Sushi, sashimi and pickled vegetables are some of my favorite foods. The tanginess of rice vinegar, the punch of umami, the subtle sweetness of seasoned rice, along with the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth thinly sliced assortment of fish, is one of my culinary happy places. If I could only have one food on a deserted island, it would be Japanese cuisine.
I’ve been looking forward to dining at Smoke Door, a charming Japanese boutique restaurant in Crystal Bay, Nev. My friends Tyler Post and Jane Grey invited me to join them. Their talented housemate, Griffin Vanorder, works in the kitchen.
The vibe of the restaurant is akin to a Japanese tea house with cozy tables for two along the window and seating for larger parties centered in the middle. There was an open kitchen and bar seating, which was great for checking out each of the chef’s culinary skills. Leaning into their wood-fired curated food makes this restaurant stand out.
We embarked on a 10-course dining experience with wine and sake pairings. Did I mention I love Japanese food? And, I love sake. The menu for the evening was indeed unique with a Japanese fusion of flavors Our server, Grant, was fabulous and knowledgeable. He took the time to explain each delicacy served.
Grant placed the amuse-bouche (yes, it’s French) to start off our dining experience. This included a warm dashi broth, served like tea, to cleanse our palate. Parsnip macaroons with white miso and cumin, a crispy rice cake topped with uni, and a small bowl of beets with goat cheese and a glass of delicious champagne commenced this culinary adventure.
We dined on Sturgeon caviar on creamy tofu with a leek gelee, traditional Toyosu Fish, which tonight was Shima Aji, a striped jackfish in an umeboshi plum sauce with Japanese pickle. Followed by Smoke Door’s house-made pork sausage served with red miso-lotus root au jus and mustard greens; this was one of Tyler and Jane’s favorites. The embered eggplant dish was to die for.
We savored their Black Cod Dobin Mushi, served in a mushroom broth. The star of the evening, was the Wagyu beef (one of my favorite courses), served with smoked black salt, fresh-grated wasabi root (the best ever), and a smoked lemon kosho and Sansho pepper au jus. The steak was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth. A large Maitake mushroom cooked over the wood fire gave it a grand, lightly charred note. The final savory course was Smoked Door’s signature Donabe rice cooked in a clay pot with pickled vegetables, served with an egg yolk and soy vinegar on the side.
The wines and sakes that paired with each course were delightful and accompanied each dish perfectly. Dessert was shaved ice with yuzu pomegranate sauce and creamy white chocolate, topped with mochi, and a smoked passionfruit cake with shisho sauce and white chocolate frosting.
If you are looking for a unique dining experience, Smoke Door is one of the best I’ve experienced in Tahoe in a long time. | https://smokedoor-tahoe.com
