Fine Japanese-Korean dining at Akira Back

Weeks ago, I missed the media opening of Akira Back, the eponymous new dining experience of an expanding global brand at the Chateau Laurier.

I was privileged to then receive an invitation to experience Akira Back through the management team. With everything the brand was bringing to the Ottawa market, it was a fine introduction.

Chef Back was born in 1974 Seoul, South Korea, and in 1989, his father’s business took the family to America, eventually settling in Aspen, Colorado. While there, he pursued a professional snowboarding career, which led to him appearing in a few sports movies.

He simultaneously worked at Japanese restaurants, and there he had the idea to become a chef. He then enrolled at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Colorado. 

In 2008, he opened Yellowtail at the Bellagio resort in Las Vegas and in 2017 received his first Michelin star for Dosa (London).

His growing empire has now expanded to more than 23 brands globally and others are on the way.

My dinner companion and I entered a well-appointed space with sombre lighting that reminded me of a big city supper club.

Sitting down on a lovely, curved banquette, the next step was to order cocktails. When they arrived, both the Geisha and Lychi-tini were nicely imagined and reasonably priced at $20. 

The issue you may have with the Geisha, using Vancouver Island’s Empress gin, is that it’s a little too appealing. You may have a second before the dinner begins. Woe is you.

The trance-inducing EDM, piped through a good sound system, was at a reasonable level. I became aware however, of a very similar and noticeable thumping bassline that carried through from track to track. 

Most folks experienced in Japanese dining are familiar with miso soup as a starter. It’s commonly mediocre using just chicken stock as a base. Some restaurants step it up a notch using the very credible Hondashi, a powdered dashi stock.

Dashi is made using kombu kelp and katsuoboshi (bonito) fish flakes. It’s a base to which is added silken tofu, scallions, nori and sometimes a small selection of mushrooms.

This is what is presented at Akira: a deep and umami-rich broth with the natural hit of smokiness from the dried fish. Finally, miso as it should be. Complete with deliciously nutty Nameko mushrooms. A nice touch.

The AB cucumber salad evoked a quiet surprise, an appreciation for the work that went into the presentation. For the price, it was the bargain of the evening. 

Fine florets of crisp cucumber created an attractive bouquet dressed in amazu. This is an oil-free dressing of cooked rice vinegar, sugar and water that amplifies the freshness of the vegetable. The final touch was freshly roasted sesame seeds.

This was a salad as simple as it gets but you won’t forget it. You’re likely to order it with each visit. 

During my first years in Vancouver, I tested the limits of my ability to eat spot prawns. Easy enough to do when you’re paying $12 a pound. Those days are long over.

Still, it was nice to see them as nigiri on the menu. I couldn’t resist revisiting the experience. 

Whereas prawn nigiri is always served cooked, spot prawns are left raw because the sweetness and uniquely sensual texture are precisely the point. If you’ve not had spot prawns before, I can only recommend them.

Toro is a fattier cut of tuna and typically comes from the belly. With its high fat content, Otoro is the most prized and expensive. 

The next level is the medium-fat Chutoro, which has some of the characteristics of Otoro and red tuna. This is what is commonly used in the popular negitoro roll.

A judicious use of green onion (negi) plays nicely against the richness of the tuna belly and the sweet bounce of the rice.

A word here about both the rice and the soy sauce. While many Japanese restaurants use regular and commercial soy for sushi, that is not what a more traditional experience would offer.

At Akira, they make their own seasoned soy for the fish. It’s lighter in colour and has a delicate sweetness that is so much nicer than what we’re used to. 

The rice at Akira is a modest star. It’s just rice after all, but its expert preparation lays the foundation for superior sushi. 

Miso black cod is a classic in Japanese cuisine. It’s also known as sablefish and has a higher fat content, hence its sumptuous mouthfeel.

It’s given a marinade of mirin, miso and sake and left to develop flavour for 24-48 hours. It is then seared skin side down to caramelize the sugars in the marinade. When I make it, I then finish it under the broiler.

The fish was perfect – elegantly seasoned, flaky and buttery. We were advised to have it with the accompanying yuzu-lemon foam. I appreciated the brightness this brought to the rich black cod.

On the menu it was labelled as a sharing dish. Yet at almost $50 the portion was very modest and came with only one flash-fried shishito pepper.

Once again, the cooking of the rice was first-rate with this side of Wagyu fried rice and it was so delicious that I wanted much more. The beef had been cubed, but was so small that it was difficult to get a sufficient beefy sensation with each bite.

Vegans and mushroom lovers will find comfort in the mushroom toban. Portobello, king oyster and shimeji mushrooms are cooked and then served in a hot cast-iron skillet. 

After the mushrooms have been seared, the pan is deglazed with sake and then seasoned with yuzu and soy. The mushrooms are returned to the sizzling pan and sprinkled with slivered scallions.

Both in flavour and texture, it was a well-done dish and surprisingly filling. The wagyu fried rice married beautifully with the toban.

I looked across to the people seated at the sushi bar and was struck by something odd. They were being served by staff from the floor. 

What’s desirable about sitting at the sushi bar is that you have a direct connection with the chef preparing your food. It’s a much more intimate and special experience when they themselves place the food in front of you.

The dessert menu arrived. I regret not sampling a few interesting items such as the AB Cigar (miso caramel ice cream & cocoa nibs) and the Yuzu Citrus (yuzu curd & strawberry gelato). 

The problem was that, after two hours, my companion and I felt our nerves were frayed. It was that endless bassline thumping of the music that finally precipitated an early exit. It was no longer doable.

A final thought is that they need to rethink the playlist, and if you have a sushi bar, make it interactive between chefs and patrons. That’s the point after all.

It is in the Chateau Laurier, so the experience has its price, but the execution is first rate. It makes Akira Back a special date night spot or a destination for a pre-show dinner at the NAC.

The food is very good with service to match. I need to make special mention of server Tristan, who was clearly observant from a distance because he seemed to anticipate needs at our table. 

I’d like to thank Manager Candace Battig and Chef de Cuisine Andrew Ham for a lovely evening that provided memorable moments. Well done.