Inspired by the Japanese culinary art of kaiseki, our 13 course seafood-focused modern interpretation showcases the finest seasonal ingredients from California and Japan’s land and sea.

Seafood-focused modern interpretation

13 course seafood-focused modern interpretation

Dining Experience

Corkage is only permitted for wine not featured on our list, and limited to 750ml per two guests. We kindly decline corkage for sake.

CORKAGE

WINE AND SAKE PAIRING

Keep tuna and prawns well-chilled. Slice the sushi-grade ahi tuna into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices (about 8 ounces yields 6–8 sashimi slices). Poach the spot prawns briefly: bring a pot of lightly salted water to a simmer, add prawns for 20–30 seconds until they turn opaque, shock in ice water, peel, and pat dry.

Prepare tuna and prawns

Arrange two tuna slices and one prawn per small plate. Scatter thin cucumber slices and micro shiso leaves around the seafood. Drizzle each plate with 1/2 tsp yuzu juice mixed with a light swipe of soy (total 2 tsp yuzu and 2 tsp soy across servings) and a drop of toasted sesame oil. Finish with a light pinch of salt over prawns and tuna. Serve immediately chilled.

Assemble

Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1/8 tsp salt total. Allow to rest 5 minutes.

Season scallops

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup dashi, 1 tbs sake, 1 tsp mirin, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and julienned ginger. Warm over medium heat until just simmering to marry flavors (do not boil aggressively).

Make quick broth

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp neutral oil and 1 tsp butter. Sear scallops 60–75 seconds per side until golden crust forms and interior is translucent-opaque. Remove scallops briefly. Add the warm dashi mixture to the skillet (careful with splatter), return scallops to the liquid and gently poach for 30–45 seconds to infuse. Plate hot in a shallow bowl with a few tablespoons of the broth and garnish with thinly sliced spring onion. Serve immediately.

Sear scallops and finish in broth

Mix 2 tbs white miso, 1 tbs mirin, 1 tsp sake, and 1 tsp brown sugar into a smooth paste. Pat the cod dry and coat the flesh side with the miso marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (shorter for lighter flavor).

Marinate black cod

Preheat a broiler or grill to high. Wipe excess marinade from the cod (too much will burn) leaving a thin layer. Place skin-side down and cook 6–8 minutes under broiler or over grill until the miso is caramelized and the fish flakes easily (internal ~125–135°F). Let rest 2 minutes. Serve skin-on with a lemon wedge to squeeze just before eating.

Grill the cod

If wakame is dried, rehydrate per package (cold water, 5–10 minutes), then squeeze out excess liquid. Combine wakame and blanched baby spinach in a small bowl. Toss with 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp soy-sesame dressing. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature as a palate-bridging course.

Prepare salad

Heat 2 cups concentrated dashi gently with 1 tsp sake and 1/4 tsp salt. Add chopped clam meat and warm just until the clams are cooked through (about 1–2 minutes if pre-steamed; slightly longer if raw). Strain if needed for an extra-clear presentation. Ladle into small soup bowls and garnish with thinly sliced mitsuba or cilantro. Serve hot.

Finish broth with clams

If rice is freshly cooked, fan briefly and fold in 1 tsp rice vinegar seasoning to taste; allow to cool to warm. Form small oblong morsels (about 3/4 cup yields two or three small bites depending on portioning).

Season rice and form

Place a gently pressed dollop of uni (about 0.5–1 oz per bite) on top of the rice portion. Optionally wrap a thin nori strip around the rice to secure. Add a tiny dab (about 1/8 tsp) of wasabi beneath the uni if desired. Serve immediately so the uni remains cool and creamy.

Top with uni

Plate 2 tablespoons of assorted pickles on a small dish as a tangy counterpoint. Present a small scoop (2 tbs) of yuzu sorbet as a palate cleanser between the savory and dessert sequences. Serve sorbet chilled.

Serve pickles and sorbet

If making panna cotta in advance, chill the green tea panna cotta base until set. Spoon 1/2 cup into a small dish and garnish with 1 tsp candied yuzu zest. Serve chilled as a final, subtle nod to citrus and tea that complements the seafood-forward meal.

