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Gordon’s visiting, and we’re making a weekend of it! First stop, upon his landing at the airport: Kobachi. Really, could you expect anything less? I didn’t take photos of the whole suite of items we ordered, this meal was more about welcoming Gordon to town and showing him why Kobachi is a favorite place to eat. We had uni shooters, aburi saba, tsekune renkon-an, seaweed salad, shiitake nigiri, all the usual good stuff. We put in a special request for sashimi omakase and were rewarded with this lovely assortment.
Gordon, a Vancouver native currently residing in the Bay Area, noted that he was raised on quality seafood and sashimi, and this was among the best he’d ever eaten. It makes me proud to have a little place like Kobachi in my little town. Dessert: mochi ice cream and a honeyed strawberry.
VERY happy bellies we had upon leaving Kobachi. Past posts. And there are a lot of them. Kobachi Izakaya Dining I went to Kobachi on a whim. It was cold and raining, it felt like the right thing to do. Wayne for up for the task of dining with me and we got a 2-top before the place got too busy. And actually, we stayed until the crowd had died down for the night. Ken-san had remembered it was birthday around this time and sent out a bottle of sake. Which of course we had to consume entirely. I wasn’t in a photography mood, and while some of the items were omakase and I probably won’t ever see the likes of them again, this is all I got:
Oysters with salmon roe. Delicious. I also have to add that tonight’s shiitake nigiri was Kobachi’s best yet. It was so flavorful tonight, deeply smokey, and spicy. Past posts. And there are a lot of them. Kobachi Izakaya Dining All through December, Kobachi was giving away coupons as Christmas gifts. Between two people, we’d collected about $15 in vouchers, so on this time we were in the mood for sashimi and thought we’d combine these, along with another $30 and request sashimi omakase. Ken-san was in, and agreed. First, though, some drinks and nibbles. We had Asahi on draft and some seaweed salad.
Good, as usual, but this was more what we were waiting for – a big platter of luscious fresh sashimi! Ooooooh.
Simple, wonderfully cut, and so so good. I’m not sure I can remember everything we got, but I’ll try. Starting in the upper left and going clockwise: two kinds of maguro, premium hamachi and standard hamachi, Santa Barbara uni, snapper…then two other fish I cannot remember, and finally salmon roe. Jebus, the premium yellowtail was so good. Everything was so good. And to think the people next to us got some boring California roll and pot stickers. Sorry guys!
Then we had an additional small sushi roll, I *think* it was a spiced yellowtail roll. I do know for sure that it was very good. Finally, a wee bit of dessert with ice cream and fresh fruit. I love Kobachi! Past posts. And there are a lot of them. Kobachi Izakaya Dining
I went to Arigato with two acquaintances. One’s Cynthia, a former Santa Barbara resident, and whenever she comes through town she must have two things: the fresh tortillas from a taqueria on Milpas, and the sushi from Arigato. We went on a Monday evening (kudos for actually being open on a Monday when so many other restaurants are closed), and the place was busy. Still, there were three open seats at the bar, right in front of her favorite sushi chef, Andy. Serendipity? And as soon as she saw him, she knew she had to sit up there with him and request omakase. I personally couldn’t make this request at Arigato, because I rarely go there and have no established relationship of mutual trust and respect with the chefs, but I love the challenge and if someone else I’m dining with has the ability to initiate it, I’ll be a more than enthusiastic participant. Also, it wasn’t 100% in the hands of the chef; my friends did have a couple requests that influenced the dishes. Due to the nature of omakase, it wasn’t possible to know exactly what I’d been served, as the dish isn’t necessarily on the menu. Like I said, it was up to the discretion of the chef. I have checked over the menu to find its closest match.
First was a carpaccio selection of thinly sliced sashimi with extra virgin olive oil and Arigato vinaigrette. We’re guessing the fish was maguro, halibut and hamachi. Second was one of Cynthia’s favorites: sunny side up scallops, torched with spicy aioli, quail eggs and garlic vinaigrette. Third was a special request from the other diner, who lives in San Francisco: uni nigiri, made with Santa Barbara uni.
Nirigi assortment – from left to right: The last item I couldn’t find anything similar on the menu. We thought the fish looked like maguro and albacore tuna, with a scallop and flying fish roe stacked between thin crackers. It was served with balsamic reduction and basil oil.
Price? Less than we expected, I’ll guess it should have been about $50 a person. The meal and enjoyment of everyone there was worth it, that’s all I can say! Arigato Sushi It was *supposed* to be a late night snack, just 3 dishes or so. But everyone there was so nice and and we ran into friends who came to a group happy hour a couple weeks earlier, and that put us in an everything’s-great mood. PLUS, I told them we were leaving for vacation until after Labor Day. And yummy treats came forth.
Kaki Fry – panko fried oysters and homemade tartar sauce. Then, Aburi sabi, of course.
