Rintaro: Japanese Food from an Izakaya in California

From a beloved, respected Japanese izakaya restaurant in San Francisco comes this handsome, detailed book which presents Japanese cuisine informed very thoughtfully by California ingredients and ideals.

Chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett, the son of a Japanese mother, has lived and worked in Japan as well as California. The connections he makes between the cuisines of the two places are not artificial: they are the observant adaptations of a mindful cook. His recipe headnotes are sometimes as long as the instructions he provides, and the melding of the cuisines is subtle enough that it can take some browsing to note dishes such as:

• Romano beans, figs, and peach with shira-ae, a rich tofu sesame sauce
• Steamed egg and corn “tofu”
• Chicken and cheese katsu
• Roasted green tea panna cotta

Brackett supports his recipes with detailed instructions on a variety of techniques, from breaking down a tuna loin and roll-cutting daikon to making udon. The eight pages devoted to the udon are remarkably informative.

A strong contribution.

 Hardcover. Color photos throughout.