Yuzuki Japanese Eatery has a feeling of authenticity that’s tangible from the moment you walk through the door. The dining room is quaint and peaceful with minimalist decor and distinctly Japanese touches, like the banner-style menu hanging above the bar with the day’s specials handwritten in Japanese as well as English. The staff here are happy to walk you through the regular menu, but if you ask, they’re also happy to bring you a special gluten-free menu that features many of the same items from the main menu, all made with wheat free soy sauce …
To start, we shared a basket of the house-made “Zaru tofu,” which comes with some flaky sea salt on the side to sprinkle over. This was very subtle in flavor, and delicate in texture; a nice way to start the meal. Next was one of my favorite dishes of the night: the dungeness crab, served over seaweed and sliced mini cucumbers with the most delicious sweet and slightly tangy vinaigrette. Served in a painted ceramic bowl, the presentation of this dish, and all the others here for that matter, is just as notable as the food itself. Fried “dumplings” of rock fish and shrimp are not your traditional dumplings at all. Essentially little matchsticks of burdock wrapped with the shrimp and fish meat and then fried, these are totally interesting and worth ordering for the adventurous eaters. The aburi saba (marinated and seared mackerel), was one of only two seafood dishes we tasted, contrary to what you might expect at a Japanese restaurant. The other was the yakitori style squid, served with spicy yuzu mayonnaise, which you’ll want to dip everything in. Other yakitori dishes include negima (chicken thigh with scallion), tsukune (chicken meatball), and buta bara (pork belly). It was a tie between the pork belly and chicken thigh for me, but all of them were delightful. Plated on a long and narrow dish with mustard on one end, hot pepper on the other, and lemon wedge in the middle, these were bursting with flavor, and the highlight of the meal for us. We had to try the Koshihikari rice as well though, which is apparently a specialty item. Each serving is cooked to order in its own Japanese earthen pot (allow 30 minutes from the time you order). A plate of house-made pickled vegetables is a necessary order as well, great for snacking on in between the other plates. We finished off the meal with two desserts: a rich vanilla ice cream with red beans and mochi, and an amazingly refreshing ginger sorbet, the latter being the standout.
Yuzuki’s dishes are created with all of your senses in mind. The flavors are clean yet complex, and the presentation is visually stunning. Check this one out for your next eating adventure, but try to come early or to make a reservation in advance, as the rest of town seems to have already caught on.