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An “Authentic” Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant
Kaminari (Thunder)
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You could call me an elitist or perhaps worse, a
reverse bigot. I never
 thought I was
until recently, even though I still don’t drive a Mercedes, a BMW or even
a Lexus and I did watch “Jazz” on KCET and
“The Corner “ on HBO.
I do now suspect however, that I am guilty of those negative traits
when it comes to dining at ethnic restaurants.
If I go to an Italian or French restaurant, I assume
that at least the owner- manager will be Italian or French. My expectations for authenticity and satisfaction are even
higher if he or she is actually in the kitchen and cooking. Unfortunately,
in today’s California culinary environment, a French or Italian chef in
the kitchen is rare and perhaps not realistic.
However when it comes to Asian or Latin food I anticipate absolute
ethnicity. In my mind,
Chinese, Thai, Indian, Mexican and especially Sushi should be prepared and
served by people from the country in which the food originated. In most
cases it is and that is part of the enjoyment.
But things are slowly and insidiously changing. More and more the
pleasant fantasy of travel to exotic parts of the world disappears. The
server may be a Hooter’s reject or an actor, neither of whom know anything
about the food they are serving. The person behind the sushi bar may be
simulating a true highly trained Japanese sushi master. The food in these
places is rarely up to par. It just isn’t
“authentic.”
Among the extreme examples is the trendy
Nobu
(part of the Matsuhisa chain)
in Malibu where the prices are double the norm and the servers probably
can’t find Japan on a map.
You leave with a sour taste, an empty stomach.…and $100 poorer.
Unbelievably, there are now more than a dozen Sushi bars in The
Conejo-Agoura area. At least four have opened in the last couple of years
that fit into the “not authentic”
category in ambience, personnel and especially the quality of
sushi. This applies to a couple of older ones too. None of them would ever
make you think you are in a real Japanese restaurant.
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Assorted Sushi Lunch - Chirashi Lunch
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Combination Lunches
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That’s why my wife and I were thrilled when we
entered the newly opened Kaminari in the Village Glen Plaza between
Bauducco’s and the Airlines office in Westlake. It is the real Ma Koy. |
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Kaminari's Authentic Sushi Bar Look
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The small pristine room is accented with the classic
blonde wood used in the spare “Shibui” style of the Japanese.
Shoji screens are subtly placed. There is a 15-seat sushi bar and 6
tables. Classic Taiko drum beats echo unobtrusively in the
background. Petite
Japanese servers greet you with a warm “Irashai”. It sort of
means welcome. You seem to have been instantaneously transported to
world-renowned Edogin Sushi adjacent to Tsukiji, the #1 fish market
in Tokyo and the world. |
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Normally we wait longer to give a new restaurant a
chance to settle down. However the room was so inviting, that we decided
to take a chance. They start you with a complimentary tiny seafood teaser.
We started with a Giant Clam served three ways, raw shoestrings, slightly
cooked and thinly sliced to produce a scallop like shape and flavor. Tuna
sushi was amply cut and fresh. We split a cooked yellowtail collar. My
wife had a spicy tuna hand roll and I finished up with halibut sushi.
Smooth sake was served in beautifully shaped blue ceramic holders.
Everything we had was delicious. The service was flawless and the sushiyas
all exhibited the friendly humor that is part of the fun of eating at the
bar. Except for the fact that
they were out of my favorite …uni (sea urchin), it was if they had been
open for years. All prices are similar to other local sushi bars.
There is a lunch special of miso soup, sunomono
salad, chicken teriyaki and 4 California rolls for $6.95. Dinners include
all the above plus shrimp and vegetable tempura for $10.95
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50 Years of Sushi Experience
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Upon interviewing the owners, Hidekazu Nemoto and
wife Mayumiko, the dining room manager, the reasons became clear. Hidekazu
was raised in the fish and sushi market business in Japan.
He knows fish. He has owned a sushi bar in the Valley since 1978
when he came to the United States. He sold it when he decided to open in
Westlake. He and his wife designed the room, which makes most of the other
sushi bars in Ventura County look like a Burger King.
His two assistants have 26 years experience between them. Kaminari
reeks with that elusive “Authenticity.” Just
listen for the Taiko drums.
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Kaminari Village
Glen Plaza 2891 Agoura Road,
Westlake Village 805-446
7001 Easy Shopping Center Parking Most Credit Cards
Mon-Fri Lunch
Mon-Sat. Dinner |
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