Izakaya Seki - Prime Japanese (AAP Conference 2015)

Being able to go to conferences is a cherished prize for a resident in any program. Not only does it allow you to network and meet other interested health care staff, but it also affords an opportunity to learn about and, for me, dine at different restaurants across the world. My conference this year was the annual American Academy of Pediatrics, the mecca of pediatric conferences held by the body that accredits and trains future pediatricians. Held in Washington DC, I was also tacitly thrilled at my dining options too! Being there only for a few days (and having meals covered mostly by the conference) I begin this short endeavor into the AAP Conference in Washington.

Whenever I visit a new city I always look at the current food bloggers and any top lists of restaurants. Thankfully Washington has a nuanced and vivid food scene with suggestions coming fast and furiously from all directions. What stuck out are the same handful of restaurants, ones that were universally acclaimed and heralded for their take on food. The top Japanese restaurant of choice was Izakaya Seki.

My geography of Washington is a bit sparse but Izakaya is located in the heart of downtown on U street. For a restaurant that has a large prominence on the food scene, the place itself was shockingly small and somewhat difficult to find. Situated right beside a pizza joint and in a sleepy part of downtown full of townhouses and apartments, this hardly seemed to be a place for a top restaurant. Well certainly looks can be deceiving as I was overwhelmed by the hustle, bustle and sound of plates clanging by happy diners. Having no reservation I resorted to sitting at the bar and had a perfect shot of the action. The decor and ambiance are top notch with thoughtful and tasteful artwork that transports you to Japan. Lots of traditionally dressed waitresses and hostesses greet you and hurry you to your upcoming meal.

Each night has two menus, a main one that stays set through the nights and a rotating specials menu. Izakaya Seki embraces the Japanese izakaya (i.e. tapas) style of cuisine with a laundry list of raw, grilled, fried or steamed seafood options. The main menu exudes confidence while the rotating menu offers a sense of playfulness and creativity. Talking to the chefs, it is obvious they pride themselves on the freshest of fish possible and want to respect the ingredients.

The most popular item on their menu, the Sashimi Moriawase is a chef's choice of sashimi offered at three price points, each with a different compliment of fish (3, 7, 10 items). Opting for the medium size today, this beautifully crafted plate included Surf Clam, Squid, Octopus, Shrimp, Red Snapper, Toro (Tuna Belly) and Hamachi. As a general blanket statement, the sashimi here is incredible with large portions that were incredibly fresh. The highlight here was definitely the tuna: huge chunks of fish that seemingly melt in your mouth. A marker of the freshness of the fish, I was able to taste a subtle sweetness which contrasted nicely to the inherent fattiness in the fish that was ultimately finished with a hint of saltiness. The definition of umami indeed.

The deep fried chicken Kara-age served as a nice contrast to the sublime sashimi. Plainly presented, the large pieces of chicken were flash fried in a thin layer of tempura batter and served with a tasty soy and vinegar sauce. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed in the quality of the chicken used here, with some pieces rendered tough and lacking moistness. Nevertheless the chefs used a perfect amount of batter, which, when combined with the quick fry created a wonderfully crisp and light aspect of the dish, almost making the diner forget the dish was deep fried in the first place. The vinegar-y sauce was unique and worked to cut through any oiliness and richness of the dish.

Being a weary traveler, I also wanted a starchy element to finish off my meal. Izakaya allows diners to enjoy their noodles either cold (dipped) or warm and with options of an egg or pork belly and so, after a recommendation from the staff, I went with the Inaniwa Udon Dashi (Warm) with Onsen (Egg). When my dish arrived, I was immediately taken aback by the aroma, a dizzying thrust of herbal tones that captivated my appetite. Next was the visual display of a simple soup topped with an boiled egg peeking through. Finally was the utter wonder of the incredibly tender, soft and luxurious noodles tucked underneath, cooked perfectly enough to soak in the chicken and herb based broth while still maintaining their texture. Simple in appearance but incredibly crafted, Izakaya's udon comes close to the best version I have ever had.

There are not enough superlatives available to describe Izakaya Seki. Washington-ers should be thankful that such a wonderous representation of traditional Japanese cuisine is in their doorsteps. From the just-caught-fresh sashimi to their incredible udon, Izakaya Seki is an instant recommendation for anyone visiting the Washington area wanting to munch on delightful Japanese.