Chicken tsukune – chicken meatballs with homemade sweet soy. Mmm, delicious. The chicken had a lovely smokey flavor that Ted described as yakitori style and Yoko nodded knowingly.
And once the surprise sashimi came out, the floodgates opened and the kitchen went omakase style. First, they brought an item we’d considered ordering, but didn’t. And now we had it. Crispy curry calamari – crispy fried calamari strips, lightly dusted with curry salt. Then, a custom item (hello!), that was eel on top of a bowl of white rice that had been steamed with a sauce similar to that which comes with the eel. A wonderful comforting dish for late night snacks. Yoko said chef Ken brought in his personal rice cooker to make this dish, so I’m feeling honored to have been able to try it.
The ama ebi prawn made its appearance again, deep fried and served with a little additional sashimi and salmon roe. I nibbled a few legs and feelers, but let Ted have a go at this one as it was brand new for him. Oh so good! Probably the best bon voyage meal I’ve ever had, and completely unexpected. With that, I am off to Burning Man, for a week of trail mix, pringles, beef jerky and soy milk. BYE!! Past posts: Kobachi Izakaya Dining It was a Tuesday, one of the nights I have the most success ordering omakase. And the kitchen obliged. This was also my first night having omakase without Vo. Instead, it was Ted and he was in for a real treat. We started with a small bottle of cold sake, I let the kitchen choose what kind. I’m sure I also ordered some shochu with oolong tea, but it appears I did not get a photo of it. Too busy eating I guess! Omakase #1: we were served individual bowls of a fruit, vegetable and seafood salad, which included red onion, strawberries, fish and shellfish. A generally sweet dish, with a little zip thanks to the onion. Omakase #2: on the menu, this item is called yasai no nimono – vegetables simmered in a fish and soy broth. But I recall the menu dish was all vegetables and the one we ate had pork. I have no complaints at all about the addition.
Omakase #3 (large photo) was a simple shared dish of warm stir-fried Napa cabbage. It was a favorite of the night, from its simplicity and my association of Chinese homecooking. Omakase #4: (lower row) this was a new dish, and I don’t believe it’s on the menu. Tender hamachi (yellowtail) and tofu in sauce. The yellowtail came off in fine shreds when touched gently with our chopsticks. The tofu was smooth and took up the flavors of the sauce nicely. Omakase #5 was the ever-popular sashimi assortment. Kampachi, special hamachi, red snapper, mackerel and a mystery fish. Only the chef knows what that last fish was. Ever-delicious with just a little dab of wasabi and a little sliver of ginger. Omakase #6 carried on the theme of the last dish with more sashimi in a sweet miso sauce. Of course, no wasabi or ginger needed with these additional flavors already on the plate.
Omakase #7 was a treat reminiscent of my tasting menu at Matsugen in Manhattan. Cold soba noodles, mountain yam, quail egg, uni. Great layers of flavors and textures, and a very large portion. Ooof!
Ted enjoyed his soba noodles, as did I, and neither of us were able to finish. Crazy delicious, that is. Past posts: Kobachi Izakaya Dining
I know I ate here just the evening before, but this time was with Vo, and we had our hearts set on requesting omakase. And the kitchen obliged! It was happy hour, so I ordered shochu again. The option is either on the rocks, or with oolong tea. Last night was on the rocks, so tonight – with tea. Delicious. I think I like this way best.
Our first item was bluefin tuna, breaded and fried, served with feta cheese. An interesting combination that we both liked. Plus, look at the portion. Just right for two people.
The next item I’d had before, it was a tender stewed pork with vegetables. Mostly carrot, perhaps turnip or daikon, and shiitake mushrooms. If I recall correctly, the waitress once said this was a dish prepared for the staff’s meal at the end of the night. Kinda wish they’d pull up a chair and have a drink with us sometime, eh. It always catches me off guard. Hey, I’ve been to the southeast asian tropics, and the stuff I saw there that moves like that turned out to be leeches. I’m impressed by bonito flakes, but a little wary.
I love, just love the sashimi bowls that come out of the kitchen. There’s usually one standard in there, like a salmon or maguro, but everything else is great sashimi that doesn’t often get ordered by the average diner. This time…uni! My friend recalls the time I would shy away from the uni and commented that I seemed to be converted after I slurped my two fat pieces right up. But let’s get back to those prawns. You do want to see them moving, right? Or maybe you want to hear me gasp and Vo cough. Either way, I got it for you. Wowie wow wow!