Finish pudding

Ahi tuna, sushi-grade

Santa Barbara spot prawns, peeled

Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced

Micro shiso leaves

Yuzu juice

Light soy sauce (usukuchi or regular)

Sesame oil, toasted

Salt

Diver scallops, large, cleaned

Sake (for cooking)

Dashi (low-sodium)

Kombu (strip for dashi) - optional

Mirin

Light soy sauce

Fresh ginger, julienned

Spring onion, thinly sliced

Butter

Neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)

Black cod (sablefish) fillet, skin-on

Miso (white/shiro)

Mirin (for miso marinade)

Sake (for miso marinade)

Brown sugar

Lemon wedges

Wakame rehydrated (seaweed salad)

Blanched baby spinach

Rice vinegar

Sesame seeds, toasted

Soy-sesame dressing (prepared)

Clam meat (small neck clams or littlenecks), chopped

Dashi (concentrated)

Sake

Thinly sliced mitsuba or cilantro

Short-grain sushi rice, cooked

Rice vinegar seasoning (rice vinegar + sugar + salt)

Uni (sea urchin), fresh

Nori strip, toasted

Wasabi, fresh or prepared

Pickled daikon (takuan) or shibazuke assorted

Yuzu sorbet (small)

Green tea panna cotta base (small)

Candied yuzu zest

Taste uni for freshness. Place one piece of uni on a ceramic tasting spoon. Drizzle each with 1/6 tsp yuzu juice, sprinkle a tiny pinch of fine sea salt, and top with one micro shiso leaf. Serve immediately chilled.

Bring dashi to a gentle simmer in a small pot. Add sake and soy sauce, then add the cleaned clams. Cover and simmer until clams open (about 3–4 minutes). Remove any unopened clams. Ladle hot broth and 2 clams into each small bowl, garnish with thinly sliced scallion and serve warm.

Slice toro into thin 5 mm slices. On a chilled plate arrange slices. Dot each slice with a small smear (about 1/2 tsp distributed) of white sesame gel. Lightly dust with katsuobushi powder. Serve with a small dish of soy sauce and a small amount of grated wasabi on the side.

Trim and halve baby eggplants; score flesh lightly. In a small saucepan combine dashi, mirin and light soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Add carrot cuts and eggplant, simmer gently 6–8 minutes until tender. Add peeled shrimp in the last 2 minutes until opaque. Remove vegetables and shrimp to a warmed bowl and spoon a little of the simmering liquid over them. Serve warm.

Pat mackerel dry and lightly salt; let rest 5 minutes. Preheat grill (charcoal or broiler) to high. Rub grated ginger into neutral oil and brush over the skin. Grill skin-side down first until skin is crisp and flesh cooked through (about 6–8 minutes depending on thickness), flip briefly if needed. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.

Whisk eggs gently with dashi, soy sauce and mirin—avoid creating bubbles. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring cup. Divide crab meat between two small ramekins or cups. Pour egg-dashi mixture over crab leaving 1 cm headspace. Cover with foil and steam gently over simmering water for about 12–15 minutes until set (center still slightly wobbly). Garnish with tiny spinach leaf and serve warm.

Lightly salt cucumber and let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out excess water. In a bowl combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Toss sliced octopus and cucumber in the vinegar dressing for 5–10 minutes to marinate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds before serving chilled or at room temperature.

Place scallop in a small shallow pan with sake. Bring just to a simmer and poach scallop for 1–2 minutes per side until opaque but still tender. Remove scallop and finish with a small knob of cold butter to glaze. For foam: whisk cream with yuzu kosho, lightly warm (do not boil), then use an immersion blender or small frother to create a light foam. Plate scallop and spoon foam over or beside it. Serve immediately.

Mix white miso, mirin, sake and sugar into a smooth glaze. Pat swordfish collar dry and brush glaze generously on exposed flesh. Preheat broiler or grill to high and cook collar skin-side down first until caramelized and cooked through, basting once more with glaze (about 8–12 minutes depending on size). Rest 2 minutes and serve hot.

