RESTAURANT REVIEW: Kira
We've talked a lot about Japanese food here lately, especially the fine folks at Comma Hospitality (Neo, Oru, Toga), but wouldn't you know it, I found myself entertaining clients (aka going to dinner with some treasured out-of-town friends) at their other concept recently. I'm a tad worried this will be a bit iterative, but I'm going to push through it to bridge a World Cup-induced content lull. So, as Henry V famously cried to rally his beleaguered English troops: once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more! (In case you hadn't noticed by now, there are few things I love more than pretentiously misappropriating Shakespeare).
Kira is housed in Upper Kirby next door to Toga, and has a decidedly darker and sexier vibe than its neighbor. Modeled after Japanese "listening bars" (a term I kind of hate, but whatever), there is always vinyl spinning to set the mood, along with interesting modern art pieces hanging from the black walls. The 15-seat counter wasn't exactly full on July 4th, as we had the last reservation before an early closing time, but the intimate atmosphere was still evident. Sadly, some of the finer details of this meal may be a bit lacking, as I wasn't necessarily laser-focused after getting the day (and my fluids) started early at the Morocco-Canada match, followed by pool beers in the afternoon and a pre-dinner meetup at legendary Houston bar Anvil (the evening actually kept going afterwards at The Road To Nowhere, an INCREDIBLE hidden spot inside the Toasted Coconut, but unfortunately that review will have to wait, as if I was a computer there would have been some sort of error in my long-term data storage at that point, if you catch my drift).
The concept here centers around temaki, commonly known around these parts as "hand rolls", where the sushi rice and fillings are wrapped in a sheet of nori (seaweed) and handed directly to the diner. Traditionally conical, the versions at Kira (and actually most other temaki joints around town) are most of an open cylinder or pipe shape. And, reader, I never thought I'd say this... but call me J.R. Smith, because I was definitely trying to get the pipe, as these are undoubtedly the best hand rolls in the city (though Norigami gives them a decent run for their money).
As part of the eight course Chef's Selection, we were given several different temaki. All featured perfectly crisp nori swathing ingredients of exceptional quality balanced with the ideal amount of rice. One with warm, decadent, buttery poached lobster and rich, creamy seaweed hollandaise. Another with coconut curry shrimp, accentuated with fried garlic, sweet toasted coconut, and cilantro (fortunately I did not get cyclosporiasis). I even didn't hate the dreaded mushroom variant, with a brown butter emulsion and sesame helping to mask the maitake fungi, their usual unpleasant slimy texture blessedly not present in this preparation.
There's other stuff here too. A generously portioned scallop crudo featured a mountain of ginger and garlic, as well as the unexpected addition of tiger cry, a spicy/sour sauce usually featured in the Thai dish of the same name. A gorgeous, colorful plate accommodated three pieces of sashimi: sake (Faroe Island salmon), kanpachi (amberjack), and bluefin chutoro (medium fatty tuna). All cut to the immaculate thickness showing off the chef's superlative knife skills, they boasted that melt-in-your-mouth quality that the finest fish can exude. Of course the tuna was my favorite, but all were excellent. And the requisite donburi was not seafood on this occasion, but wagyu beef. Hearty slices of the tender steak sat atop a dome of rice, complemented with duxelles, wasabi cream, sheets of nori, and finished with garlic furikake and chives. Luxurious and delicious with a lovely hit of sharp heat, this rice bowl was the high point of the evening.
You absolutely must save room for dessert, as the kakigori cannot be missed. This Japanese shaved ice dish is prepared using an old-fashioned hand crank machine and large blocks of ice imported directly from the Land of the Rising Sun (I've seen this done at a couple of other places and still think it's a bit ridiculous when we have perfectly good ice at home, but I suppose it adds to the mystique). Something like a snow cone, they rotate several different topping options. This time out we sampled the peaches & cream with lime, mint, and vanilla, which offered juicy, fresh, floral flavors, and a coconut & mango coulis with toasted coconut, which was a bit more tropical and milky. Such a fun, light end to the proceedings, I kind of wish they would just open a stand-alone kakigori shop, though I'm pretty sure the employees' arms would fall off from that volume of cranking. Worth it.
They've also created a splendid drink menu, where the cocktails are all named after songs from Pearl Jam's debut album some reason. Why Go was my favorite (even though it's nowhere near the best track on Ten), with umeshu (a Japanese ume plum liqueur), slivovitz (a central European damson plum brandy), plum vinegar, and soda. A plum extravaganza, this had beautifully measured tartness and sweetness, and there was also a dried plum provided to nibble on between sips. You can also experiment with Japanese whisky, beer, and sake, if that's more your speed.
A quick word about the service. Expedient and friendly, they even asked if anyone was left-handed, to make sure that your utensils were placed in the correct position. I felt seen, as it is often difficult navigating a world that is simply not built for my kind, so every little bit of accommodation goes a long way. In fact, I've only encountered this gesture once before, at Man Wah in Hong Kong, where the server actually noticed that I was chopsticking southpaw, and moved the rest to the opposite side without asking. Leonardo da Vinci, David Bowie, Chewbacca, and the other Hall of Fame lefties smiled with me at this act of kindness.
As expected, Comma Hospitality delivers to the highest degree yet again. This is a distinct style of Japanese cuisine, one that has exploded in popularity in the last few years in Houston. If you've never had temaki, I highly recommend it. Kira is definitely the best of the bunch, but Norigami and Handies Douzo are also worth your time if trying to get in on the hand roll craze.
RANKING UPDATE: Maintains its position at #5 on the recently reconfigured Best Japanese section of my Houston Restaurant Guide.
NEXT UP: I couldn't pass up a special opportunity to taste one of the Midwest's most famously awful foods.