Chorney-Sales space: Satsuki honours Japanese traditions with sushi and sake

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As Calgary continues to develop as a restaurant metropolis, we’re seeing a deeper high quality and wider number of international cuisines emerge in native eateries. Japanese meals is a part of these ever-evolving enhancements: for years, Calgary’s Japanese choices primarily consisted of eating places serving outsized and under-flavoured sushi combos and some novelty teppanyaki locations, however we now have many extra selections within the type of glorious ramen homes, correct omakase providers, delicate and thoughtfully ready sushi, and snacky izakaya-style bites.

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The newest restaurant to hitch Calgary’s rising class of above-average Japanese eating places is Satsuki, a brand new spot in Kensington headed by chef Could Ng, who beforehand labored with the Concorde Group, most notably as the pinnacle chef at Lonely Mouth. Whereas Ng did nice work at Lonely Mouth, she yearned for a quieter and extra historically Japanese ambiance, setting her sights on opening a spot to raised swimsuit her persona and cooking type.

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In late March, Ng quietly opened Satsuki, named after the Japanese phrase for “Could,” a nod to her first identify in addition to the fantastic thing about the spring season. She selected a quiet unit on Kensington Street (in what most not too long ago was the ill-fated Meatball Mission) a half-staircase beneath the road. It’s open and sunny sufficient that it doesn’t really feel like a basement, however being located on the decrease stage provides Satsuki a personal, tucked-away really feel. With simply 34 seats – together with these alongside the lengthy sushi bar and a bigger communal desk on the east facet of the horseshoe-shaped room – and minimalist decor, Satsuki looks like a pleasant, however undeniably critical Japanese restaurant.

“That is the form of restaurant I like,” Ng says. “It’s extra conventional and calming with the comfortable music and the vibe of the room. I needed one thing extra reflective of myself.”

The purest expression of what Satsuki is all about is Ng’s omakase service, basically the Japanese model of a chef’s tasting menu (the phrase “omakase” interprets to “I’ll depart it as much as you”), taking over your entire bar seating on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The kitchen flies in a wide range of high-quality fish from Japan to supply a recent expertise that includes a number of and continually evolving programs of sushi in addition to appetizers and desserts. Satsuki’s commonplace omakase is $138 per individual, with a vegetarian possibility for $98 and non-obligatory drink pairings for a further $90.

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Whereas Satsuki’s costs are literally slightly on the low facet in comparison with different omakase experiences, particularly these in bigger cities, omakase by nature is a spendy and considerably intimidating endeavour, however the restaurant stays comparatively accessible with its a la carte menu. Ng provides ultra-flavourful appetizers that transcend your typical edamame and tempura, with highlights like a heat puck of steamed daikon radish topped with savoury miso paste ($10) and brilliant cherry tomatoes in an earthy black sesame dressing ($10). Her sushi is straightforward – don’t count on sauce-drenched rolls or something with phrases like “dragon” or “dynamite” within the identify – however the high quality is excellent, falling in keeping with the Japanese traditions that Ng respects so deeply. Sides, together with the soy sauce and pickled ginger, are all made in-house.

However Satsuki isn’t just sushi. Ng’s “signature” dish is a ridiculously luxurious sakekasu (spent rice mash leftover from sake manufacturing) risotto topped with a silky piece of sablefish ($42). Company also can go for curry donburi ($20) or seafood kaisandon ($30) rice bowls, which include miso soup and house-made cucumber pickles. Dessert shouldn’t be an afterthought right here: the matcha “expertise” ($20) includes a small plate of mochi muffins served alongside a cup of matcha tea and a chilly soy drink for a success of sweetness.

Ng can be skilled on this planet of sake and a part of her menu technique entails creating meals to pair nicely with rice wine. Common wine, beer, tea, and different non-alcoholic drinks are additionally out there.

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Satsuki is positioned at 1130 Kensington Rd. N.W. and is open Wednesday by way of Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For reservations and extra info, name 403-300-2405 or go to satsuki.ca.

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In different restaurant information, in February, FinePrint, the brand new spot within the former Divino area on Stephen Avenue (which additionally occurs to have as soon as been the headquarters of the Calgary Herald), was considerably broken by a hearth that flared up within the alley behind the restaurant. After a prolonged closure and numerous restore work, the restaurant reopened slightly over per week in the past and is aiming to regain the momentum it constructed after its preliminary opening. Chef Francis Martinez is cooking up some stunning plates in there, with a French-inspired menu marked by early favourites like heat gougères, bison and truffle tartare, a pan-seared sablefish filet, and an up to date model of Divino’s much-beloved tempura inexperienced beans.

FinePrint is positioned at 113 eighth Ave. S.W. and may be reached at 403-475-5655 or by way of fineprintyyc.com.

Elizabeth Chorney-Sales space may be reached at [email protected]. Observe her on Instagram at @elizabooth.