Kemuri Japanese Barú

Kemuri is a Japanese Izakaya restaurant with modern decor. We enjoyed the dishes Kemuri provided which were good quality, fresh, and mostly tapas style. They do have quite a bit of fusion choices and are innovative with their dishes, so not super traditional. Make reservations just in case as they do get busy.

[updated Jan, 2025] Kemuri is a gem that consistently updates its menus with seasonal dishes. The fish and chips, made with rock fish and sweet potato, was the most delicious and visually appealing fish and chips I had (photo attached). The sake-steamed oysters was seasoned to perfection and a must-try, and the duck salad was really refreshing and tasty with a genius choice of veggie. Brussels sprouts on stalk cooked as a whole was also impressive and memorable (photos attached). Can’t wait to try out the rest of their seasonal menu! ++++++ Kemuri is my local go-to place since 2016. They provide high-quality Japanese food and great ambiance. Menu changes regularly, and this time I tasted one of the best Unagi Shirayaki (grilled plain eel ) dishes, and cucumber lemonade (non-alcoholic) was outstanding. Whenever feel chilled, red kemuri udon with oxtail is the way to go. Strongly recommend to check it out!

The grilled veggies were seasoned soooo well but didn’t feel too heavy either. Corn was good, but drunken monk did it better. I think kemuri’s was overfried just a bit and hardened more than it should have. Still so good though. But the star of the show was the WAGYU GARLIC RICE. I thought it would be fried rice but it was more of a charred sticky rice situation and it exceeded my expectations by so much. The steak was also extremely tender and YUM, great combo. I’m not the biggest fan of udon but they did a really nice job with the chewiness of the udon and the thin yet flavorful broth. Their menu is extensive (but not overwhelmingly so), and I want to come back to try everything else!

Kemuri is definitely not a typical American Japanese restaurant; if you’re not raw fish eater you can enjoy much broader range of different cooked and uncooked Japanese food beyond sushi rolls and sashimi at this restaurant. However it is far from providing an authentic Japanese food experience. Which authentic Japanese restaurant does not provide tempura sauce but soy sauce for a vegetable tempura dish? And their smoked soy sauce, the staple of Japanese cuisine basic sauce is very salty and dark, another mistake. Other disappointment included real tough overcooked beef tongue and thick fried pork chop not juicy due to problems with the flours. The only dish we truly enjoyed is sardine with cheese, a fusion of east and west. That is probably the strength of this restaurant’s cooking but when I ordered simply traditional Japanese food, it is far from perfect. All that being said if someone wants atypical American Japanese food, this is the place to go.

Japanese style wagyu rice dishes i believe its what they are known for They make a sort.of wagyu with garlic chips and then toast the rice with an offering of i believe a tea to be added after or in small portions Unique flavors but very simple Nice vibe and the waitresses were friendly and knowledgeable They have classic dishes as well and very good appetizers

I love a good cut of eel, and I would recommend the Unagi Kaba-Yaki from here! A generous portion, and you have the option to turn it into an ochazuke. The housemade broth to pour over (optional) adds a complexity to the simple dish. As the eel is so rich, it allows you to change the flavor halfway through the meal :) Funny that they call it an "unagi paella" haha Their oxtail miso soup is also pretty yummy! Rich in flavor and lots of umami. A great start to my lunch. My party also shared an order of the Chicken Karaage, which was really tasty! Crispy and a creamy tangy dipping sauce. Very decent appetizer! Ambiance here is quite industrial, with a bar and minimal decor. I can imagine it's really different and lively in the evenings. During lunch, it was chill and easy to talk with everyone at my table.