Takumi just opened tonight and Candice and I went. The food was excellent. I highly recommend it.
Takumi is on the corner of Washington and Magazine in the building that used to house Table One. The chef is Yuske (sp?), who started Little Tokyo's on Causeway. That was where I first started eating sushi, so it's close to my heart.
The entrees are a bit pricey (high 20's mostly). The sushi is quite reasonable, though. Cheaper than Sake Cafe (next door).
The place is quite fancy. I felt a little guilty wearing just a T-shirt. They definitely strove for elegance. It was great for us, because when we got there, we had the whole place to ourselves.
The first thing they brought out was miso gumbo. Quite interesting. I liked it. It's spicy and has oysters, crab, and shrimp. Oddly enough, the okra and miso complement each other quite nicely.
One recommendation I have for y'all if you go there: try the rice paper sushi. Imagine a spring roll, with sushi inside, dipped in peanut sauce. INCREDIBLE!!!
If I had to summarize, I'd New Orleans now has a fancy Japanese restaurant and Sake Cafe's days are numbered.
8 comments:
Yusuke Kawahara. I'd say he's the owner rather than the chef, but yeah.
They were collecting people wandering in from the neighborhood by the time we left...
Darlin',
Thanks for the review of this place. Being a Sushi Python, I'm always looking for places to visit, and I love the Fusion thing. (I've combined Creole with almost every cuisine I cook with.)
My personal chopsticks are aching to visit!
Sake will live on due to the scientific principle of infinite capacity for spas, coffee shops, gelato, and, of course, Japanese restaurants in that five block area of Magazine Street. I think they actually just kind of grow wild there if unchecked.
Agreed. Takumi is AMAZING! My BF and I went there last night and tried three specialty rolls: the Irish Channel, the Washington Avenue (his favorite) and the BlackJack (my favorite). We were surprised that they brought out warm, fresh Frenchbread and plum wine to start. The bread didn't go, but was delicious nonetheless, and the wine was nice. I will start eating here over Sake, but mainly because I'm not into how pretentious Sake is trying be with their new table settings ;-) Not to mention, I'm burned out on my faves at Sake.
Oh, I also liked that Takumi has silverware AND chopsticks set out because I'm a spaz with chopsticks . . .
Actually Candice,
Yusuke comes in even though he is the owner. As matter of fact he was in last night making a Tokusen Sushi dinner for the former chef from Bella Luna.
I have not been there but have heard that the quality of seafood and meat used is really good. Apparently, Yusuke gets some of his seafood from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Also, what I heard, the Kobe beef is really the Kobe beef and not the American Kobe beef. However, I have to say, all this is hearsay and I don't have proof. I have checked their menu and it is EXPENSIVE. It will have to be a special event for me to be able to afford that.
Takumi=The Best Sushi in the South
Let me preface this comment by saying that I have worked in the Service Industry for 5 years. In that time I have managed to work at 3 different sushi restaurants-one in Louisiana and the other two in Los Angeles.
I have dined at Takumi a number of times in the past month or so and have been shocked to find such fresh and rare fish.
To go to a sushi restaurant and find that they have fresh Spanish mackerel or New Zealand Salmon is unheard of. All of the Tapas or appetizers that I have tried are amazing; the Kobe Beef Burger is the best burger I have ever had in New Orleans and the Kobe Beef Fried Rice is utterly delicious. All of the sushi rolls are amazing and not doused with too much sauce, tempura crumbs, etc.
I recommend the Black Jack and Chocolate City Rolls. Takumi also has an amazing beer, sake and wine list. If you have never tasted Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale then you must sample it on your next visit. It has hints of strawberry mixed with sake and malt beer, truly impeccable.
Takumi has also opened an upstairs Lounge with DJ and tapas on thursday thru saturday nights. After being in Los Angeles for a couple of years, I would have to say that Takumi is headed in the right direction.
FYI- Takumi is now closed. Coquette has opened in its place. Haven't tried it yet. Don't think it's Yuske...
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