Kashi: Reinventing Japanese Cuisine
By The Foodies./ foodie@longislandernews.com

Patience is a virtue, and thankfully for Huntington foodies, it’s a trait Kashi Modern Japanese owners Wilson Weng and Tony Lam had plenty of.

Weng, of Brooklyn, said he’s been trying to find a space to open a restaurant in Huntington for five years.

“I really like the area. It has a Manhattan feel, like a small Manhattan,” he said. “Whenever I was in town, I would ask all my friends, ‘Do you know any space open in the Huntington area?’”

The former Elm Street Eatery is now decorated in black and gray booths and tables, creating a cool, urbane setting. Seven-color LED lighting trims the front booth island and other decorative accents throughout Kashi and further accentuates the sophisticated décor.

Kashi’s Modern Japanese menu pairs staples – teriyaki, sushi rolls and the like – with new visions, giving everybody at the table something to delight in. And all that crossed our plate was dynamite.

Weng started us off with smoky Winter Truffle White Tuna ($10), served in downright seductive, aromatic truffle oil soy sauce that has the fabulous flavor to match.

Crabmeat Avocado Salad ($11), a mound of jumbo lump crabmeat tossed in spicy mayo atop two thick slices of avocado, melts in your mouth. Filet Mignon Carpaccio ($12) is creative and flavorful with a bright, zesty ginger and scallion note you wouldn’t expect on a steak dish. It also boasts some of the tenderest Angus you’ll ever have the pleasure of dining on. And the soft-shell crab tempura ($11) is light, crispy and tender, served in a sweet-and-spicy Thai chili sauce.

Kashi’s menu of sushi and signature rolls includes ample choices of traditional, cooked and vegetarian rolls. The Out Of Control ($14) specialty roll combines tuna, salmon, yellowtail and asparagus, topped with torched tuna, salmon and yellowtail. And the Valentine ($14) is a veritable love letter to tuna aficionados thanks to the crunchy spicy tuna wrapped with fresh tuna in heart-shaped pieces.

The kitchen entrees – mostly seafood with a few steak accents – shine as well. Chilean XO Sea Bass ($24) is crunchy on the outside but falls apart into tender, flaky morsels at the gentle nudge of a chopstick, and is served in a complex XO sauce which Weng said it takes four days to make. Their Seafood Risotto ($24) combines perfectly cooked black and brown risotto with lobster and shrimp, crisp, fresh vegetables and a delightful lemon cream sauce for dipping.

If you’re looking for something on the go, check out Kashi’s lunch specials including Kitchen and Sushi Bar boxes for $15. Or, opt for sushi and/or sashimi ranging from $12-$15. But with an atmosphere so cool and funky, we think it’s definitely worth putting some time aside to dine in and take it all in.

Kashi: Modern Japanese
12 Elm Street, Huntington
631-923-1960
www.kashijapanese.com
Atmosphere: Urbane, inviting night out
Cuisine: Modern Japanese
Price Range: Moderate
Hours:Mon.–Thurs. 11:30a.m.–11 p.m.;
Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.–midnight;
Sun. noon- 10 p.m.