Hazuki Restaurant 319 E. 2nd Street, #205
Los Angeles, Ca 90012-4218
(213) 626-6858

Delicious Kappo Cuisine in Little Tokyo

　Word came to me that there was delicious kappo cuisine to be enjoyed Downtown in Little Tokyo, so I set off for Hazuki Restaurant. Compared to the Hollywood area where looking for someplace to park is an exercise in frustration, it was gratifying to park in a parking garage located in the same building, push a button for the elevator and reach the floor of the restaurant. Before the entrance there was a special display of calligraphy on this day which I briefly glanced at. The Japanese spirit embodied in the selections piqued my interest.

It turns out that all of this original brushwork is the creation of the chef/owner Nikaido Mineo. After graduating high school, Nikaido was hired to work at Naruko Onsen Hot Spring Hotel in Miyagi Prefecture. After completing his three month training period, he applied to work in the kitchen. He was attracted by the sight of twenty select people working under severely difficult conditions and chose that path of the washoku Japanese cuisine worker. After one year he went to Tokyo with his master where he spent eleven years before coming to America. During that time he trained at hotels, exclusive restaurants and in the Tsukiji Master Chef Association, visiting forty different kitchens. In 1981, he was hired as a chef for Tokyo Kaikan in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. After working as a chef for 16 years, in February of 1998, with pomp and ceremony, he opened Hazuki, getting a good start from many travel agents, bankers and merchants who became his patrons, getting off to a good start.

At 7:30 on a Thursday evening, with great expectations I pushed open the modern metal doors that promised to present a stage for unexpectedly brilliant kappo cuisine. The entryway divided two dining areas to the left and right, and within the restaurant the distance between the tables gave a feeling of expansiveness in their arrangement. Passing through the tables in front of the bar counter on the right, people could be seen enjoying themselves in the tatami dining room of the restaurant through glass partitions. While wiping my hands in a hot towel, a customer entered and took a neighboring seat and quickly began to enjoy a beer, the reward for a hard day’s work. Well then, for my part also, I looked over the attractively named items on the menu and planned to enjoy a full-fledged sake dinner with all the amenities.

Dish 1: Black Edamame (Soybeans in pods) $3.50 Sweeter than the usual edamame, black edamame have a uniquely delicious taste that is popular now. Even though it is called black edamame, it is actually not truly black edamame. The pods are no different from the usual edamame, but I wondered if it was only my imagination in that the green pods seemed darker than normal. Breaking open the pods, the soybeans that came out were here and there tinged with black. It is steamed perfectly, with an enjoyable freshness and crunch on the palate.
Best pairing: Tokubetsu Honjozo “Tsukiyo”

Dish 2: Firefly Squid Pickled in Soy Sauce $6.50 Squid is piled with greens in a small bowl that resembles a turbo shell with a black lacquer finish upon which a thin sheet of Japanese washi paper is placed. It has a chic impressiveness that makes it a superb appetizer.
Best pairing: Ginjo “Akita Toji”
Next best pairing: Junmai Genshu “Akita Issui”


Dish 3: Beef Tataki $12.90 This is beautiful beef tataki (like beef tartar) which has a red color that seems to blossom like a red flower on a glass dish. Chopped green onions, ginger and grated daikon radish are arrayed as relish, that give a bracing and what is more, refreshing taste to this fresh dish.
Best pairing: Daiginjo “Fuku Komachi”
Next best pairing: Ginjo “Akita Toji,” Tokubetsu Junmai “Mune no Uchi”

Dish 4: Yam & Shark Fin Salad $9.70 Yamaimo yam is placed upon fresh greens with shark fin, in a heaping helping, garnished with sesame seeds and kaiware sprouts. Although it is imitation shark fin, it has a satisfying crunchiness that precisely matches the flavor of the sesame seeds that offers a gorgeous satisfaction.
Best pairing: Junmai Daiginjo “Kimura”
Next best pairing: Ginjo “Akita Toji”

See Other Dishes

There were two waitresses who provided attentive service that made the sake tasting much more enjoyable. I enjoyed a leisurely dinner that was completely satisfying and then I topped it off with a green tea ice cream dessert that I was savoring when Chef Nikaido came up with a shy smile on his face. Asking how things are going, I am told that he is making heroic efforts without kitchen helpers. Because of that I can imagine how much trouble he must be having coming up with the menu. I am impressed that along with the everyday menu he comes up with an additional ten to fifteen specials. Thirty-eight years as a Japanese chef. A march through the years focused on delighting his customers. “Continuing through it all takes strength” is certainly true. With a fully satisfied face he says, “I have young children so I still have to hold steady.” I raise a toast to Chef Nikaido and his strength to continue carrying on!