New kappo restaurant in SF’s Japan Town that opened spring last year and does not cater to the tourist trade.
Standout dishes were the starters (ankimo with ponzu, miso pickled mozzarella), yellowtail shabu shabu, sea perch temaki, steamed abalone, and fried tilefish.
Yellowtail shabu shabu isn’t exactly common in the Bay and it would’ve been so easy to have served it with thin cuts of A5. I appreciate the subdued choices in the chef’s selections. The light clean flavors of the yellowtail makes for a great winter dish.
The steamed abalone was probably the most traditional dish among everything. It does not deviate too much from standard preparations, except for its egg yolk vinegar. Not too sharp and more importantly, it has a nice creaminess that lightly coats the abalone. Doesn’t distract you from the textures and flavors of the snail, but has that needed sharpness after the wagyu.
One of my favorite things about kappo is that it’s perfect for anyone who appreciates variety and it’s probably one of the better choices for anyone choosing to substitute their osechi.
That being said, some finer points of feedback.
The shirako flan with uni and caviar is a bit too loud. Shirako is a seasonal ingredient and should be the star on its own, but it’s overshadowed by the caviar and uni. You don’t get the burst of flavor since it’s been broken down into a flan. It’s become a flavor and texture that accents the uni and doesn’t quite have its own voice.
I’m not a big fan of creme brulee in any form as the end to a kappo meal. Ideally, I would’ve liked a simple but perfect piece of fruit, like a slice of Hokkaido melon. It fits with the simplistic but excellently executed theme of the meal as opposed to a dessert you can find in over a hundred cafes in the city. Yes, it would definitely up the price of the meal by at least $20 (they just recently upped it by $50 from $185 pretax and tip), but it would’ve been a more suitable end to the meal.
Service wise, it’s still getting there. There’s only 1 person handling service, primarily to the 4-party table in the back, so you may find yourself wanting for more water or a wipe after you spill a bit of dashi.
I can see them getting their first star in 1 – 2 years if things improve just a little bit. The food is for the most part, worthy of recognition, but there’s some finer tunings needed before it wins acclaim.
Tejon_Melero on
Is this a kappo omakase or did you select the dish order?
Looks great, I like interactive kappo more than serious kaiseki.
2 Comments
New kappo restaurant in SF’s Japan Town that opened spring last year and does not cater to the tourist trade.
Standout dishes were the starters (ankimo with ponzu, miso pickled mozzarella), yellowtail shabu shabu, sea perch temaki, steamed abalone, and fried tilefish.
Yellowtail shabu shabu isn’t exactly common in the Bay and it would’ve been so easy to have served it with thin cuts of A5. I appreciate the subdued choices in the chef’s selections. The light clean flavors of the yellowtail makes for a great winter dish.
The steamed abalone was probably the most traditional dish among everything. It does not deviate too much from standard preparations, except for its egg yolk vinegar. Not too sharp and more importantly, it has a nice creaminess that lightly coats the abalone. Doesn’t distract you from the textures and flavors of the snail, but has that needed sharpness after the wagyu.
One of my favorite things about kappo is that it’s perfect for anyone who appreciates variety and it’s probably one of the better choices for anyone choosing to substitute their osechi.
That being said, some finer points of feedback.
The shirako flan with uni and caviar is a bit too loud. Shirako is a seasonal ingredient and should be the star on its own, but it’s overshadowed by the caviar and uni. You don’t get the burst of flavor since it’s been broken down into a flan. It’s become a flavor and texture that accents the uni and doesn’t quite have its own voice.
I’m not a big fan of creme brulee in any form as the end to a kappo meal. Ideally, I would’ve liked a simple but perfect piece of fruit, like a slice of Hokkaido melon. It fits with the simplistic but excellently executed theme of the meal as opposed to a dessert you can find in over a hundred cafes in the city. Yes, it would definitely up the price of the meal by at least $20 (they just recently upped it by $50 from $185 pretax and tip), but it would’ve been a more suitable end to the meal.
Service wise, it’s still getting there. There’s only 1 person handling service, primarily to the 4-party table in the back, so you may find yourself wanting for more water or a wipe after you spill a bit of dashi.
I can see them getting their first star in 1 – 2 years if things improve just a little bit. The food is for the most part, worthy of recognition, but there’s some finer tunings needed before it wins acclaim.
Is this a kappo omakase or did you select the dish order?
Looks great, I like interactive kappo more than serious kaiseki.