restaurant itself.
Structured with a veteran management team, this dinner and late night establishment has begun to emerge as the place to be for local patrons enjoying A-List bartenders mixing fantastic cocktails and also great local Japanese cuisine with a new wave twist. Although less than a year old, if you haven't been to Kochi Restaurant, in our opinions you're missing out on the best thing in town!
Our Mood (Eager & Impressed): Non Rated.
Hearsay is a weak word in our vocabulary. When we got wind of a new hotspot in town, we had to investigate for ourselves. Come to find out the place is co-owned by a longtime friend of ours, so this was becoming interesting. The chef crew knows a little something about creating "places to be," and first impressions are important. We were eager to say the least. The first few steps into Kochi physically and audibly resounded of stylistic energy, which is definitely a good thing. It's something that you can't put your finger on right away, but we were impressed. If the food tasted anything like the place looked, then we were sure to have a great time. And everything was truly great. Kochi beckons you, as it's Japanese namesake translation means literally "this way." Kochi also means flathead fish, this one, east wind or spring wind…but "this way" definitely makes sense and also sounds much cooler. So we highly recommend going the Kochi way, and suggest you to keep going back.
Overall Experience: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Kochi quickly became a place that we could go back to on a regular basis. Kochi restaurant is one of few recipients that has received our highest score in this "all of the above" category. In the competitive restaurant and late night market today, this is a huge achievement. Plus, things are only getting better as time goes on which is remarkable. The key operational figures under the ownership are Rodd Sarae, Shane Tsubaki, Stephen Oliva and executive chef Masaaki Kai. They are young high-powered industry veterans that make Kochi run smoothly. To make a restaurant/lounge that is open until 2:00 am nightly seem maintenance free is no easy task. These guys are impressive, constantly making hospitality adjustments so it feels just as great the minute you walked in until the minute you decide to come back to reality and reluctantly say "We gotta go work tomorrow." Yes, Kochi is just like that; makes you want to come back daily and stay more than you originally planned. Good stuff!
Value: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
At Kochi you definitely get what you pay for when it comes to food and drink. Portions are huge even in their half sized items. Liquor is priced competitively and will make any dining experience at Kochi enjoyable and relaxing. When ordering food at Kochi, customers can order from entrees that can be shared "family style." The portions are always impressive, and the quality is supreme. Some noteworthy buys are the agedashi tofu ($6.95), yakisoba ($10.95), pork chop ($16.95), misoyaki butterfish ($18.50), sterling silver New York steak ($17.95), chicken katsu ($11.95) and kalbi ($17.95).
Price Point: Great- 4 Stars ****
When dining at Kochi, the more people the merrier. With family or friends, customers can come back multiple times a week and manage a respectable budget. Singles and couples can always find something good to eat and or share, but the larger you party gets, the price point tends to even out dramatically based on the portion to sharing ratio. Like we said family style. It's hard to find restaurants with this kind of quality and food genre in Hawaii. Long gone are the days when going to a chop suey house with friends or family was cool. Cool is now Kochi, and Kochi has over sixty menu items to choose from that is still growing.
Service: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Whether you decide to sit down in the bar/lounge area or the large dining room, service is always friendly and consistent at Kochi. Large restaurants usually run a server system by seated sections. Regardless of sections, if the establishment is run well, customers can feel comfortable in asking "anyone" for various requests to make their dining experience pleasurable. This is evident at Kochi where everyone is refreshingly attractive and also a team player. Other restaurants we've been to, failed our customer service section crossover challenge. Oh well, too bad for them. But Kochi gets an A+ on flexibility of service, as where even their managers are more than happy to assist clientele personally.
Ambience: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Big time dollars has been put into the interior and exterior face-lift of Kochi. Every thing inside is clean and well kept. Lighting is adjusted accordingly to the service hours of dinner to late night, as is the music played on the house sound system. Urban-sheik with a touch of the orient, briefly describes the decorative motif throughout the restaurant. Dark solid colors with accents of rich wood furniture stud the lounge/bar area, while high back booths and linen topped tables sit linearly organized in the main dining room. Sound inviting?
