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| - I doubt you can find another restaurant in Vegas that serves Umeboshi Chazuke. When chefs are willing to offer items that don't pander to the common denominator customer I take it as a signal that the chefs care about their food as much as they they care about turning a profit. We are lucky Hiro is this type of chef. If you drink, they have a well curated selection of uncommon Japanese beers.
For me eating out is sometimes a proxy for travel; seeing something foreign like Umeboshi Chazuke - a shiso, dashi, green tea, rice soup - leaves my giddy with anticipation, imagining I will soon know something more about a place halfway around the world without having to leave Vegas.
Hiro cautioned me that it was a dish unfamiliar to the western palate and that I may want to try something else. Of course, being the pretentious foodie, I took Hiro's polite redirection as a challenge. Is this Chazuke something I will have all the time? No. But, I am glad for the opportunity to try a twist on a common Japanese breakfast and develop my understanding of the flavors within shiso and umeboshi.
Hiro is a Japanese chef who has worked at big name joints on the strip, and thanks to his off strip location and desire to draw in customer we have the chance to enjoy fish that has never been frozen prepared by a skilled chef at off strip prices. If you are wonder why the larger sushi and sashimi prices seem higher than you have seen elsewhere off-strip, it is because these are fish you're only likely to see in places on the strip or at Kabuto.
I was lucky enough to show up on a day when Tuna collar was available. It was larger than I am used too and perfectly grilled. I suspect that the other collars I've had were not butchered in the same manner as this cut. Hiro's decision to butcher the collar a particular way likely contributed to the proper texture of the final dish.
Tokyo Boys does an excellent job of executing both the familiar American sushi as well as the traditional Japanese offerings. I look forward to going back, eating my way through the menu, and trying whatever new items Hiro is excited about serving.
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