Disappointment at Katsu...

The Lovely Dining Companion and I decided to investigate a board favorite last night: Katsu. So, after enduring 94-degree heat, motionless air, and maniacs with shopping carts at the last night of the Brandeis Book Fair, we found ourselves walking into Katsu at about 7:30 last evening. Two or three tables and three seats at the sushi bar were occupied. (By the time we left, about an hour or so later, the place dining room was far better occupied.)

We understand that Katsu is highly reputed for its sushi. But a careful reading of various threads also disclosed that the cooked dishes are thought to excellent as well. LDC doesn’t eat raw fish as a rule and, though I enjoy it greatly, I simply didn’t feel sushi-ish last evening. Still, given the highly favorable posts on various LTH threads, we were excited about the possibilities that awaited. The menu is large and varied with a number of tempting choices and we had more difficulty than normal in settling on our order.

Our waiter lacked much human warmth or friendliness, more interested in taking the order and serving it than in assisting us. Well, okay. We’ve been there before. Disappointing, but not gonna get in the way of a great dinner. We split the goma-ae and gyoza and both appetizers were promising; LDC pronounced the former among the best she’s had in Chicago (for the record, LDC is of Japanese descent and moved here two years ago from LA, where only last week we feasted on the omakase at Matsuhisa. Wow!). The gyoza was also very good, though perhaps a bit oily.

Sadly, things went downhill from there. LDC ordered chawan-mushi, a homey comfort food (basically an egg custard, which is how the menu listed it) that included eel last night and was featured as a special. Although she pronounced it good, the entrée portion came to about one cup. At $14—quite overpriced, particularly given the ingredients and the rather astonishing portion size—one would expect either “startlingly good” or merely excellent and a larger portion. Even LDC, a person of small appetite, was obliged to order something else. She chose the California roll, only to be disappointed again. Granted that a California roll is not—nor should it be—the standard by which any Japanese restaurant should be judged, I was still startled to hear her question whether the crab was crab. And the roll, by any measure, was small (in circumference, that is).

My sukiyaki, on the other hand, was a good-sized portion, served bubbling hot in a cast iron skillet. A generous serving of meat, onion, and Chinese cabbage, though rather lacking in mushrooms (in attendance, but underrepresented). The surprising thing was the broth. Though the flavor “profile” was right, it was mild to the point of blandness. LDC looked at me askance when I made that pronouncement. I insisted that she taste it and was rewarded, I suppose, when she looked up in surprised agreement. The price, $18, was, I think, a bit high; but what was intriguing was the extraordinary disparity between the price (and portion) of the sukiyaki and the price (and portion) of the chawan-mushi.

All in all, we were disappointed. The meal was not a bad meal but given the enthusiastic encomiums (encomia?) from multiple respected sources on this board, we were both surprised and disillusioned. Would we go back? Yes. Perhaps they had an off night (though that wouldn’t account for the price of the chawan-mushi). Perhaps we were in an overly critical mood. But I should also note that the last “taste” of the evening was the bill. Our server managed to charge us $21 for my $9 glass of sake. When called to his attention, he quickly blamed the error on someone else, even as he apologized. We certainly don’t hold a mistake like this against anyone. Mistakes happen. Still, the response was troubling too: more in the nature of, “You’re right, someone else made a mistake. We’ll be happy to fix it but please don’t bother us again.”

Following a pricey dinner that we both found no better than good, it left a bad taste. To offer one quick comparison, we have eaten quite happily at Renga-Tei several times, a place with perhaps slightly fewer pretensions (I do not mean than in a negative way). Even discounting our first visit there when a diner was evacuated by paramedics (the only thing more remarkable than the interruption was the nonchalant way virtually everyone in the place ignored the incident), we have found the food routinely high in quality and execution. (Not to mention cheaper than Katsu.)

We’ll be curious for others’ reactions to our evening.

GB,

I hold Katsu in great regard, less due to experience and more due to the praise conferred upon it by illustrious personnages including GWiv, MikeG and Stevez -- however, with the last of these three wise men I went to Renga-Tei a few weeks ago, and I found it easily as satisfying as my meal at Katsu. Chirashi is my benchmark sushi dish, and I found Renga-Tei's rendition really the best I've had in Chicagoland -- full of paradigmatically "pristine" fish, very inventive, with "cotton candy fish filaments" that were quite amusing (name escapes me).

