Gazen

Best for: Japanese, Izakaya
Location: Kapahulu
Foodgasmic dish: Tofu sampler, Salmon & ikura "oyako" chazuke

homemade tofu sampler, $12.80

 After fantasizing about their homemade tofu for weeks, I finally returned to Gazen for another round. Gazen is the type of place I'd pass without ever trying, mainly because it looks like a sketchy diner from the outside. Luckily, Mizuki took me there two summers ago and shattered my preconceptions.

salmon sashimi, $10

Gazen is dimly-lit and has a couple of tatami rooms for private parties. I usually sit in one of the huge booths and share a bunch of dishes. Last week Anthony and I ordered a Kirin and umeshu on the rocks (I guess we weren't feeling very adventurous, at least for drinks). We shared four dishes: salmon sashimi, tofu sampler, grilled beef tongue, and salmon & ikura "oyako" chazuke.

salmon & ikura "oyako" chazuke, $6.80

The sashimi was amazing - buttery and melts in your mouth. The tofu sampler was as perfect as I remembered it to be. It comes with three different preparations of tofu: 1) zaru tofu w/ natural sea salt; 2) kurogoma tofu w/ black sesame seeds - my favorite one; and 3) sukui tofu floating in a soymilk broth. Each one requires a delicate process of adding the various condiments of salt, soy sauce and/or wasabi. The grilled beef tongue was tasty, but it was a bit too meaty for my taste. I like my beef tongue thin. I tried the chazuke for the first time, and it is now one of my favorite Japanese dishes. Chazuke is a dish made by pouring green tea over grilled rice. Our salmon chazuke was topped with shredded salmon, fish eggs, and some black sesame. The perfect comfort food.

grilled beef tongue, $12

I'll definitely be back shortly, as I expect to have another homemade tofu craving soon.