The ama ebi prawn heads revisited us, this time fried in a tempura batter. We ate the appendages, sucked on the heads for juicy goodness, and had a go at the roe but didn’t care much for it. A quick peek on the wiki for ama ebi reveals that the female is more prizes for being sweeter. Ok, maybe that sweetness applies to body, not the roe. As always, I want to mention that omakase dining is not something on the menu. When I request it, I have no expectation that I will receive it and I will never be upset if the chef declines it. I only request it when I’m alone, or with one companion, and we do not have special dietary restrictions that would limit the chef’s creativity. We also make the request when we know the kitchen is not overtasked with work, to also allow time for the chef to be creative. Past posts: Kobachi Izakaya Dining I had a quiet dinner, to celebrate my home surviving the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara. I cannot say the same for the property, as parts of both my front and back garden burned, but I am very grateful for the metal roof covering my cottage, and firefighters who kept the flames from my place. Yoko, the woman in front, gave me a hug and some sake. I proceeded to have an eight course omakase.          Omakase #1 – Sashimi of flying fish and shimaji mackerel. Omakase #2 – Shimaji mackerel sashimi in sauce. Omakase #3 – Chicken, lotus root, mountain potato and carrots. Omakase #4 – Tender pork belly in soy broth. Portion was generous, took most home as leftovers. Omakase #5 – Charred prawn with curried vegetables and scallops. Loved the flavors. Omakase #6 – Halibut with rice and smoky flavored broth. The hot broth slightly poached the fish. Delicious. Omakase #7 – Housemade egg tofu. Omakase #8 – Ground black sesame pudding with whipped cream and strawberries. Plus, Yoko’s sake. As always, service was great, very personable. The bill is best not revealed, but it was a deal for the quantity and creativity. This was my first time dining “with myself” at Kobachi, and I’d normally bring something to read, but I had nothing. It was no matter, the food came to the table consistently and my attention never waned. I also finally had an opportunity to talk with Yoko about my omakase requests. She confirmed the chef was happy to do it – consistent with the tradition that omakase is considered an honor of the chef’s. This was not the intent of the business in general, though, so it is best to make this request when the kitchen has time to put the additional thought and creativity in custom dishes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are best, when they are not so busy. I do know that attempts to request omakase during prime dining times on Friday and Saturday are either rightfully refused, or service is understandably slow. I am all in support of having the best strategy to obtain good food, so I will do my part to work within the best windows of opportunity. Please do the same! I am so happy to have a place like Kobachi in my town. Kobachi Izakaya Dining
However…I’m confused as to why it’s called omakase. The menu of what we’d be served was right there. So I’ll just call it a tasting menu. Are we good with that? Everything was delicious. Precious little mouthfuls of asian-flavored joy.
1st course: wasabi nuts, blue point oyster shooter, ume syu. These were wasabi peanuts. Very crunchy, and just the right amount to feel the heat, and comfortably. A bit like a packet of airline peanuts in substance, but without that desperate feeling that this was all the food you were going to get. The ume syu was like a sweet plum wine with chipped ice. Maybe that’s exactly what it was. I do know I liked it. The combination of the three appetizers had a diverse range of textures and flavors. The wasbai nuts were hot, spicy and crunchy, this beverage of cold and sweet.
2nd course: soy milk soup with kurobuta pork belly – a favorite of the night. It was light and creamy, and we guessed the little vegetable on top of the pork was a turnip. 3rd course: sashimi combination, 5 kinds, and two dipping sauces. If only I had the little moleskine notebook I bought later in the week, to write down what kinds of fish this plate contained. Regardless, they were all perfect.
4th course: two seared scallops with nori and chile flake. Salty from the seaweed, spicy from the chile, and sweetness from the scallops.
5th course: a bowl of baracharashi – another top pick. So simple and good. Ever since I’ve eaten sushi, I’ve been happy to have a simple bowl of sushi rice with cucumber. I may have matured some to appreciate different layers of flavors, but the desire for an unassuming bowl remains.
6th course: chicken meatballs and spinach. Sounds unexciting, but wasn’t. I was impressed with the spinach presentation, wrapped up like a solid cylindrical morsel. It looked deceptively like a piece of sushi, as shown in the background of my photo.
7th course: cold sesame soba for me (upper photo), cold duck soba for my Cynthia (lower photo, on left). A meal in itself, especially after the additional broth to make a soup afterwards (lower, middle photo).
Dessert: plum sorbet and grapefruit jelly. Loved the presentation of the jelly, packed into the grapefruit peel. There were some logistical problems at times, when courses came out rapidly and piled onto the table, then a long period of famine when there was no food. I think we went 20 minutes with an empty table at one point, probably when the kitchen started getting really busy. But once we let the staff know we had about 20 minutes to get our last few courses before our next appointment, things picked up. Overall, though, I thought the service was extremely attentive and well-organized. Multiple people quietly watching over us, through the screens, making sure dishes were cleared away, water topped up, questions answered at just the right moment. I loved the sleek interior and simple furniture. Peeking through the aquarium into the kitchen was fun.
This should be the kind of dining experience that’s tagged with “where did my paycheck go,” but this tasting menu is $60. The mini prix fixe is a steal, and this regular menu is equally a bargain. Matsugen |
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