Needed some Tempura!! Two prime seats at the at the head of a 20 seat bar within splatter distance of the Fry Master.
Ordered 2 sets, the House & some other one for variety.
My Biru was served and we availed ourselves of the countertop jars of Brined Squid and Tsukemono of Kombu/Radish/Bird’s Eye.
The Tempura Chef was a pleasure to watch, a man with a job and a mission. Bring it on! Seconds from the Rice/Sesame/Veggie Oil mix, beautiful.
Turns out our chef spoke perfect English!! Half Japanese/Dutch, he had the accent and the demeanor of a Californian, while showing the respect and professionalism of the Japanese. His recommendations for the condiments and procedures, insightful and much appreciated!!
The hits flowed: Chicken Tender, Aji (Horse Mackerel), Squid, Oyster, Eggplant and more. White Miso with table zested Lemon Rind was a seasonal specialty.
The best? Tempura EGG!! Always a favorite. Added the Dashi/Shoyu as advised.
Nori Tempura simple and tasty.
A sprinkle of the special salt to balance the sweetness of the Sweet Potato. Another level.
I’d had Kakiage (mixed chopped Veggies) before with Shrimp/Scallop. Version here with Beef. Didn’t love this.
We were about done when DW finally noticed two items on the board. Mentaiko, my fav. Shirako (Fish Milt), her weakness. Fresh from the cauldron.
Delicious fun meal. Kai, the chef, graciously offered to give us the name of some of his favorite restaurants. Then he got slammed. We’ll be sure to take him up on his offer when we come back in February. 
