Kemuri Tatsuya-Austin

Live Oak Barbecue came and went before I even got there….and it’s 2 blocks from my house.  But, thankfully, I got over to it’s unlikely replacement, Kemuri Tatsuya.  Kemuri has had a generous line and wait since opening just a few weeks ago.  It not only replaced Live Oak, but kept much of the facade, the pit smoke scent, and somehow seamlessly incorporated barbecue staples into the Izakaya fare.  Simply put, it was delicious. We got there nine minutes past the retiree eating slot of 5:30 and waited about 15 minutes for a table.  An outdoor bar supplied drinks for the wait.  My husband was happy to wait with a Dreamy Cloud Sake, while I developed an acute panic regarding the complete lack of wine on the booze menu.  I’m not much of a beer drinker, have not previously enjoyed sake, and don’t typically choose cocktails, save a few standbys.

The interior has also kept much of the BBQ joint vibe, but incorporates dark woods, red lantern lighting,  Japanese kitsch and typical Izakaya tableware.   The menu is designed for sharing with “munchies,” “smoked,” and “skewers.”  It continues with a few freestanding items and finishes with Ramen and rice dishes before dessert.  We ordered everything we thought we could possibly eat, and did not go wrong on any count.  The service was attentive, friendly and informative.  The poor gentleman spent a good 5 minutes getting me over my no wine dilemma to suggest some Shochu.   That did not go well for me.  I chose a buckwheat based Shochu, which is a Japanese distilled beverage made from a choice of base ingredients such as rice, barley, sweet potato, buckwheat or potatoes.  The Towari Shochu tasting notes indicated that I would enjoy notes of stonefruit and roasted corn.  Instead, I noted smokiness and an herbal note atop a quite alcoholic base.  I could not afterwards  say that I am a convert to Shochu. Luckily, the husband drank some of that and I began to warm up to his Dreamy Cloud Sake which I found to be fairly mild and a bit fruity.

We began the food odyssey with the Charred Shishitos.  There was nothing unique about the peppers themselves, save for the smokiness that was imparted by what I assume is use of the barbecue pits to grill pretty much everything on the menu.  The bonito flake added some umami, but the real star of the dish was the barley miso aioli.  It had a silky creamy texture and was simply scrumptious.  This was followed quickly by the fish collar, which was also amazing.  The skin crispy and smoky skin was peeled back to reveal the most tender and tasty flesh.  Again, with a slight smoked flavor from the grill.  They served this with yuzu salt and some lemon to provide an acid balance to the dish.  The wait staff attempted to take this from our table twice before we had gotten every bit of fish off the bones, and were quickly shut down.  

   

 

 

 

 

 

The Guaca-poke arrived next with the most beautifully pink chunks of tuna I have ever seen sitting next to avocado puree with pickled red onion, wasabi, sprouts and radishes meant to be mixed together into a tangy guacamole.  Duck breast with an orange ponzu sauce was our next course.  The duck was perfectly cooked with a slight char on the outside and a tender, pink center.  This, along with the miso marinated scallop skewer was the most simply prepared dish of the evening, and they were both great. 

 

 

 

 

 

The dish that perhaps best captured the fusion of Izakaya and Texas barbecue was the chili cheese takoyaki.  Think chili cheese nachos with fluffy octopus fritters as the base.  Savory, fluffy fritters swam in chili with smoked jalapenos, onions and cheddar.  We did not require any more food, but managed to fit in the “Hot Pocketz” which folded chunks of smoky brisket into a crispy outer layer of cheddar cheese with gouda hidden in the middle.  And, finally, the roasted banana pudding that came in a mason jar topped off our evening with sweetness and crunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I even managed to find a cocktail I liked, the Matcha Painkiller, their version of a piña colada with a shochu (they snuck that in on me) and tequila base.  It was tropical fruity and boozy and served in a kitty carafe.  I’d get on over to this place quick and do it early if you can to avoid the wait.  We will certainly be back.