Kotobuki

I understand why sushi restaurants are expensive and (mostly) simple restaurants. For one, good sushi-grade fish costs a lot of money. And two, Japanese cuisine is still working its way into the American diet and frankly Americans are just not comfortable with adventurous Japanese dishes – eating any sort of raw fish is already a major step out on a limb.

But Kotobuki really defies both of those realities. The fish is so remarkably fresh and inexpensive, two terms that rarely ever go hand in hand. How does chef and owner, Hisao Abe, do it? Is there an enormous across the board price markup on sushi that only he doesn’t abide by? But that’s not all, dinners arrive accompanied by complimentary native Japanese side dishes, ones I’ve scarcely seen at other US Japanese places. The dishes aren’t strange, rather they’re quite tasty. Why does Kotobuki serve different and exciting Japanese dishes (and keep customers coming) while most others are stuck in the grind of only edamame and chicken teriyaki?

To be fair, Kotobuki is not the perfect sushi restaurant for all occasions. The restaurant is very small, located in the upstairs of a townhouse with only 30 seats including the sushi bar, so there’s always a wait and once seated you’ll likely overhear the conversations at surrounding tables. You can also scratch it off if you’re looking for a restaurant downtown, since it’s located in residential Georgetown (Palisades) and has a wide mix of patrons, including often families with small children. The ambience closer resembles a local neighborhood spot than great sushi establishment. But the restaurant is endearing, the prices are dirt cheap and the food is frankly remarkable – here are the specifics.

If you're starting with a drink, try the sake. It’s served in a wooden box and is practically overflowing with delicious rice wine. The sushi menu is nicely stocked with numerous platters and options by the piece for $1 each (both nigiri and sashimi). All of the basic fish is so fresh that it literally glistens on the plate – you really will be able to not just taste but also SEE a difference. They also have a few specialty fish options, including the famed toro, fatty tuna, for $2.50 a piece. Here the toro is so soft that it sooner resembles butter than fish. As for the rolls, they have a smaller and more basic selection, but for $3.50 or $4, the large and delicious rolls are a steal – made with fish so fresh that you can really taste a difference in the roll. Highlights include the eel, yellowtail, toro and mackerel nigiri, and the spicy salmon and rainbow rolls.

Not interested in sushi? Try one of the house specialties, the unadon is my personal favorite (pictured below). Offered in many restaurants, Kotobuki takes the eel dish to a new level. Sometimes referred to as unaju, unadon is broiled fresh water eel in a fish sauce, served over a bed of sticky Japanese rice. Here the bowl is practically overflowing with delicious, hearty, piping hot eel, perfect for a cold night. The sauce is gooey and the vinegar rice is sticky and addicting – if I were Japanese, this would surely be my comfort food.


Broiled eel and tuna sashimi from the unadon set at Kotobuki

I’d be satisfied enough with just this, but the meal is far from over. Accompanying the eel is miso soup and four complimentary side dishes: a platter of sashimi and three native side dishes. There are five(!) pieces of sashimi, tuna and flounder – both refreshing and fresh. The dishes include a few bites of black seaweed, a mound of raw carrots and root vegetables, and my personal favorite, a dish of fragrant mini root mushrooms. It’s a mountain of delicious food, and for only $17, it’s an unbelievable deal.


The chicken kamameshi at Kotobuki

For more traditional eaters there’s another house specialty for the same price, kamameshi. Kamameshi is chicken or vegetables slow cooked and served in an iron kettle, accompanied by miso soup and those four complimentary sides. To finish, try the homemade green tea mochi balls. The small rice cakes are doughy with creamy green tea ice cream inside, enough to satisfy your sweet tooth but small enough not to stuff you.

I’ve never left Kotobuki anything but utterly satisfied. Try it, I bet you’ll agree.