Comfort: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Kochi restaurant is one of the few places we could say the staff lent a big part in making us feel comfortable. Not just by checking up on us, but by conversing of pleasantries just enough to where we felt special. Late night means the restaurant will serve food and drinks until 2:00 am. People can safely assume that it is comfortable enough to stay from dinnertime through late night and invite friends to join you later without feeling disassociated or awkward by yourself. Move from the dining room to the lounge area after dinner and choose from sitting at the bars high top seats to enjoy a conversation with the friendly and approachable bartenders, or lose yourself in the deceptively comfortable couch area to watch HDTV on a number of wide-plasma screens. Planning on hanging around all night, but concerned about holding "it?" Not to worry, the ever-important bathroom factor is well taken care of, as they are stylish as they are clean. Clean thrones away from home, another plus for those who have bathroom sanitation issues.
Capacity: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Open from 5:00 pm to 2:00 am, the dining room and bar/lounge area combined comfortably seats an amazing 135 people. In Hawaii, any restaurant seating 120+ is impressive and considered a very large restaurant. Kochi can handle large parties with advance notice and set the dining area accordingly for your needs. The lounge area can handle a good-sized crowd with its large walkways that allow people to sit, stand and mingle in multiple areas of the floor.
Parking: Great- 4 Stars ****
Kochi has several areas of available parking along with a valet service. The front entrance is located on the S. King St. side, where street parking is open around the early evening hours. The front parking lot (also S. King St. side) is open for Gulick deli patrons, Kochi and is shared also by section with customers of Jimbo's restaurant. Also another parking area is available directly behind the building on the Young St. side, which is covered parking. We were also informed that the CPB Bank parking lot, (corner of McCully & S. King St.) opens up after business hours and is available for Kochi customers as well. We think.
Menu: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
The owners and the executive chef of Kochi worked on a menu that appeals to the local crowd. The menu specifically boasts local Japanese comfort food with an upscale style. So that means almost anyone can find something they like at Kochi. Once again the familiar term "family-style" comes back and reminds us to feel reassured that we will be reminded of nostalgic flavors that are consistent and high quality. If there were words that could identify the complexity and the methodology of Japanese home cooking simply, it would be "aji ga ii." Which basically means "good taste." However, aji ga ii is an achievement completely easier said than done. So leave it to the pro's at Kochi and try items with great taste, like the stewed pork rib ($12.95), miso chicken ($12.95), house moco- a turbo charged loco moco w/corned beef hash (available late night only $8.95), GD Barbecue Ribs ($22.50), Japanese style hamburger steak ($14.50), gyuniku no tataki ($14.95) and wafu tofu salad ($10.95). Various seasonal desserts are available and served in large portions from $4.25- $7.50. Prepare to be impressed. Don't forget about ordering a cocktail or two, or three, from the high-powered elaborately designed bar Kochi features in its lounge nightly. A streamlined late night menu is offered after 10:00 pm for those that want to enjoy light to heavy pupu's with their cocktails.
Culinary Execution: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
We had the opportunity to observe the kitchen in full effect during dinner service. We noticed some of the kitchen format was based on pre-existing construction. However, with clever organization, station systems and designated shift preparations, everything seemed to run incredibly well. We ordered a 7-item ticket the first time we came in and our first item came out expeditiously at less than 8 minutes. The rest of the items followed smoothly there after. Since we came in to watch the firing system on the kitchen line, we noticed very little cross over and good station organization. Their plate ups were consistent and clean, and the garnishes were fresh and colorful. Another amazing feature of the Kochi kitchen is again the portions that are negotiated in every dish. Somehow the food costing just works out and the prep gets done. Big portions can be difficult to control, but Kochi has it figured out…so in this case, we love being on the outside looking in.
Stats and Information (411): Non Rated.
Name- Kochi Restaurant & Lounge by Gulick Deli.
Location- 1936 South King Street. Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Telephone number- (808) 941-2835
Payment options- Cash and credit card (Visa & MC only)
Hours- 5:00 pm to 2:00 am, Monday thru Sunday.
Reservations- Recommended. Walk-in's welcome.
Type of restaurant- Contemporary local Japanese cuisine.
