cone sushi rolls
BY DAVE LOWRY
How to put this diplomatically? We eat a lot of stuff that you probably wouldn't consider eating, stuff from various cuisines that might politely be termed "exotic." There would be little value--aside from shock--in detailing some of it. Suffice it to say that when it is Japanese stuff, or when we are in the mood for the sort of Japanese food that is normally available only in restaurants or in Japanese homes, we go to Seki, in the Loop. A recent extensive renovation saw the installation of a grill for yakitori, savory bits of meat cooked over the flame that are most often served in Japan at streetside stalls, and so Seki now offers some delicacies mostly unavailable at other local Japanese restaurants. But it is the ura kondate, or "hidden menu," on which many of Seki's tastiest dishes are found. These dishes contain ingredients that are apparently kept in some kind of magic box; they aren't on the printed menu but appear upon request. It's amazing. We've seen Seki-san routinely produce such items as tuna heart and salt-fermented squid shiokara that even the best of Japanese restaurants in places such as New York or L.A. would be unable to present. Even if those treats are a bit outre for your palate, however, if you're looking for excellent Japanese food, Seki must be a destination.
One doesn't get past the appetizer menu without realizing that there's something special about the place. There are the usual: grilled slices of eggplant and sauteed baby green peppers (both $4.95). But give one of these a try: Takoyaki, slices of octopus battered and deep-fried into savory cakes ($4.50). Yamakake, cubes of ruby-raw tuna with slippery, sweet and starchy grated mountain yam ($6.95, and ask to have some of the same yam, or yama- imo, served with another excellent appetizer, mozoku, crunchy green seaweed in a tangy vinegar sauce, $5.50). Skewered bites of chicken and onions, rolled in fine breadcrumbs and deep-fried ($6.95). And morokyu, a beautifully, elegantly simple appetizer of crisp Japanese cucumber slivers served with a dollop of moromi miso paste chunky with salty soybeans ($4.95).
"Seki's Specials" are a quartet of special combination dinners served in lacquered, compartmented trays. They include a variety of sashimi, tempura shrimp and other seafood and vegetables, miso soup, and other sides, more than enough for all but the biggest eaters ($17.95-$19.95). Other combination dinners pair tempura and sashimi ($17.50) or tempura and beef or chicken teriyaki ($19.50 and $18.50). Half-a-dozen teishoku, or "set" meals, are a bargain for lighter appetites, with fewer sides than the combination dinners. Consider ordering these with a couple of appetizers. All feature grilled fish; all are delightful. Sanma and aji are both oily, pungent, trout-size fish, perfect for grilling ($6.50 and $14.50) though perhaps a bit strong for some palates, as is the mackerel ($12.95), but if you like the last, try one of the first two. You won't be disappointed. Salmon, grilled with a teriyaki sauce, is more familiar ($19.95). By far the best selection here, however, is the gindara. Poorly translated on the menu as "Chilean sea bass," it's actually silver cod, a moist, slightly dense white fish. A thick fillet is marinated in miso paste, then grilled. The result may be the best seafood dish in St. Louis ($14.50).
Tempura here is light, lacy, airy and nearly greaseless. There is so much soggy, leaden tempura around that one can forget just how good it can be. Seki is a fine place in which to remember. Sashimi is properly cut under Seki's knife, domino-thick slices or paper-thin fillets, depending on the fattiness and texture of the fish, so it's never heavy or mushy. Sushi, now more common than Grateful Dead bumper stickers in the Wild Oats parking lot, is also exemplary here and several notches above the offerings of most other places. The kitchen indulges in some of the sillier St. Louis roll-type concoctions but the emphasis is on the standards of hand- pressed sushi, with the usual menu selections.
If you want to conclude your meal in classic fashion, order the ume-shiso roll. The piquant pickled apricots and minty shiso leaves in this roll are the traditional last-course palate cleanser for a sushi meal ($2.50). As always, the best bargain for sushi enthusiasts is the Edo- style "scattered," or chirashi, sushi, served in a lacquered box, a layer of sushi rice topped with several varieties of fish and other delectables ($20.50).
By no means should the yakitori menu be overlooked. There are some regular offerings; others change frequently: Glistening slices of duck breast. Fat tubes of meaty geoduck- clam neck. Shishamo, a delicious large smelt, grilled whole. The heart of yakitori is always chicken, skewered and roasted, and its lifeblood is the chef's own tare sauce, brushed on as the meat cooks. A lip- smacking combination of sweet rice wine, soy sauce, sugar and sake, it gives the meat a glossy golden patina. Seki's version is thoroughly creditable. Yakitori is the perfect after-work snack. Try a couple of chicken- laden skewers along with a beer, followed by a bowl of ochazuke, rice and a fish of the day covered with tea to make a tasty kind of porridge ($6.50), and you'll see why it's an evening ritual all over Japan.
In addition to the new grill, Seki's dining room has largely been renovated, with more booths and a general sprucing up, yielding a more attractive environment. Service here can be slow, even during off-peak hours, and some diners have been put off by a staff that can be, let's say, curt. We risk being similarly categorized, but here's the bottom line: Along with the superb Nobu's and the Rock Hill location of Sansui, Seki is simply in a class by itself in terms of presenting serious, reasonably (sometimes astonishingly) authentic Japanese fare in St. Louis. It's become a fixture in the Loop and is unquestionably one of the best restaurants in the area.
SEKI ADDRESS: 6335 Delmar, 314-726-6477 AVERAGE MAIN COURSE: $18 DRESS: It's the Loop, so have fun; dress nicely enough to irritate/embarrass the local bohemian element with an expression of your bourgeois, capitalistic sensibilities. RESERVATIONS: Not usually necessary unless you're with a large group. BOTTOM LINE: Outstanding Japanese fare, featuring grilled yakitori and sushi.Sunset Hills 314.909.0300 Ballwin 636.230.2992 St. Peters 636.278.0500 Fairview Heights 618.397.6097
