Food and Family....

As a first generation Korean-American, I thought it might be a nice tribute to my family to take a minute and talk about why food and my experiences with food are so important to me. I grew up bi-racial, 100% Korean mom, and Irish/English/French dad. My Korean side of the family is huge - and LOVES to cook, eat, and celebrate almost anything together. My Korean family is what influenced my thoughts on food and how important food can be to a culture. It's not just about the consumption, it's about the process of growing, nurturing and appreciating it. My family grew up in a small town in Korea - they farmed off their land and ate whatever they grew or raised. My grandmother, was a devout Buddhist and maintained a strictly vegan diet throughout her amazing 96 years of life. I was taught that food is much more than something put on a table for consumption, it is about family, and bringing people together, no matter the occasion. I would be remiss to not mention the fact that I married a 100% Italian man....his love of food only compounded my love of experiencing it. However, my very first post has to be a shout out and tribute to all the amazingly strong women in my family who have cooked, served, and entertained for decades!

My grandmother and aunt picking scallions from their garden in Rhode Island.

The Lee family ladies at my wedding.

Katjitsu

My husband took me here for my birthday dinner. Katjitsu serves shojin cuisine, which is an ancient Japanese cuisine developed in Zen Buddhist monasteries. All the dishes were vegan, and the menu changes monthly.

I had not read anything about this restaurant and so I had no expectations. As we walked to the entry way, I was underwhelmed. It was 5:30, which is super early for dinner in NYC, but was the only time slot available for at the chef's table. We were greeted by two women who direct us to the "chef's table" which is comprised of an eight person bar in front of what looks like a chef de partie preparing finishing touches on some of the dishes. I soon after learned that he was the executive chef who created every single dish that we were served.

The ambiance is simple, clean, no frills - very zen. We ordered the Hana menu with sake pairings. The meal was the creation of an artist at his best. Each and every dish was elegant, balanced, and incredibly flavorful. I was amazed by how much flavor Masato Nishihara, executive chef of Kajitsu, was able to capture. Additionally, his dishes were absolutely stunning to the eye, each one with multiple colors and components.

Julienne Tri-Color Potatoes and Stuffed Chrysanthemum Shaped Pasta, Mitsuba sauce, Chrysanthemum Petals

Shang Tang Broth with Kinugasa Mushroom, Braised Onion and Nameko

Simmered Daikon with Yuzu Miso, Eight Autumn Vegetables
and Chilled Sake with Silver Moon

House-Made Soba with scallions, grated radish, horse radish shoots

Steamed Matsutake Mushroomi, Water Chestnuts, Braised Nappa Cabbage and Fushimi Pepper, Fried Taro, Corn and Edamame Tempura,Fried Grape Leaf Wrapped Gomadofu with red wine sauce, balsamic soy Sauce, tofu puree

Steamed Rice with Smoked Eggplant and House-Made Pickles

Mochi with Fresh Fig

Black bean ice cream sandwiches

Each course was more impressive than the next. We both left completely satiated without being overly full. They just received their second Michelin star - each of which is well deserved. If all vegan food tasted like this, I surely would not miss meat! As a side note, the sake menu is top notch - there is a little something for everyone, and the pairings are very well selected.

Kajitsu
http://kajitsunyc.com/
(212) 228-4873

Location
414 E 9th St New York, NY 10009
Between 1st Ave. & Ave. A

Hours
Tuesday - Sunday
5:30pm - 10:00pm
Monday closed