Kusakabe (FiDi)
Given that this is my first omakase experience, I wanted to break this review down into multiple parts, especially since there is just so much to cover in terms of the overall experience one will have. My girlfriend took me here for my birthday as a surprise, and I could not have had a better experience with everything.
History
Kusakabe in San Francisco is the brainchild of master chef Mitsunori Kusakabe. Born in Kyoto, chef Kusakabe has a depth of experience working in some of the best sushi restaurants around the world, previously earning a Michelin star during his tenure at Sushi Ran in Sausalito. He is considered to be one of the best contemporary sushi chefs in the world, earning multiple prestigious awards and even serving sushi to former President Barack Obama in the White House.
Established not so long ago in 2014, the restaurant quickly earned its first 1-Michelin star rating only five months after its opening, vaulting it to a legendary status to be compared with some of the best omakase restaurants in not only San Francisco, but also in the Bay Area.
Kusakabe focuses specifically on what they call the kaiseki style, demonstrating a range of experiences for the senses including taste, visual representation, and preparation techniques. However, what is unique about Kusakabe is that it incorporates traditional Edomae style sushi with modern interpretations from chef Kusakabe’s creative flair.
First Impressions
Upon getting to the restaurant for our 8 PM reservation, we stood outside the restaurant with about twelve other diners for about fifteen minutes while our tables were being prepared. Once inside, we were kindly greeted by the team and seated (as a heads up, the bar seats require advance notice, even with a reservation). Immediately, we noticed the hospitality of the staff, an extension of the venue’s interior warmth and inviting atmosphere. Lined with wooden panels on one side and contrasted by adjacent brick walls on the other, Kusakabe’s interior reflects the restaurant’s commitment to both traditional and contemporary values in their craft. Once seated, the staff wasted no time in getting our experience started.
As our chef was preparing the various components of our meal, he kindly introduced himself and asked us about our personal preferences for what kinds of sushi we liked in terms of flavor and texture so that he could adjust our experience as much as possible. In addition, the waiters also recommended various sake and wine pairings to go with our meal if we preferred. Shortly before we embarked on our omakase journey, finger towels were provided for our hands, along with beautifully polished stone slabs for the chef to present our sushi on.
Petit Omakase
It should be noted that there are a few differences between the “normal” omakase (18 courses) and the “petit” omakase (12 courses) that we had. We were told that the normal options take place on the weekends, whereas the petit option is for weekday customers such as ourselves.
While trying to be as specific as possible, I will list off our entire meal to my best memory:
Opener: Dashi egg custard with soy sauce and trout caviar
Very smoky and rich in flavor, yet not overwhelming. The subtleties of the egg and its smooth texture help to balance out the brine of the caviar in a perfect partnership.
9-Item Course (various items)
While I honestly cannot remember every single item of this course, it is visually stunning. Boasting bright colors and a range of styles, I believe that this is the perfect segue into Kusakabe’s signature style and craftsmanship. Each small bite was precisely crafted to balance out flavors in ways that I had never tasted before. My personal favorite was a white fish (I know, I should’ve remembered this) on top of a pickled cucumber, which was refreshing and lightly savory at the same time.
From here on out, I did not take a picture of every nigiri piece for the sake of the other diners next to us, so that we could all enjoy the moment and conversation with the chef.
8-Piece Nigiri Course
Bluefin Fatty Tuna: Torched to perfection, the sushi almost “explodes” once eaten with an unreal combination of smoke, texture, and umami taste that makes it an excellent opening to the nigiri portion of the dinner.
Flounder: Subtle white-flesh fish texture that is refreshingly paired with wasabi, vinegar, and a house-made, citrus-like topping that makes it easy to eat.
Golden Eye Snapper: One of my favorites of this portion of the meal. Such a fatty and sweet flavor that has a rich complexity that I’ve never tasted before in sushi. Our chef explained to us that its unique flavor profile comes from its deep water habitat, which helps to enrich its fattiness when prepared.
