David Lee was very kind to arrange for us and two friends a special dinner at Namu Gaji, the well regarded and popular
restaurant run by him and
his two brothers. (Namu Gaji is known for its “New Korean American cuisine”, of which the spirit and backbone is Korean; the technique and
presentation Korean,
Japanese and western, often with
a creative twist.)
Our dinner started with an amuse–bouche, a creamy soft tofu
topped with nori, jako (small dried fish) and
sesame. The crunchy topping enhanced the
dish with a savory flavor and a contrasting texture. It did a perfect job to whet our appetite.
The first course was “toro,
oyster, shiro dashi, pickled mustard”. White truffle slices graced an oyster and two
cubes of toro. Dashi
(dipping
sauce) was poured tableside. It
was a delicious
bowl of luxury. David suggested a bottle
of Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie – Luneau-Papin “Domaine Pierre de La Grange” Vieilles
Vignes 2010 – which paired perfectly
with the seafood.
The second course was a refreshing “beet, avocado, watermelon radish” – roasted red beets in small cubes, slices and
chunks, arranged with ripe avocado wedges, paper
thin watermelon radish slices and micro-greens. It
was a delightful salad to
prepare us for what to come.
Next came the second amuse-bouche: a fried egg dressed with uni butter, pancetta and mushroom. The rich
sauce had a hint of sweetness that suggested white miso. It was particularly satisfying when mixed
with
the runny yolk. I wished that there were some bread
to mop up the plate.
The third course was “shiitake
mushroom dumpling” with nori. Two
dumplings with sauce was a simple and yet flavorful dish.
The fourth course was “crab risotto, preserved lemon,
white truffle”. Chef Michael shaved tableside white truffle from Alba
all over the rice. The earthy perfume
was intoxicating.
David surprised us with bowls of makgeolli (Korean rice wine) for the table. During our conversation before dinner, I casually mentioned drinking
home-brewed makgeolli in Osaka. It happened that
the chef had a private bottle in the back. That’s genuine hospitability.
The last course on the menu was “bap sang: kanpachi, dashi
butter, pickled vegetable, dry aged rib eye, grilled bamboo shoot”. Bap
sang is a traditional Korean individual table setting with rice and
side dishes served at the same time.
In our case, it was a bowl of premium Kushihikari rice
with elaborate
side dishes consisting of kimchee, bean sprouts, a clear soup, grilled fish and
beef. Kanpachi (young yellowtail) is one of my
favorite fish. The chef was thoughtful to serve kama (fish collar) to the men and
fish
belly to the women. Each also had two pieces
from the back of the fish. I enjoyed in particular the succulent meat hidden
behind the bone of the fish kama.
My
back pieces were cooked on the outside and raw in the center; the meat was
soft and tender. The two chunks of rare dry
aged New York steak were perfectly cooked. The
bap sang was easily a meal by itself.
Dessert was not listed on our menu. It looked like a thin slice of pastry topped
with shredded coconut and green tea powder.
When I took a bite, it melted slowly to reveal whole black soy beans that
came from the restaurant’s own farm. Different textures and flavors exploded in my
mouth. I went for another
bite, and another, until it was all gone.
We ended the meal with a pot of fragrant and soothing lavender
tea.
The food far exceeded our expectations. The service was warm and impeccable. Most of all, the hospitability of our host made
it a truly unforgettable dinner.
