But is it authentic? It's a question often asked when referring to restaurants that offer ethnic cuisine. And if it's not really authentic, is that necessarily a bad thing? Having grown up eating food from the "old country" that was the "real thing"--albeit bland and overcooked, with some ingredients I haven't touched since I became an adult--doesn't mean I'd recommend it to others.This came up when I asked a couple of friends, one of whom has worked for a Japanese company for many years and been to Japan on business, to give me guidance in determining the legitimacy of a Japanese restaurant's offerings. But, my knowledgeable friend told me, some of the most authentic dishes his colleagues rave about he doesn't like at all. And, we realized, this was true of our culinary upbringing as well. And so it was, upon deciding that good food is far more important than verifying a dish's authenticity, that we went to Fukusuke, a longtime Sausalito favorite that closed a while back and reopened recently in the Lucky market shopping center in Larkspur (the former site of another Japanese restaurant).
The small, cozy space is very Asian in look and feel. Ten or so heavy, thickly shellacked "picnic"-type tables and benches topped with thin, Japanese-motif pads fill the room. Asian string music is low enough not to intrude, but adds to the ambiance. Modern lamps hang from the high ceiling, but among the art-adorned walls are three metal lamps, each festooned with a frog. Frogs dominate the artwork as well, some of which was created by the restaurant's customers. According to owner Hitomi Nakasu, or Mama-san, frogs return good luck. Judging by her bustling restaurant, Mama-san seems to be generating her own good fortune (which is most likely a matter of hard work rather than luck).
We were surprised that in such an intimate space it wasn't noisy or difficult to hear at our table. Along one wall, the tables are so close to each other that benches are actually touching. Yet, we didn't feel hemmed in or that "our space" was being invaded.
What we did feel was welcome. Mama-san greets customers as if she's bumped into a dear friend--and in fact, at least half the customers on this busy Sunday evening were familiar to her. The couple seated next to us didn't even look at the menu--they announced to Mama-san that they'd be having their usual. Among the diners were several Japanese-speaking people, who carried on lively conversations with Mama-san.
When my tall friend ordered a beer, Mama-san, who is very petite, asked him, "My size or your size?" And so it continued throughout our meal. Although she likes to joke with her customers, she's serious about the food.
While waiting for our friends to arrive, we started with a bowl of steamed edamame beans ($3.50), salty and satisfying. Once we were all settled (Mama-san doesn't waste any time getting those drinks to the table), we had an appetizer of broccoli ($4): deep-green stalks steamed, served chilled, with a tart, mayonnaisy dressing. We were off to a good start.
Although not known as a sushi restaurant, a selection of sushi is available. We decided to try some, knowing that many people routinely equate Japanese cuisine with sushi. The rock 'n' roll ($8.25), six slices of unagi (eel) and avocado, and the don son roll, six slices of albacore and avocado, presented simply and attractively and accompanied by the requisite wasabi and pickled ginger, tasted fresh and good.
Three of us ordered complete dinners; the cucumber-hater, knowing that a piquant, rice vinegar-dressed, crisp cucumber salad (with a couple of pieces of imitation crab) was included in the dinner, went a la carte and ordered tempura ($8.25). Battered and fried prawns, sweet potato slices, carrot slices, mushrooms and green beans were light and not at all greasy<0x2014>and devoured pretty quickly. The cucumber salad, which we liked very much, was accompanied by a tiny portion of marinated, shredded daikon and carrot. The miso soup here, a hearty broth--not as salty as some--with several tiny cubes of silken tofu and scallions, was perfect for a cool autumn night.
Adding to the atmosphere is the presentation, which is never fussy, but very careful. It's so attractive that you're ready to enjoy your food before the first bite. The gobo maki ($16.95), thin slices of beef wrapped around pieces of burdock root, was a highlight of the meal. The pungent, earthy flavor was a tasty complement to the tender beef. The salmon teriyaki ($15.25) was also a hit. The perfectly cooked, generous piece of salmon was quite flavorful; it tasted of its marinade but was not at all overpowered by the teriyaki sauce. The chicken teriyaki ($14.95) didn't fare quite as well. Although also flavorful, unfortunately, a few pieces of chicken were a somewhat dry and rubbery. That was our only complaint. It's generally hard to go wrong with chicken, and far more difficult to get salmon just right. A bowl of steamed rice rounded out each of the dinners.
Dessert is pretty easy: mochi ice cream. Mochi, a sweet, glutinous rice paste encases two small scoops of ice cream--mango and green tea. It was a delightful way to finish our meal, in contrast to our so often-supersized portions. We were surprised when Mama-san presented us with the bill: She held a plate with fortune cookies (?!), and she made sure we each chose one and broke it open. Luckily, one of us is going to make large sums of money and we figure he's going to do that with the other one of us who is going to be "unusually successful" in business. (We're a little concerned, though, about just what unusually successful meansÉ)
Chinese fortune cookies in a Japanese restaurant? Certainly not authentic, it's true, but we were not about to question Mama-san. It's clear she knows what she's doing. In a short period of time, her restaurant has found a niche in its new neighborhood. And no matter how you're feeling when you enter, you'll walk out feeling better.
