THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Zu Robata

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Zu Robata Restaurant Review:

THIS ESTABLISHMENT IS CLOSED The owner of this elegant restaurant, Jérôme Cedicci, is French but for his first establishment on the West Coast he has chosen to explore the flavors of Japan. He has successfully designed the space himself, including the plates, dishes and silverware. You cannot miss the colorful, lit-up wall of big jars filled with soju being infused with strawberries, olives, garlic, vanilla and watermelon---to name just a few ingredients---facing the island bar and lounge. The restaurant is all in beige and brown tones with clever candle-like lighting. The tables and chairs have been lowered giving the room a relaxed feel. When it comes to the food, he is also very serious and has discovered, in London, Ricardo Zarate, a Peruvian Japanese chef. Zarate has composed a menu, for the entire table to share, around warm bites, salads, sashimi, sushi rolls, tempura, and seafood, meat and vegetables from the robata grill. Start with the inevitable edamame, pan-fried in a spicy black bean sauce. Move on to steamed spinach served cold in a sesame sauce, pan-fried oysters with tomato-yuzu salsa, yellowtail ceviche or sea bass carpaccio. Sashimi is served on a kingdom of ice; sushi rolls can be bluefin tuna, sweet-water eel or crispy duck. The robata part of the meal is actually more fun and carries a large selection of grilled items. We like the sea bream on a tomato compote and truffle oil, scallops skewers on a chili garlic sauce, king crab leg, lamb cutlet, quail in plum wine dressing, and New York strip steak with apple ponzu dressing. If you like vegetables, try the shishito peppers, kabocha squash, sweet potatoes or the tempuras served with a sweet-and-sour dressing. The pastry chef, Guillermo Angulo, is having fun with his desserts. Look at the biscuit he serves with the tiramisu, or warm chocolate cake. His chocolate ice cream is perfect. For drinks, we recommend one of the infused soju.