japanese delights

 

Hi bento friends! A highlight of my recent birthday celebration was an indulgent visit to Kushi, a recently opened Japanese restaurant that has received rave reviews for its ultra-fresh fish and savory, authentic Izakaya (pub-style) Japanese dishes.Our two-plus hour feast at Kushi was memorable! Here are some images from our epic meal.

Super-fresh and delicate uni (this was my first time trying this exquisite sea treat):

.

 Lovely grilled quail (photo by Jamison):

 Mixed grill with soy-butter glazed corn, bacon-wrapped asparagus, stuffed spicy peppers, sauce, whole grilled green peppers:

 

 Crisp-tender duck:

 

Wood-grilled eggplant...amazing! (photo by Jamison)

 A beautiful chawanmushi custard with edamame, wild shrimp, mushrooms:

 

Super-fatty tuna, yellowtail, mackrel sashimi:

 

 Later that day we visited Hana Market, a friendly and very tidy Japanese grocery in the U Street neighborhood with a great selection of Japanese items on its carefully organized shelves, from soba to mizuna, miso to pickles, locally grown Japanese produce and more...

 

 

 

Today's bento is a summery selection of Japanese tastes I love, with an enjoyable selection of little dishes nestled in the shokado box...

Green tea soba with a topping of farmer's market tomato and peppers, garlic, spicy saury, snow pea tops and ohba:

Calamari and seaweed salad with bitter melon, handmade food pick with blue bead accent:

Saturn peach from the farmer's market:

Strawberry mochi, raspberry on top:

In keeping with the soothing blue theme, a favorite Nepalese Buddha from the Sackler-Freer Gallery of Asian Art, which I visited on Tuesday:

A golden butterfly, Friday afternoon:

Happy weekend!