Attire- Casual to semi formal.
Chef Norlan's Recipe Pick:
Bumbucha Stuffed Porkchops
4 double-cut pork chops (ask your butcher for this special cut)
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ pound fresh Italian sausage, diced
1 slice prosciutto, minced
1 slice fresh mozzarella, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
Butchers string, for tying
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ cup butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 ½ cups chicken broth
¼ flour
1 cup beef broth
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
With a pairing knife, cut a pocket in the rounded side of each chop. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, sausage, prosciutto, mozzarella, garlic, and salt and pepper. Stuff each chop with the mixture and sew or tie them closed with string.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, pat the chops dry then place them in the pan. Brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops and set them aside in a roasting pan.
Add the onions, ¼ cup butter, white wine, and chicken broth to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes. Add them to the pan with the pork chops. And bake for 1 hour. Let the pork chop rest for at least 5 minutes. Remove the string before serving.
In a saucepan over medium heat, use the remaining ¼ butter and flour and cook together until smooth and homogenized to create a roux. Combine the left over pan juices from the pork chops and the beef broth to the roux to thicken and flavor the mixture for a simple pan gravy. Stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Feel free to add anything to your gravy to make it tastier and creative!
Plate up with family style with steamed rice on the bottom of a large platter, then place the pork chops on top of the rice and cover with the warm pan gravy. Enjoy!
Chef Norlan's Holiday Extravaganza Sushi Specials:
For Graduations, Weddings, Birthdays, Company Functions & Special Events!
ALL YOU CAN EAT LIVE ACTION SUSHI BAR FOR 2 HOURS!!!
Standard Hand Roll Sushi Bar
$8 / person *(minimum 100 pax)
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad
Deluxe Standard Hand Roll Sushi Bar
$12 / person BEST PRICE POINT, BEST SELECTION!
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad, Ikura, Tobikko, Natto, Ume. Ahi Poke, Scallop Mayo
Full Standard Sushi Bar *****
$15 / person THE ORIGINAL & BEST SELLER! *****
Maguro, Hamachi, Salmon, Ebi, Lobster Salad, Tuna Salad, Spicy Tuna, California
Ultra Deluxe Hand Roll Sushi Bar
$18 / person MOST POPULAR CHOICE FOR HAND ROLLS ONLY!
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad, Ikura, Tobikko, Natto, Ume. Ahi Poke, Scallop Salad, Hari Zuke, Smoked Salmon, Tako Poke, Unagi, Kinoko Mushroom
Supreme Hand Roll Sushi Bar (Summer Special Only)
$25 / person *(minimum 100 pax) BEST VALUE! WOW!
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad, Ikura, Tobikko, Natto, Ume. Ahi Poke, Scallop Salad, Hari Zuke, Smoked Salmon, Tako Poke, Unagi, Kinoko Mushroom,
Kalbi, Abalone Salad, Corn Mayo, Soft Shell Crab, Shrimp Tenpura, Spicy Shrimp Poke
Full Deluxe Sushi Bar
$25 / person BEST VALUE FOR FULL SUSHI BAR SELECTIONS!
Full Standard + Unagi, Tako Poke, Ikura, Tobikko, Tamago, Ahi Poke, Scallop Salad
Full Ultra Deluxe Sushi Bar
$40 / person MOST POPULAR UPGRADE IN FULL SUSHI BAR SELECTION!
Full Deluxe + Chu Toro in place of Maguro, Moi, Shrimp Tempura, Soft Shell Crab, Natto, Ume, Abalone Salad
* All items on the menu may be substituted due to season, weather and availability.
Global Foods Inc. / Sushi Supreme
Live Sushi Bar Catering Menu
Contact: Executive Chef / Corporate Partner Norlan Horita (808) 620–5863
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Chef Shannon's coupon corner @ Gokujo Sushi (Marukai Ward Marketplace):
Have your gourmet salad and sushi too! Let's Eat! and the Chefs Crew offers its readers a healthy combo to eat well and keep looking good this summer. Thanks for reading and we hope to continue to bring you informative and entertaining columns along with delectable culinary specials!
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