Tokyo, Continued
Interviewing sushi chef and owner Kazuya Suzuki of Sharaku, West Bloomfield
Hi, everyone! This quick post is a bonus interview with an incredible sushi chef and owner of the beloved institution, Sharaku. Sharaku is an unassuming, daringly authentic Japanese restaurant in West Bloomfield that has been open for 27 years. Chef James is often asked where he likes to eat in metro-Detroit and Sharaku is always at the top of the list. Co-owner and maitre’d Ken Nagao embodies the respectful, thoughtful hospitality engrained in Japanese culture. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than sitting at the sushi counter at Sharaku, drinking an ice cold Sapporo and awaiting the following dishes that, in addition to sushi and sashimi of your choice, are a must-order:
Kyurisu (cucumber and seaweed salad in a tangy vinegar sauce)
Butakimuchi (a funky pork and kimchi stirfry)
Sunagimo Ponzu (fried chicken gizzards and garlic stems)
Sobano Isobeage (seaweed wrapped soba noodles with egg and crab, deep fried and served in a savory dashi broth)
Karasukareino Saikyuouyaki (miso-marinated and hibachi-grilled flounder)
The sensitivity and attention to detail is evident every aspect of the menu. From the temperature and seasoning of the sushi rice to the delicate char of the hibachi grill, Suzuki is the maestro. A true master of his craft, whose dedication is an inspiration to all of us at Mabel Gray. ~ Paulina
Tell us about where you are from and how you got started in sushi.
I am from Niigata Japan, specifically Tochio-shi, now Tochio-cho in Nagaoka. In high school I went to Tokyo to interview with Sushiden which was still a small sushi chain, with about 10 restaurants. I really didn’t have an interest in food or cooking, but thought it could be an adventure. The owner of the sushi chain asked me 1 question that day, “what is your favorite food?” And the answer should have been sushi, but I answered “Ramen”. To this day I remember being embarrassed after I figured out the right answer was Sushi…
When did you first come to America to start making sushi? What do you remember most about that time?
I arrived in New York in 1986. I still remember seeing the Manhattan skyline for the first time that day, and it was breathtaking! Another thing I remember was getting into an American car, and my feet would not reach the floor. I also remember seeing the 4th of July fireworks in New York being spectacular.
What are your favorite food memories of growing up in Niigata?
I was born and raised in the mountains, where no real restaurants existed. I remember picking vegetables and fruits from the farm and simmering them or grilling them, and having them to eat. I to this day really appreciate the natural foods that my mother cooked for me daily, and I think that is still a big part of me. These were the times that instant ramen noodles were invented in Japan and I tasted for the first time in my life and was blown away at all the artificial delicious flavors, and hence the answer ramen at my interview. Not even real ramen.
What do you think most people don’t understand about sushi?
Probably the fact that not all sushi is raw. There is simmered ingredients, steamed, cured, etc. originally nothing fried. The beauty and fun part of sushi prior to refrigerators was the fact that seasonal items could be had when the seasons changed. For example, in the spring, Katsuo (Bonito), cucumbers in the spring so cucumber rolls, Sanma (Saury)in the fall, etc. My style of sushi has always been to integrate ingredients from the mountain, river, and Ocean. That’s how I was taught.
What is your favorite kind of ramen?
Shoga Shoyu Ramen (Ginger and soy sauce)
What advice do you have for someone just starting their cooking career?
It would be to respect and understand the flavors of the ingredients that you are using. Us Chefs are here to present and enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients. Not to hide or change it.
You have been at Sharaku for over 20 years now. What do you love most about working in metro Detroit and what is the secret to lasting so long in business?
The green that’s all around Michigan and the nature that surrounds this state, and the fact that there are 4 seasons. Just like in Niigata.
When you go back and visit Japan, what is the first thing you eat?
Soba Noodles. My favorite noodle.