Whisk matcha powder with a small amount of the water to make a smooth paste. Combine with remaining water and simple syrup until fully mixed. Chill mixture thoroughly, then churn in an ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions until sorbet texture is achieved. If no ice cream maker, freeze in a shallow container, stirring every 20–30 minutes until smooth. Serve a small spoonful as a palate cleanser.

Heat a small nonstick skillet over high heat with a tiny drizzle of oil. Add beaten half egg and scramble quickly, remove and set aside. Add shrimp and cook until just opaque (30–60 seconds). Add day-old rice and stir-fry to separate grains. Return egg, add soy sauce and sesame oil, toss in chopped scallion and adjust seasoning. Serve a small portion warm.

Arrange red pickled ginger and lightly pickled daikon rounds on a small plate. Serve chilled with a small glass of cold water or chilled green tea to cleanse the palate before dessert.

Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water until soft (about 5 minutes). In a small saucepan heat cream, milk and sugar until warm and sugar dissolved—do not boil. Remove from heat and squeeze excess water from gelatin, stir into warm cream until dissolved. Add yuzu juice and pour into small molds. Chill at least 3 hours to set. For sesame tuile: mix melted butter with a teaspoon of sugar and sesame seeds; spread thinly on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 6–8 minutes until lacy and golden, then cool and break into shapes. Unmold panna cotta and serve with a sesame tuile on the side.

fresh sea urchin (uni)

yuzu juice

micro shiso leaves

fine sea salt

small littleneck clams (cleaned)

dashi (kombu + bonito) strained

sake

soy sauce

thinly sliced scallion

bluefin toro or fatty tuna sashimi-grade

white sesame gel (pre-made or prepared)

katsuobushi powder

soy sauce (for serving)

wasabi (fresh-grated)

small peeled shrimp

baby Japanese eggplant

carrot (flower-cut)

dashi

mirin

light soy sauce

mackerel fillet (small)

ginger (finely grated)

neutral oil

lemon wedge

salt

egg (large)

cooked Dungeness crab meat

tiny spinach leaf for garnish

boiled octopus (sliced thin)

cucumber (thinly sliced)

rice vinegar

sugar

sesame seeds (toasted)

large sea scallop (cleaned)

yuzu kosho

light cream (for foam)

butter (cold, for finishing)

swordfish collar or kama

miso (white)

matcha powder

simple syrup (cooled)

water

short-grain rice (cooked, day-old)

tiny shrimp (peeled)

scallion (chopped)

sesame oil

egg (beaten)

red pickled ginger (beni shoga)

lightly pickled daikon rounds

cold water

heavy cream

milk

gelatin sheet (softened)

sesame seeds (black, for tuile)

butter (melted, for tuile)

Arrange 6 thinly sliced Hokkaido scallops on chilled small plates. Spoon 10 ml citrus ponzu over each portion, place a tiny smear (about 1/6 tsp) of yuzu kosho on each scallop, top with a micro shiso leaf and a light pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately with a small dab of fresh wasabi on the side.

Scallop sashimi with yuzu kosho

Warm the kombu dashi gently (do not boil) to about 60°C. Stir in shio koji into the warm dashi until dissolved. Place a tablespoon (approx. 20 g) of Atlantic uni into shallow tasting spoons or small bowls. Pour 15–20 ml of the warm kombu dashi over each spoonful of uni. Lay a nori crisp angled across each spoon and serve immediately so the nori retains some crunch.

