When
Sean's co-worker Pierre,
a native Angeleno, invited us to his favorite sushi restaurant in town,
we were unprepared for the exquisite food and presentation served to us
at a tiny place called Kiyokawa on Robertson between Wilshire
and Olympic. A regular customer who knows the chef and his family, Pierre
suggested that we dispense with the menu altogether and let chef-owner Mato
serve us his specialties of choice. The menu looked extensive but not expensive
and everything was "natural and organic" so I
knew we were off to a good start. The first dish was a long rectangular
platter of sashimi scorched by a dramatic tower of flames that only a chef
skilled in pyrotechnics could pull off. Duly impressed with the livliness
of this preparation, we were in fish bliss as we savored the slightly smoked,
barbequed flavor.
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Next
came a little basket with 3 compartments. A different colored, cooked piece
of fish was in each. Truly unique and delicious, each one was better than
the last. I could only wonder what I was eating. As we were served more
mysterious and delicious fish delicacies, the place began to fill up (it
was Friday night). I noticed none of our sushi came with
seaweed. In fact, we didn't see a piece of nori the entire evening. In one
dish, Mato grated fresh wasabi root. True wasabi is rare
and Mato informed us he buys all his vegetables and fish locally from organic
sources. Same for the pickled ginger - we hadn't experienced ginger this
sweet and fresh before. He served us each a small, single monkfish
liver morsel which tasted like it could cure anemia in a single
bite. The artfully modern presentation boosted the already exquisite food
to a new level and Mato's moves were pure dance. Dances with Sushi Knives.
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And
finally, the coup de grace: Live Shrimp. I would have never
thought to order this and now I see why Pierre insisted we let the Mato
choose for us. It came to us in a petite crystal bowl on ice: an 8-inch
long jumbo shrimp sliced in half. Tail and head placed next to each other.
The head portion was still moving for what seemed like a very long time.
Antennas probed, tails twitched and Mr. Shrimp responded to touch. Being
presented with food that is still moving makes one begin to question, philosophize,
ponder...is this right? I felt bad for the little guy. But did I feel bad
for all the other fish I had just eaten who didn't have the luck to have
their eyes and fins and tails still attached so as to tug at my heart? Why
is it so different when you come face-to-face (literally) with your food?
Those glossy giant black eyeballs haunted me. Reluctantly, I sucked the
raw shrimp meat out of the shell. A tentacle moved. Sean and Pierre were
enjoying their living food. Maybe this is the pivotal moment where I decide
to be a vegan after all, I thought. Tastewise, the raw shrimp was good enough,
but I definitely prefer it cooked. And without the heads. |
Just when we thought we were done with the raw experience, Mato scooped
up our shrimp heads and returned them to us a minute later deep
fried. Now we munched on salty shrimp head crackers. The whole
head was there, tentacles and all. I bit off a tiny part and couldn't eat
anymore. Sean and Pierre finished theirs. For dessert, each of us received
a miniature finger bowl of perfect creme brulee - just enough to round out
the unique fish experience. |
If
you are in an adventurous mood, go to Kiyokawa and ask Mato to serve you
his favorites. If not, you will still enjoy your meal if you want to know
exactly what you are eating. I don't know how much the bill was because
Pierre snatched it away before we could see it. But the prices on the
menu didn't seem any more spendy than say, San Sui or California Sushi
Roll.
Kiyokawa Sushi
265 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills
http://www.kiyokawa-restaurant.com/home.html
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