Part of my less than loving response to Katsu was the "thick style" of sushi cutting -- big chunks are just not my cup of fish. I prefer more slender slices, and this is strictly a personal preference and not a slam at the school of sushi slicing of which Katsu is apparently a member.

Would I go back? Maybe, but no rush.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:Part of my less than loving response to Katsu was the "thick style" of sushi cutting -- big chunks are just not my cup of fish.

Hammond,

Aside from the 'thick' cut fish I remember you finding the veal liver salty. You are a man of experience, I have respect for your opinions, including things culinary, but not everyone is going to enjoy the same thing. I like the 'Katsu' cut neta/sashimi, love the salty bite of the veal liver, which is intended as an appetizer/drinking food, and overall love everything about the place.

I'm a fan of Renga-Tei, everything about the place, but in a head to head with Katsu on the sashimi front Renga-Tea comes in second. Once again, that is in no way saying Renga-tea isn't very good, just that Katsu is exceptional.

To Gypsy Boy, while Katsu's cooked food is very good, where they separate from the upper level pack is sashimi, nigiri maybe even a few interesting maki like umeboshi or natto, but California roll. ~shrug~ I'm sure it was fine, but it's not going to really let Katsu's obsessive freshness fetish shine.

I was at Katsu last Thursday with Dickson, we sat at the sushi bar, let Katsu and the Itamae guide our choices. Toro was good, saba better, scallop sashimi even better than that. Katsu was doing a kaiseki for two people, looked really lovely. He gave us a wee little taste of fresh abalone, terrific, and a smidge of salt grilled amberjack, also delicious.

Katsu was hitting on all fresh fish cylinders last Thursday, I recommend a do-over to Gypsy Bob.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary,
I was all set to return to Katsu based upon your elucidation of the exceptional quality of things raw, not cooked. However, when I discovered that I had inexplicably become Gypsy Bob, I found I could no longer be open to even the mere idea of doing so. Call me picky, call me late for dinner, but don't call me Gypsy Bob.



Harrumph!!

"The diner formerly known as Gypsy Boy"

Gypsy Boy wrote:Call me picky, call me late for dinner, but don't call me Gypsy Bob.

Gypsy Boy,

Oh Sweet Mamma O'Brian, I can't believe I did that!

See here's what happened, I had just got off the phone with Buffalo Bob, the famous BBQ Boy from Biloxi and, naturally, my head was spinning from his incredible string of expletives. For a 97-year-old man he sure can spend a lot of effort on an obscene visual without taking a breath.

Ummmm, where was I.....Oh, right, Buffalo Bob from Biloxi, moments after Triple B abruptly ended the call, not sure if his gasp was see you soon you little f---ker or quick, call nine one one, either way the call ended quick, and it was at that point I replied to your miso missive. (sashimi sentence just didn't sound right) and I, much to my ever growing chagrin, referred to you as Gypsy Bob*.

As penance when you and The Lovely Dining Companion hold your much anticipated Olive Oil Tasting, I will bring five and one half Old Fashioned Apple Fritters. Would be six, but there is no way I won't eat at least a half in transit.

If my profuse apology, and the promise of Old Fashioned Apple Fritters, is not sufficient I will, with great reluctance, accept a Goat Eye Ball taco duel this coming Sunday at the Maxwell Street Market.

Enjoy,
Gary

*I feel compelled to point out that of the two times I directly referred to you in my post one was with the correct moniker.

Gypsy Boy wrote:for the record, LDC is of Japanese descent and moved here two years ago from LA, where only last week we feasted on the omakase at Matsuhisa. Wow!).

overrated? i can't remember 1 single thing from the $***.** omakase i had @ matsuhisa's. however, this place, w/ its namesake, location and price, remains an effective aphrodisiac for the LA-set.

David Hammond wrote:big chunks are just not my cup of fish.

+1

the way Katsu-san of "Tama" (Studio City, CA) cuts:


the way Katsu-san of "Katsu" cuts:


the thick cuts of Katsu-san Chicago have become even visually unappealing to me...

What do I know? The meal I had - wonderful fish, tasty grilled tongue, and sauteed liver with baby water spinach - was quite sublime.

