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An izakaya opening in Honolulu is always a happy occasion, but generally not a big deal because we’re accustomed to the presence of Japanese bars. But it is a big deal when the principal involved is Chris Kajioka, the Per Se alum we got to know through his work at Vintage Cave, Senia, Miro Kaimuki and Waicoco, known to date for his New American cuisine built on French technique and regional ingredients.
When asked why he made the bold leap into Japanese territory, his answer was straightforward: “Izakaya is my favorite style of eating and I thought it would be fun to try a rendition of it.”
In a show of ambition, the restaurant’s name (Agaru) means “upward, to elevate or ascend.”
The menu is driven by memories of meals enjoyed with friends and culinary travels through Japan. And for a chef known for invention and creativity, don’t expect your typical izakaya experience from him or his lieutenants. He enlisted chefs Daysen Masuda and Bob Luong to oversee sushi and izakaya menus, respectively.
Luong, who started his career working in ramen shops, was working at NoMad in New York City before meeting Kajioka and being recruited to work at Agaru.
Masuda, who hails from the Big Island, fished all his life and is a disciple of Naau chef Brian Hirata, known for his foraged dinners and preservation of Hawaiian food-ways. Masuda’s familiarity with local fish means that going forward, we may see more local varieties interspersed with popular Japan imports.
In the izakaya half of the restaurant, a la carte dining is available, but the easiest way to approach the menu is to start with the $65 set course, and in the true sense of the word “omakase,” trust the chef. The menu can always be augmented with a handful of a la carte specialties and dessert.
The eight-course set menu recently comprised cucumber sunomono and charred cabbage that has followed Kajioka since his time at Vintage Cave, where meals started at $300 per person. I couldn’t help but be amused by the deal being offered here.
Potato salad studded with cucumbers and carrots, and crowned with egg yolk, crispy prosciutto, potato and taro chips was a treat followed by the day’s sashimi of salmon with smoked trout roe and nairagi with cilantro.
Next came heartier selections of chicken karaage battered with a combination of potato and tapioca starch that gave it a light feel, and pork belly with a sweet glaze of pomegranate, molasses and black garlic glaze, served with a light kabocha puree. There’s no restraint here as Kajioka notes that izakaya diners are accustomed to getting only a few small bites, “so those bites need to be impactful.”
The finale came in the form of 16-hour sous vide, grilled beef tongue that gave it the tender texture of short rib. It’s a marvel for those who generally cannot handle the crunchy nature of beef tongue, but may be a disappointment to those who crave that texture.
This is already a lot of food, but in case it’s not enough for you or you want to explore further, you can add on a la carte items such as bara chirashi ($75) utilizing all seafood available at the sushi bar that day, and oysters (recently Kusshi, $4.50) with tosazu gelee. Add Hokkaido uni for $2.
There is also ahi toast ($10) a base of Japanese milk bread topped with chutoro, a variation of the brioche toast that has also followed Kajioka since Vintage Cave days. Add Kaluga caviar for $18, which I consider a must. That burst of salt is everything. There’s also Southern-fried hamachi kama served with Chamorro finadene; and desserts of kulolo katsu with haupia cream or a most wonderful sundae with shio koji caramel and crunchy puffed rice.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the sushi bar, there will be times you simply want what you want, but left to my own cravings, the menu would be a narrow selection of hamachi, otoro, salmon and engawa and nodoguro if available.
A roughly 17-course ($175-$180 ) omakase menu is currently offered Fridays and Saturdays only and gives the opportunity to explore new flavors and test one’s limits.
During the flow of courses that started with Ho Farms eggplant lightly fried, braised and flavored with red yuzukosho, and a parade of nigiri, I was most impressed by three-day, dry-aged shima aji, a process that condensed its fattiness and delivered concentrated flavor, and loved the bold, unusual touch of curry oroshi on madai.
The richness of chutoro nigiri topped with Kaluga caviar was appreciated, as was nigiri of otoro and Seattle uni laced with a shaving of housemade Hokkaido uni bottarga. The richness continued with a bowl of blue crab meat over uni rice crowned with ikura and more uni.
Kajioka’s food memories came into play with a dish of noharayaki, based on a favorite dish from Tokyo’s Yakiniku Jambo. Here, thin-cut Miyazaki wagyu is seared with binchotan, then dipped by diners into a soy-based tare sauce with egg yolk stirred in.
With such an auspicious start into izakaya territory, one has to wonder what Kajioka might do next.
Agaru
355 Royal Hawaiian Ave. Ste. 200, Honolulu
Food: ****
Service: ****
Ambiance: ***½
Value: ****
Call: 808-425-4568
Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. tuesdays-saturdays
Prices: About $65-$80 per person for izakaya menu, without alcohol; weekend omakase menu about $175-$185 per person
Nadine Kam’s restaurant visits are unannounced and paid for by Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Follow Nadine on Instagram (@nadinekam) or on YouTube (youtube.com/nadinekam).
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