Uni on kombu dashi with nori crisp

Pat the kelp-cod dry and cut into four equal portions (about 100 g each). Combine dashi, light soy sauce, mirin and sake in a shallow pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the grated ginger and the filets, skin side up if applicable. Poach gently for 6–8 minutes until fish flakes easily but remains glossy. Meanwhile, blanch the young spinach in boiling salted water for 20–30 seconds, shock in iced water, squeeze out excess water and divide into four portions. Remove the fish to warm plates, spoon a little simmering broth over each portion, place a nest of blanched spinach alongside, and finish with a light scatter of toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Simmered kelp-cod with spinach

Preheat a grill or broiler to high. Pat salmon dry, oil lightly with sesame oil and season very lightly with flaky sea salt. Grill skin side down 4–6 minutes, flip and brush smoked soy glaze, then grill 2–3 more minutes until just cooked through and caramelized. For the shrimp, toss peeled shrimp with a teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt, and grill 1–2 minutes each side until opaque. Finish both with an extra brush of smoked soy glaze and serve with charred lemon halves for squeezing over the seafood.

Grilled salmon & shrimp with smoked soy glaze

Combine rinsed sushi rice and 360 ml water in a rice cooker or heavy pot; cook per rice cooker instructions or bring to a simmer, cover and steam 12–14 minutes then rest 10 minutes. While rice cooks, warm rice vinegar and sugar gently until sugar dissolves; fold into cooked rice off heat, fanning and cutting to give glossy grains. Form small portions (about 60 g each) to present with a thin ribbon of pickled daikon atop as a refreshing bite between courses.

Steamed sushi rice & pickled daikon

Spoon a small cube (about 20–30 ml) of dashi jelly into tasting spoons, top with a quenelle (10–15 ml) of citrus granite and finish with a drop of shiso oil. Serve immediately; the cold citrus granite will act as a sharp, cleansing bite while the dashi jelly provides umami depth.

Citrus granite & dashi jelly spoon

Prepare matcha panna cotta in advance and chill until set. To serve, spoon 80–100 ml panna cotta into small bowls, place a white sesame tuile on the rim, and drizzle a thin line (about 5–10 ml) of black sesame gel across the surface. Garnish with a micro cilantro leaf or two for contrast.

Matcha panna cotta with sesame tuile

Serve pickled ginger alongside the sushi/rice portion as a palette cleanser. Keep toasted sesame seeds in a small dish for diners to sprinkle if desired. Use micro cilantro and additional micro shiso leaves to finish plates for color and aromatics. Ensure flaky sea salt is available for finishing the grilled items.

Hokkaido scallops (sashimi-grade), thinly sliced

Yuzu kosho

Citrus ponzu

Fresh wasabi (or prepared)

Kombu dashi

Atlantic uni (sea urchin)

Nori crisps (thin baked nori)

Shio koji

Kelp-cod (black cod) fillet

Dashi (light)

Young spinach, blanched

Grated ginger

Wild Alaskan salmon portion

San Francisco bay shrimp, peeled

Smoked soy glaze (see notes)

Sesame oil

Charred lemon halves

Short-grain sushi rice, rinsed

Water (for rice)

Sugar

Pickled daikon (thin ribbons)

Citrus granite (yuzu-sudachi ice)

Dashi jelly (agar-set)

Shiso oil

Matcha panna cotta (set)

White sesame tuile

Black sesame gel (thin drizzle)

Pickled ginger

Toasted sesame seeds

Flaky sea salt

Micro cilantro

Confirm that the bottle is wine and not on the restaurant's wine list. Corkage applies only to bottles of wine that are not featured on the house list.

Check bottle volume and party size. Accept only bottles up to 750 ml per two guests. For each 750 ml bottle brought, verify there are at least two guests (or proportional allowance). If more guests are present, ensure additional bottles meet the ratio.

Decline sake. Do not accept sake or other prohibited beverages for corkage under any circumstances.

Inform the guest of any applicable corkage fee. Communicate the fee clearly before opening the bottle and note it for billing.

Obtain manager approval if required. If the bottle or circumstances fall outside standard policy (e.g., oversized bottle, private event), seek manager approval before proceeding.

Provide wine service. Offer appropriate glassware, open and present the bottle, decant if requested and appropriate, and pour service for the guests.

Record the corkage charge on the bill and ensure the guest is satisfied with service. Follow normal service and health/safety protocols for handling outside bottles.

Seafood-focused Modern Interpretation

13 Course Seafood-focused Modern Interpretation

Dining Experience

Corkage

Wine And Sake Pairing