We vistied Doko on a Sunday for an early dinner. We made a reservation for two seats at the sushi bar so that we could watch all of the sushi making action up close. The sushi bar seating is not ideal because the seats are all booths for two people and it is a bit awkward to scoot the booth out to actually be able to get into the seat. We also could not easily turn to speak with our server, who was very kind.
We ordered a la carte to be able to sample more of the menu, but I also hear that the tasting menu is also a solid option. We tried some skewers, a couple of rolls, a selection of nigiri, a crudo, had a cocktail and a glass of sake, and rounded everything out with their seasonal dessert. Happy hour drinks and prices are kind of hidden on the last page of the drinks menu, so definitely flip to the end and take a look!
Sushi/Rolls:
Our favorite food item was definitely the nigiri. All of the items we were served were of high quality. The sushi rice was perfectly cooked and seasoned well. The chef's 6 piece nigiri that we received included akami (lean tuna), masu (ocean trout), madai (sea bream), kanpachi (amberjack), shima aji (striped jack), and kinmedai (splendid alfonso or goldeneye snapper), with my favorites being the madai and shima aji. We also received a complimentary otoro, caviar, and uni nigiri by virtue of sitting at the sushi counter and chatting it up with the sushi chef. All of the nigiri that Doko serves comes seasoned with their housemade sauces or toppings, so no need to dip into soy sauce. The rolls that we had were the masu maki (ocean trout) and the negitoro maki (fatty tuna and green onion). We thought that the negitoro was not balanced and had too much cucumber, and the masu maki was creative and delicious but not my personal first choice.
Small Plates:
On special was a hotate crudo (scallop), so we sprung on it. While the scallop was very fresh and sweet, the aguachile it was served it was a bit overpowering and masked the natural sweetness of the scallop--a bit of a shame. The other appetizer that we ordered was their famous wagyu toast. While the portion was a tad small, the flavors were all there. The toast comes on a piece of perfectly crisped milk bread and topped with a big mound of wagyu tartare, mushrooms, some creamy sauce, and caviar--very rich and delicious.
Robata (Skewers):
We only had two skewers just to get a small sampling of their offerings: tsukune (chicken meatball) and buta kashira (pork jowl). Our favorite of the two was the tsukune, which is juicy and flavorful and is served with a raw egg yolk to add a bit of extra richness. The pork jowl was also delicious in its own right and we would happily order both items again.
Dessert:
The seasonal dessert when we visited was their chai cheesecake. The cheesecake was light and refreshing and a satisfying way to end the meal. My favorite component of the dessert besides the cake was the little cubes of compressed apple, which served as textural contrast as well as giving the dish a good hit of acidity. Candied ginger brings a touch of warmth, and honey roasted pumpkin seeds remind us that fall is here.
The hospitality the entire night was excellent. Our server was great and chatting a bit with the sushi chefs was a fun experience. The food and drinks are great and they also offer a good variety of sake. I hope to return to Doko for a special occasion and can confidently recommend this restaurant. read more