Maybe you know it, I have a Japanese dog. But do also you know that I love Japanese cuisine? If you also like this type of cuisine, its sushi and sashimi, its delicious preparations with fish, tofu or meat, then reading this will wake up your papillas. There is in Neuchâtel (Switzerland), one of the best Japanese restaurants ever, namely KAZUMI in Cormondrèche.
I already had tasted some Japanese food in its raw or cooked variantions, but nothing had prepared me to what I discovered here. Forget about the hypermarket sushis that you swallow up on the corner of your desk or the sushis of certain restaurants that transform into Japanese cooking after having sent their staff to some « crash course ». Here, we’re talking about something completely different. Here, we have KAZUMI San, Japanese cuisine chef, Sushi master and expert. He orchestrates and puts into music the exceptional food that you will enjoy for your greatest pleasure. Nothing else, but that.
First, there is the welcome, simple and Japanese: perfect, discrete, courteous, rapid and precise. Already, the menu has arrived and the chef’s specials are explained. Regular customers see their favorite drink arriving. Take a rapid look at the menu, no need to detail, just follow the master. In each season, there will be tiny specialties in finesse and in freshness next to a classic, but varied menu. To help you wait, while the man and his orchestra speed up at preparing your pleasure, enjoy some delicious amuse-bouche (appetizer), a promise preparing for more.
Make it a good habit: sushi or sashimi menu or as a starter or for the main course.
They are made on the spot, only and exclusively for you. That means, you have to wait a bit, but the reward is worth it. Fish and sea food of the season are prepared on their arrival. You’ll never have tasted or eaten any sushi or sashimi before. In season, try those with Atlantic horse-mackerel, mackerel, turbot, fat tuna or with fresh scallops … a real festival.
Starters: fish and salads, too
My favorite starter is the Wofu salada with raw fish and sea food with Wasabi vinaigrette, the mackerel tartar and, in season, oysters à la KAZUMI.
Hot dishes:
Meat, fish or vegetable, everything is of first choice and very fresh as a starter or in a main course, fried as Tempuras, grilled or pan-fried. Each main dish comes with its sauce, rice and salad. In season, try the tuna steak with Teriyaki sauce.
Japanese fondues:
Kazumi also proposes delicious Japanese fondues, real pleasures for the taste and for the eyes: Shabu-shabu, Sukiyaki and Yose-nabe from 2 guests on. Be careful to order 24 hours in advance, since they need a specific preparation.
Japanese soup:
To finish, smell and enjoy a delicious Miso soup with tofu.
Finally, enjoy a plate of fresh fruit and some sake, green tea or some wine of Cormondrèche.
Backstage:
KAZUMI chooses fish providers very carefully. He does not hesitate to reject a batch if the quality or the freshness leaves much to be desired. One can trust him; fish is his skill and job.
If one says sushi, one also means rice (gohan in Japanese). Gohan needs a precise and careful preparation in advance if one wants those little mouthfuls remain compact until your mouth. For each service, Kazumi prepares the exact amount of rice cookers following the number of reservations. When the rice is over, there are no more sushi. Better make a reservation.
Every day, Kazumi also proposes a lunch at a very reasonable price.
Sometimes, Kazumi makes me think of the cult movie Tampopo (dandelion in Japanese) of 1987, from the Japanese director Juzo Itami. During the whole movie, the heroine Tampopo, played by Miyamoto Nobuko (spouse of Juzo Itami in real life), searches the recipe of the ideal and perfect soup. Could KAZUMI have found it? For our greatest pleasure.
Extract of a dialog of TAMPOPO from Juzo Itami (Gun reads a chapter of a book to Goro)
“Does one first eat the soup or the noodles?” the student asks the Master.
“First, you examine the whole lot. With care, you observe the bowl and you appreciate the condiments, the pearls of grease sparkling at the surface, the brilliance of the bamboo sprouts, the seaweed that slowly go down, the onions that proudly float, and most of all, unquestionable but modest stars: the three slices of roasted pork… First, with the tip of your sticks, carefully caress the surface, to express them all your love. Then, guide your sticks towards the pork. One just lightly touches it, in a compassionate way… Slowly grip it, dip it into the broth, on the right of the bowl. Here, the most important is to apologize to the pork while whispering: “see you later!” Then, start with the noodles. At that very instant, while sucking up the noodles, you stare at the pork, intensely. There, too, an amorous glance.”
The master took a bamboo sprout and chewed with application. Then he took a gulp of noodles. While chewing his noodles, he took another bamboo sprout. He finally sipped the broth in three short gulps. Slowly sitting upright, resolutely grabbing a slice of pork, he delicately hit it on the inside border of the bowl.
“Master, what is it for?”
“Well, to strain it!”
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