I suppose I have become accustomed to thick cuts, since that is what my local sushi guy has taken to serving me. My solution is probably totally impolite, but I take a bite or two from the fish slab and savor it alone, then combine the rest with the rice, soy, wasabi to get the combined flavor. So it works for me.

Katsu = good fish + warm hospitality for this boy.

Great meal & good company, Gary - thanks.

I’ll admit it. I was never a fan of Katsu until tonight. Every time I’ve gone in the past I’ve felt underwhelmed, and I’ve also felt like maybe there was something wrong with me. With all the praises bestowed upon Katsu by palates that I have a deep respect for, I thought there must have been something I was missing.

Until tonight. Pigmon and I sat at the sushi bar, and ate some seriously good fish. The o-toro was sick—really some of the best fish I’ve ever eaten. The texture of the King Alaskan Salmon was like silken tofu—though flavor-wise I preferred the regular fresh salmon. Giant scallops were like sea candy. While we stuck mostly to sushi, we did order unagi chawan-mushi that was very good. I know that Gypsy Boy mentioned it in his post, and noted that it was a pricey for the portion size. I agree. In addition to the unagi, ginko nuts, fish cake, and Japanese mushrooms were hidden beneath the custard.

Like TonyC, the only thing I still take issue with is the oversized cuts of fish draped over the tiny finger of rice. I know it’s a style, but I just don’t get it. If you are going to make rice that barely holds together, I think the fish should be cut small enough that you can fit the whole piece in your mouth. Katsu’s fish almost demands that you eat it in two bites, so after you take a bite, the rice falls apart, and you’re left with a somewhat awkward second bite. My benchmark for fish that fits the rice is Sushi Yasuda—see here.

Yes, but how did it compare with Red Lobster?

Gypsy Boy wrote: LDC ordered chawan-mushi, a homey comfort food (basically an egg custard, which is how the menu listed it) that included eel last night and was featured as a special. Although she pronounced it good, the entrée portion came to about one cup. At $14—quite overpriced, particularly given the ingredients and the rather astonishing portion size—one would expect either “startlingly good” or merely excellent and a larger portion.

Although we love Katsu for the high quality of its sushi, I have always felt ripped-off by the prices of their "special" appetizers, the chawan mushi in particular. Meiji does a much better chawan mushi, with more exotic ingredients, for $8.00 (and they also have excellent sushi). I think Katsu's price for this is outrageous. Nor have I been overly impressed by Katsu's cooked dishes, like the duck breast I had there once. Again, Meji does much better. Meiji also does a wonderful chef's degustation of kaiseki-like small dishes - $95 for a seven-course meal (order it when you call for reservations). It's the best Japanese food in town.

trixie-pea wrote:Like TonyC, the only thing I still take issue with is the oversized cuts of fish draped over the tiny finger of rice. I know it’s a style, but I just don’t get it. If you are going to make rice that barely holds together, I think the fish should be cut small enough that you can fit the whole piece in your mouth. Katsu’s fish almost demands that you eat it in two bites, so after you take a bite, the rice falls apart, and you’re left with a somewhat awkward second bite.

Traditional Japanese sushi etiquette calls for eating the piece of sushi in one bite, so these oversized slabs of fish always seem gross to me. If you do need to take two bites (and this is traditional etiquette again), you're supposed to hold it until you take your second bite, not put it down on your plate. Of course, we're not in Japan, and we can do as we please, but I agree with you about enormous slices of fish and tinsy balls of rice. I think places do this to make it seem like you're getting a bargain (sort of an emphasis on quantity, as opposed to quality).

trixie-pea wrote:I’ll admit it. I was never a fan of Katsu until tonight.

tp,

I'm glad you finally came around.

trixie-pea wrote:Like TonyC, the only thing I still take issue with is the oversized cuts of fish draped over the tiny finger of rice. I know it’s a style, but I just don’t get it.

I'm in the same boat as you here. I find that I much prefer the "yasuda-style" (for lack of a better term) to the "katsu-style". But like many other food items (an Italian bread-based item comes to mind), there are many different styles and interpretations available, many of which have their own merits.

That photo gallery of Sushi Yasuda sent me into a momentary paralysis. I need another dinner there soon.

Best,
Michael