Japan’s volcano-laden Kagoshima prefecture, located on the tip of the southern island of Kyushu, boasts a mostly temperate, subtropical climate that lends itself well to agriculture.
Berkshire-style pork is produced there and is popular on robata grills across the country, enormous daikon radishes abound, while the unagi eel, famed for being glazed, lightly torched and served nigiri-style on a tightly packed ball of sushi rice, populates the local waters.
Not quite as well known globally, however, is the prefecture’s excellent wagyu beef, a breed of cattle that is more commonly associated with Kobe cows from the prefecture of Hyogo. Wagyu is noted for its thorough, fatty marbling, which, in turn, results in moist, extraordinarily tender beef when cooked at high heat; essentially, the fat melts nicely into the flesh of wagyu beef.
Zen Japanese Restaurant in West Vancouver features Kagoshima wagyu sushi, priced at $7.95 per piece. While it adds up quickly, to be sure, this is actually a fairly reasonable price for one of the world’s most coveted proteins; the Internet is rife with stories of wagyu steaks commanding $300 or more in restaurants around the world.
The sushi, which I ordered as an appetizer during a recent Zen meal with my friend Gil, is served lightly seared, topped with grated daikon in ponzu (a salty, citrusy dipping sauce) and paper-thin shaved scallion, with marinated ginger on the side. The thin strips of beef were decidedly not pink on arrival and Gil and eye exchanged a concerned look across the table.
Overdone wagyu? I felt a nerve twitch under my left eye and reached for the Momo Kawa Junmai sake we had ordered. Once we tucked into the beef, however, the disturbance in the culinary force was resolved and we were left reclined in our chairs, eyes shut, senses overloaded with the sheer decadence of the dish.
Of course it was seared a touch beyond rare; the fat needed to melt somehow. And how it did. Each morsel (we ordered four) melted in the mouth, revealing buttery notes and deep, round beef flavour. The cloudy, chilled sake, with its subtle hints of tropical fruit and tangy, earthy character, married surprisingly well.
Our meal continued on an extraordinary note as a vast array of bite-sized, painstakingly ornate hors d’oeuvres arrived on a custom serving platter with nine square compartments. The dish, fittingly called the Three by Three, was a brilliant showcase for the artistry and attention to detail exhibited by the kitchen. Highlights of the colourful, picturesque dish included ahi tuna sashimi in sesame marinade with apple, asparagus in a cold wasabi-scented sauce, thin ribbons of scallop topped with spicy mayonnaise, grilled salmon belly with daikon, and a riff on the Hawaiian specialty, Poke, or cold tuna salad, in this case served with shaved cucumber in a light vinaigrette.
Next up was a delicious, rustic Robata Trio, featuring perfectly grilled Chicken Yakitori, Garlic Short Ribs and Asparagus Spears, the latter two topped with a traditional Yakitori barbecue sauce. A ramekin of spicy mayo was served on the side.
The rich, caramelized flavours were a great bridge between the mostly subtle, fragrant appetizer course and the final round of dishes: assorted sushi and sashimi. Our sushi platter included salmon topped with Australian finger lime, Dungeness crab, Tomago (traditional Japanese omelet, in this case with a lovely, faintly smoky flavour), and Hamachi (yellowfin tuna).
Zen’s sushi was all fresh beyond reproach, expertly cut and lovingly assembled atop perfectly seasoned rice, prompting us to venture a touch further afield with an order of both Uni (sea urchin roe) and Geoduck Sashimi. I have written about uni before; its creamy texture, briny, just-plucked-from-the-ocean flavour and vivid copper-hued colour, make it one of my favourite ocean treats.
Geoduck, by contrast, has always been something with which I have struggled. I tend to find it off-puttingly pungent and chewy, while its striking appearance, with its snaking, prehensile tentacle emerging from an absurdly undersized shell as if for the purpose of initiating reproductive advances on my tongue, is simply too bizarre for even this experienced diner.
Zen did an admirable job with it, cutting it into dainty, approachable rectangles sliced on the bias, but I ultimately had to conclude that geoduck is just not, as they say, my thing.
Zen Japanese Restaurant, with its immaculately prepared dishes, elegant atmosphere, informed service and creative menu, makes it a great special occasion spot. Accordingly, while there is undeniable value relative to the quality of the dining experience at Zen, be prepared to spend some money there. Our meal of assorted appetizers (including wagyu beef, mind), robata meats, sake, sushi and sashimi, was just shy of $200 before gratuity.
Zen Japanese Restaurant, 2232 Marine Dr., West Vancouver. zensushi.ca 604-925-0667
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. North Shore News dining reviews are conducted anonymously and all meals are paid for by the newspaper.
