During our recent weekend at the Japanese restaurant Izakaya Rintaro in San Francisco, chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett hosted a party with family and some of his closest friends. Take a look at what he served, crank up the restaurant’s playlist, and re-create the meal with our recipes below.
To Drink: Rintaro Sour
This cocktail is made with shochu, a traditional Japanese distilled beverage, that is ideal for refreshing, not-too-alcoholic coocktails. Brackett prefers to use the Iichiko brand, and makes this cocktail using his own homemade umeshu (plum wine).
To Start: Sashimi
A selection of sashimi is a fixture on the Izakaya Rintaro menu. The day of the party, chef Brackett served a long line swordfish caught locally, but any freshly-caught fish would work nicely.
Kabocha Squash and Potato Croquettes with Snowy Cabbage
For this signature Rintaro dish, kabocha squash and potatoes are flavored with Japanese curry powder before being formed into croquettes and deep-fried. Don’t be alarmed that our recipe makes a big batch, because trust us: They’ll disappear quickly when served to a crowd.
Sake and Soy Chicken Yakitori
Yakitori, or skewers of bite-sized pieces of grilled chicken, are a prominent fixture at most izakayas, and Rintaro is no different. Learn more about making yakitori at home.
Chrysanthemum Leaf and Persimmon Salad
Look for less-common Chrysanthemum greens at Asian grocers and farmers’ markets. They have a grassy, herbal bite that pairs nicely with sweet fuyu persimmons. If you can’t find Chrysanthemum greens, baby arugula or watercress will work, too.
Chilled Udon with Chicken, Ribbon Egg and Sesame Miso Sauce
Udon is another Rintaro signature; at the restaurant, it is made from scratch, kneaded under foot and cut by hand. In this variation, Brackett serves the Japanese noodles chilled and tossed with green beans, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, egg and a sesame-soy sauce.
Black Sesame Ice Cream
Round out the izakaya-style meal with a simple scoop of black sesame ice cream. At the restaurant, Brackett likes to use Wadaman-brand black sesame paste for the best flavor.
See more of the dinner party hosted at Izakaya Rintaro below, and check out our new line of Izakaya Rintaro sauces.