Yellowtail with Egg Yolk Powder: While similar to what I expected yellowtail to taste like from my past experiences, Kusakabe’s interpretation was on a different level. Rather than having a “meaty” fish texture that less expensive yellowtail can sometimes have, this piece was tender, smooth, and well-balanced, especially when combined with the egg-yolk powder.
Hokkaido Scallop with Hokkaido Uni: With uni being one of my favorite types of sushi, I was very excited about this one. Once eaten, the scallop bursts with freshness and is paired with the creaminess of the uni, as if you’re tasting the best of what the ocean has to offer. By far the highest quality uni that I’ve personally had.
Saba Mackerel: This one was pretty straightforward with high-quality fish and overall quality of attention to detail. While nothing outlandish was presented with this sushi, I greatly appreciated how high-quality everything was and was reminded that you can never go wrong with simplicity.
Ayu Ball: This one was probably the most unique item of the night. Ayu is a small fish in Japan that feeds on a certain kind of moss, which makes its skin and flesh literally smell like melons. Knowing how crazy this sounded, the chef walked us briefly through what to expect and paired it with a small hint of cucumber shavings to bring out the sweet flavor. It was even presented in a ball form, so as to resemble a melon. Once eaten, there is a very unique flavor where a hint of melon-like sweetness comes through and is complemented by the subtle bite of the wasabi so naturally. Definitely one of the craziest sushi that I’ve ever tried.
Snow Crab Hand Roll: An excellent way to finish the nigiri course. Formed in a rectangular block, the roll was wrapped in the center part of kelp that was hand-scraped and then wrapped again in first harvest nori. Everything about this hand roll reflected upon the qualities of the last seven pieces, demonstrating modernity in conjunction with traditional techniques. The nori had a depth of flavor unlike any I’ve tried, and the snow crab was creamy but not overpowering in taste.
Binchotan Grilled Black Cod Miso in Vegetable Soup
In a beautiful ending to the main parts of the meal, this dish was a symphony of flavors to end on a memorable note. The binchotan grilling method brings out the best of the miso-marinated fish, while the pickled vegetables and soup round out the flavor profile delicately. It reminded me of the soups my mother would make me on rainy days, making it an enjoyable and nostalgic moment to savor.
Desert
Offering two dessert options, my girlfriend and I decided to get one of each. They offered a matcha ice cream sandwich with red beans, and a yuzu slushy ball mixed with Hibiki Japanese whisky.
The ice cream in the sandwich was made of high quality ingredients, but this dessert was nothing out of the ordinary. Great, but not the most memorable in terms of ice cream flavors to be honest.
The yuzu slushie knocked it out of the park. Though I am not a fan of whisky, I was genuinely blown away by how well the cold sweetness of the yuzu ice ball could eliminate any bitterness of the whisky and only bring out the sweet, woody, and aromatic flavors. I was so surprised by this dish that I would go back to order this alone in the future if I could.
*Note: customers may order more dishes afterward if they like. An “omiyage” takeout menu is also provided if you wish to bring home a dish to eat the next day.
Parting Thoughts
My favorite part of the entire experience (apart from the food) had to be the service. While the staff was extremely knowledgeable about every single item, they were never intrusive nor pretentious, and always paid attention to details in the background. From the chef knowing which side to place the sushi on based on us being right-handed, to the staff remembering my birthday and providing a special, personalized gift after the dinner, this truly was an exceptional experience and one of the hallmarks of San Francisco’s fine dining scene.
Massive shoutout to our chef who was kind, patient, and answered every question we had. I even came away from the dinner learning some things about protein decomposition timing, sustainable fish sourcing, and the training process for elite sushi chefs like himself. While there certainly are higher-end omakase restaurants out there, I highly recommend this experience to anybody interested. You can’t go wrong, especially at this price point.
*Note: while photography is allowed in the restaurant, flash photography is not, as it may disrupt other diners.
Kusakabe is located on 584 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94111.
