Koku good news for Armonk foodies

admin Posted OnFebruary 12, 2016

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Koku – more good news for Armonk foodies!!! The new Koku Japanese restaurant in the CVS shopping center in Armonk is more good news for Armonk foodies – maybe for everybody in the ABC towns and beyond.

Let’s get right to the point. This is not your average Teriyaki and Tempura house. While you can find the Japanese classics on the menu like your standard Bento Box, Koku serves up, in the words of owner Eric Cheng “modern Japanese cuisine.” Some might call it fusion. Either way the menu is smart and sophisticated and the food is laced with herbs and spices, cuts of meat and fish and preparations you won’t find at your local hibachi grill and sushi bar.

Here’s a clue that will get you half way there …

Koku good news for Armonk foodies In fact, Eric Cheng brings a considerable restaurant pedigree to town with Koku. He and his partners have been involved in restaurants in New York City and Eric is an owner in two Japanese restaurants on Long Island that he preferred we not name because Koku is a new stand-alone brand for his restaurant group. But here’s a clue. With 26 Zagat’s food rating points, they are the top rated Japanese restaurants on the island.

In fact, if Koku can match the performance of their Long Island sisters in the next Zagat’s survey, they will be the top rated Japanese restaurant in Westchester, will match La Cremaillere and Restaurant North in our area and will sit behind only 7 restaurants of any kind in all of Westchester County. Heady stuff, indeed!

Well they have a lot of sautéing to do before they get there but as far as Koku goes, as a new addition to the local restaurant scene – it’s all good.

They fired the interior designer and lived to tell the tale

Eric went through two interior design firms before he decided to take on the job himself. He did a great job creating a contemporary zen retreat that plays warm fabrics and wood tones off sleek marble, metal and tile surfaces. When you enter you will see a wave theme on the stucco-esque wall in the lobby that is carried through to the back of the restaurant where a wall of walnut curls up and crests over the sushi station. The wave theme, reserved as it is, somehow captures the tone for the whole restaurant.

It was a smart idea to brick up one of the walls (warm) and it plays well off the whitewashed faux wood, wide plank tile on the floor (sleek). A series of bronzed metal tubes (sleek) partially obscures an open ceiling and the onyx marble bar glows (warm) from light panels underneath. There are armless black leather chairs (warm) with chrome legs (sleek) and cozy fabric banquettes.

Easy peasy menu

Koku good news for Armonk foodies The menu was easy. The crispy duck appetizer and the short rib appetizer jumped off the page and that’s how we started. How do you say it? The crispy duck that they roast daily and serve on a bed of julienned celery was so-o-o-o good. One of the best duck dishes we’ve ever had. And the short rib appetizer, three full short ribs, marinated with a sweet soy sauce (just slightly sweet) brought back memories of the short ribs we had at Lespinasse twenty years ago. (Every serving of short ribs brings back memories of Lespinasse.) We also had the crispy calamari, rings only, that came with a mango salsa dipping sauce (see what we mean when we say fusion?) that was very good. Unlike the hearty helping of short ribs, the calamari was a tasting portion. That said, when Koku promises crispy, you get crispy. That works for us. We also liked the Chicken Basil with an eclectic mix of veggies that is certain to be a staple for all parties and especially the kids. Easy peasy.

We’re not sure how we passed on the Sesame Tuna Steak, served with a sesame risotto in soy lime grass sauce but at some point you’ve just ordered too much food. We think it sounds great and we’re going back for that.

Mid-week sushi lover alert!!!

As you would expect, the sushi was a winner, fresh, delicious and perfectly portioned (not too big/not too small) and everyone liked the Christmas roll with lobster tempura and avocado on the inside and crispy tuna and spicy (not too spicy) sauce on the outside.

But here’s an inside scoop for sushi lovers. From Sunday through Thursday, Eric’s sushi partner, Nick Lin, brings in weekly specials from the world famous Tokyo Tsukiji fish market. So if you like to leave it to the sushi chef to serve you his daily recommendations or try some exotic fish not commonly found on sushi menus than you’re going to have fun on weeknights at Koku. They recently served Chinese paddlefish – a 75 million year old genus of swordfish.

Other signature dishes

Koku good news for Armonk foodies Eric identified some signature dishes for us starting with the Chilean Sea bass in a saikyo miso sauce served with lemon cauliflower, asparagus and orange miso emulsion that he says has been compared favorably to the best dishes at Nobu. Next on his list is the Seafood Trio, grilled jumbo shrimp, scallop and half of a fresh lobster that is lightly browned, then boiled in sake and served with a creamy wine sauce with basil, bell pepper and seasonal vegetables.

Their signature appetizers, in addition to the crispy duck and short ribs, include the blue crab fajita and the tuna pizza. Fresh blue fin tuna torched in truffle oil and topped with truffle paste, served on a tortilla with guacamole and a balsamic vinegar spicy mayo.

The top signature roll, according to Eric, is the New Year Roll with king crab, shrimp tempura and avocado and spicy mayo on the inside and seared pepper tuna, olive wasabi and sweet chili on the outside. The Armonk Roll, ahi tuna and avocado on the inside and spicy crunchy salmon topped with spicy miso sauce on the outside. The American Dream is their top cooked sushi roll featuring rock shrimp tempura on the inside topped with spicy lobster and spicy crabmeat in a spicy creamy sauce on the outside.

Local Asian or worth the trip?

Koku good news for Armonk foodies We often ask ourselves if there is such a thing as an Asian restaurant that is worth the trip? In the days before Made In Asia opened in Armonk we traveled to Water Moon in Rye and Bambou in Greenwich. After MIA, we spot-checked Spoon in Chappaqua and Tengda in Katonah. All the new wave Asian bistros in the ABC towns are good but there’s not a lot of daylight between them. So why travel? Does Koku change all that? Only time will tell if Koku lives up to their pedigree. In the meantime, Armonk foodies have more good news. And Bedford and Chappaqua residents have to try this one out – at least once!