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It’s common knowledge that the best way to anger a chef is to order something off menu. But for chef and owner SJ Yun of Izakaya Tora, that’s his favorite.
“I love accommodating, first of all, but it’s kind of weird to call it accommodation because the guests kind of feel like the chef is now bending over backwards,” Yun says. “I don’t want to give that feeling to my guests.”
Yun’s Japanese gastropub, which specializes in bar snacks, grilled meats, sashimi, sushi rolls and more, also offers omakase service. Translating to “I leave it up to you,” omakase allows the chef to take the reins on the dining experience. And it’s a style that Izakaya Tora has mastered.
During a late February visit to the restaurant on Paradise Road just south of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Yun sent out off-menu items like charred snow peas and eggplant with a savory ginger sauce, fried soft shell crab with a spicy, creamy sauce, and for dessert, grilled cantaloupe with matcha whipped cream.
The innovation didn’t stop there. Grilled Iberico pork, chicken oysters and Wagyu skewers were elevated with a tofu ricotta, which had the consistency of a light, creamy hummus and the flavor of miso. Yellowtail and salmon sashimi were served with pickled jalapeño and radish. And miso-grilled cherry tomatoes cleansed the palate in between courses.
“With omakase, I like to think of it as a balanced meal. And how you start to how you finish is crucial, [as is] every single detail in between [like] how you course things out in terms of pacing,” Yun says.
Adhering to an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, Izakaya Tora just released a spring menu. Nikkei ceviche ($17) is made with leche de tigre marinade, avocado, pickled aji peppers and cara cara orange slices. And the Flyin’ Hawaiian carpaccio ($22) of Norwegian salmon and bluefin tuna is topped with a Hawaiian-style poke marinade, scallion and crispy garlic.
As the chef takes you through a perfectly-planned meal, friendly staff can recommend pairings from a vast collection of sake. One in particular, the Kikusui Funaguchi Nama Genshu ($26), apparently is carried by only two restaurants in town—the other being Other Mama. It’s an unpasteurized, undiluted rice wine with a fruity, honey-like flavor.
“Especially within the sake aficionados, it’s kind of like a unicorn. … It’s only released once a year during the spring, and every state gets an allocation by the brewery. Nevada only gets 50 cases,” Yun says.
Whether you’re making your own menu or letting the chef take the reins, thoughtful dishes, rare sake and stellar service await at this off-Strip destination.
IZAKAYA TORA 3900 Paradise Road #B, 702-902-2244, izakayatoralv.com. Daily, 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
English (US) ·