Gastronome
Arare Shrimp Tempura Combo LAWRENCE TABUDLO PHOTOS
RIJO RESTAURANT
Harbor Court, Third Floor
66 Queen St.
Phone number (808) 208-8180
When I was little, Harbor Court entranced me. Driving down Nimitz Highway with my parents, I would look to the third-floor windows, where silhouettes of diners played out like a film.
I had forgotten about that whimsy until just recently, when I learned a new restaurant would be opening there.
Named Rijo Restaurant, general manager Daniel Toves explained to me that the food promises an essence of Japanese flavors — but don’t expect strictly Japanese cuisine.
That’s exactly the type of reaction I had to the dishes I sampled. They were Japanese at the core, but showcased contemporary flavors that weren’t afraid to step outside the box.
The Dungeness Crab Cake with Truffled Egg Tofu, for instance, was rich with flavor — and yet, never overwhelming. The crab cakes, made with real Dungeness crab meat, were delicious, and chef Yoichi Saito’s house-made tofu was silky smooth.
Dungeness Crab Cake with Truffled Egg Tofu
But what really stood out to me was a white soy dashi consomm. Toves promised that it would be reminiscent of chawanmushi, and it was, but much lighter — with a thin, gelee-like texture. With every bite, it really tied everything together.
Where Rijo faltered, and just a little, was with its Arare Shrimp Tempura Combo. The menu described the dish as “deep fried shrimp and local vegetables with arare tempura butter.” The tempura itself was perfect — crispy without being overly doughy or undercooked. But where, I asked myself, was this arare butter? Sheepishly, I had to ask Toves, who pointed out the sauce was under a cube of tempura tofu. Innovative, yes, and once I understood the concept of the menu item better, I did note some hint of arare after flavors — just don’t misinterpret it incorrectly as I did.
Though do look forward to the Ten-Tsuyu dipping sauce. Unlike usual tempura sauces, this one is darker and much more flavorful, enhanced with the addition of garlic. (It’s perfect to drizzle over your rice.)
I certainly plan to return. I saw quite a few dishes I’d like to taste. And the prices are affordable, fueled by the restaurant’s desire to make its items accessible to everyone.
Still, you really can’t beat the atmosphere — high ceilings and large windows that offer views of the harbor. It’s the right environment for an intimate dinner. And it’s exactly the type of experience I had hoped for as a child.
Rijo is now open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
I stopped in at Rijo Restaurant during its soft opening last week, before it officially opened Monday. General manager Daniel Toves quickly explained the meaning behind its name.
In Japanese, he said, “ri” is carp and “jo,” castle — meaning, “carp castle.” During the samurai era in Hiroshima, he continued, there was a castle with a lake that had so many carp, you could walk across the water without getting your feet wet.
Unfortunately, the castle was destroyed during WWII.
In some regard, Rijo’s regional food is much like this one-time castle — in Japan, but not entirely. It’s a mystique I hope to further investigate, one bite at a time.
