A friend of mine gifted me with a Groupon to Katsuno a while back, knowing how much I’d enjoyed it when I went the first time. I was finally able to make the return journey – with the same friend – and I eagerly wanted to try a few things I’d missed the first time, along with some sashimi. I’ve been craving fish like no other…
Last time, I’d been unable to try ankimo (monkfish liver) because they hadn’t had any in the dead of summer. This time, the woman – who I am almost positive is the owner – seemed really excited when I asked if they had any (it’s not on the menu). When she brought it out, I was pleasantly surprised that it was so much – I don’t know how big a single monkfish liver is, but this was quite a lot of liver. I’d really enjoyed monkfish liver at I Love Sushi in Seattle, but as we dug in eagerly to this dish, I noted that this was simply monkfish liver, while in Seattle, I’d been able to enjoy it complemented by scallops and cucumber, with a miso reduction. While this was still good, I couldn’t help but think blasphemously that it might be even better with some bread to spread it on, or some rice crackers – wasabi flavored, perhaps? – to counter the rich, creamy texture. I liked it a lot, but it was was quite a large portion for two people to finish, especially given my friend’s less than love of all things offal. I’ll know for next time to only ask if I have more people with us… or perhaps order a side of sushi rice to go with it 😉
Given my craving for sashimi, my friend obliged and we ordered the sashimi platter for two ($58, seasonal price). I was extremely pleased to see what they offered, though once again, I’m reminded that I know enough about my own preferences and tastes that I really should stop ordering platters and just order the different fish I like by the piece.
Do you see that?
Hello, toro! Fatty tuna belly is prized amongst sashimi lovers for its fatty, fatty, creamy texture, and this was no exception. I’ve rarely seen this on a sashimi platter, and I have eaten them at a handful of upscale restaurants. Hmmm. This was wonderfully fresh, and I tried valiantly to not eat more than my share. Yum! (Also, I’ve hardly been able to find toro at non-upscale Japanese restaurants. I think most smaller places find it cost-prohibitive to keep in stock, so they might have it on the menu but they won’t always have it available, as I’ve tried ordering it a few times.)
I believe this was yellowtail in a ponzu sauce – really tasty mix.
I think this was tilefish, slightly cooked on the outside, and very tasty. The salmon is hiding behind it, which I also enjoyed a lot – salmon is one of my top 3 sashimi fish – and everything was super fresh.
There was both ika (squid) and tako (octopus) on the platter, which I ate happily enough, though eventually the texture wears on me and I stop enjoying it. This was the point where I realized I should just order the fish I like, as my friend didn’t like the tako all that much, but tolerated the ika. Ah well – lessons learned, my food journey is never ending 🙂 Still, very fresh, and if you’ve never eaten raw octopus, each bite is like a burst of ocean water in your mouth – pleasantly briny and very tasty.
There are also flavored sakes at Katsuno, though I didn’t partake that night.
And here is the odd moment of the night: when we’d ordered, I’d asked for ankimo, the sashimi for two, and duck udon. After the sashimi platter was cleared, we waited for our udon patiently. No one rushed us with a check or bothered us, and we lingered over our green tea even as the place emptied and appeared to be readying to close. Finally, I asked about our duck udon, and the owner apologized profusely that there must have been a mix-up and it wasn’t ordered. I was ready to just say no worries, pay the bill and leave – it wasn’t that big of a deal and I thought the kitchen was closed – but she insisted that it was fine and that it would be out in no time. I thought that was really awesome of her, and it really took hardly any time to bring out. I am still fairly certain that the kitchen WAS closed or near to it at that point! I wouldn’t have starved if we’d skipped it, honest.
Unfortunately, it might have been better if we did skip it – and I’m going to blame this small inconsistency on the kitchen being near to closing – the broth was overwhelmingly salty, and I adore salt. The udon itself was bordering on overcooked, and the duck was definitely cooked too far into ‘well done’ territory. It still satisfied my desire for udon, but it was not a good dish. Since I’ve had the duck soba at Katsuno before where the broth was perfectly fine, not too salty, and the noodles were cooked perfectly (yes, different noodles, but soba cooks much quicker than udon), I am going to completely hang this failure on the dish being an afterthought. Not a big deal at all, because it certainly doesn’t prevent me from wanting to return.
Yvo says: Katsuno remains high on my list of best Japanese restaurants in my neighborhood. Though it’s a bit of a walk from my apartment, in nice weather it will be a pleasant walk to build up an appetite, and I definitely intend to return to Katsuno to try more items on the menu. I think the prices are reasonable for authentic Japanese dishes, and the service is impecabble with great people and a nice neighborhood vibe to the place. I’ll be sad when it becomes overrun with more people, but this is definitely one you shouldn’t miss.
highly recommended
TT says
Order the sashimi platter for 2 next time and I’ll take the squid and octopus. YUM!
esther says
I’ve never checked out any of the restaurants on metropolitan ave – gotta fix that! 🙂
Drooling over the toro right now. Also, your photos look great! 😀
Feisty Foodie says
Thanks Esther! And yes, there are a bunch on Metro that are worth a look (including tomorrow’s post). 🙂
KimHo says
Food looks good, though, the sashimi platter sounds expensive (Vancouver perspective). Could it be the “market price” allows them to bill almost anything they want? 🙁
Odd question: if you were in a sushi restaurant, what would you order? Maki/roll, temaki/hand rolls, nigiri or sashimi?
Yvo says
By New York standards (though it’s true we were in an out of the way location), $58 for a sashimi platter that had 5 pieces of toro, and quite a lot of other quality fish, is rather reasonable. I’ve seen toro m/p for $8 a piece.
Not an odd question at all, actually: it’s a sushi restaurant, I order sushi. If it’s a sashimi place (fish market, or just known for fresh fish), I’m going with sashimi (which is my preference in general). In general, I don’t prefer maki, though I do order them (usually from local ‘takeout’-style Japanese places). Hand rolls don’t generally appeal to me. Genkan-maki or nigiri if that’s something the restaurant is known for as well – there is one place I know off the top of my head that is known for its nigiri and the sauces they plate on top of each piece. I go with whatever the restaurant’s specialty is, and if there is none, I prefer sashimi. 🙂
Hungry says
How does monk fish liver compare to foie gras? And I can’t tell by the picture but how big was it compare to let’s say a dollar bill or something of that nature?
Feisty Foodie says
Hmmm, I would say that it was like the size of the inside of a tuna fish can The bowl it’s in is a standard rice bowl (with an open top as opposed to sides that go straight up, though).
Monk fish liver v. foie gras; monkfish liver actually has more of that liver taste to it, and way more of the liver texture. Having had foie gras both as a ‘steak’ and terrine/pate style, I can comfortably say I’ve yet to taste foie gras as sort of crumbly/mealy, dry. Monk fish liver is closer to that than foie gras, definitely, and this may be why: it doesn’t taste as fatty/oily as foie gras by a long shot.