Tendon Kohaku

There’s a lot someone could do in five hours, like drive to Walla Walla , learn to juggle, or watch Pulp Fiction twice. Or, you could wait in line for this first US location of a popular Japanese restaurant that’s had astronomical wait times in its opening weeks with few signs of dying down. You still may need a lounge chair and lots of patience to get a table, but even with one or two menu misses, it's well worth it.

Inside the polished dining room, chatty groups dig into tendon sets and waitstaff dart around with very official earpieces making sure everything is running smoothly—and it is. Even in the hustle and bustle, the spa-like interior and light wood booths feel like somewhere you want to settle in with a refreshing strawberry-muddled matcha. And while the bonsai tree and Dr. Seuss-style furry ceiling decor is eye-catching, it’s the golden tempura served in ornate bowls that everyone is watching.

Must-order options include huge portions of silky katsu curry, creamy carbonara that rivals those from local Italian restaurants, and most importantly, the tempura. This signature dish is drizzled in the restaurant’s dashi-heavy “Kohkau sauce” (much thicker than traditional tempura sauce) and situated on a bed of warm fluffy rice. The tempura batter has a hefty crunch and is great around things like slices of eggplant, french beans, and tiger prawns. Save room for dessert—the sweet potato crème brûlée is something that we now lovingly dream about eating and don't mind sparing five hours for. Learning to juggle can wait.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Makena Yee

Endive Salmon Carpaccio

Skip this beautiful, but very boring plate of limp salmon that tastes like it's been 3D printed and then sprinkled with pine nuts.

Kohaku Tendon Set

If you’re new to the world of Kohaku, this is a good place to start. You get a little bit of everything, like buttery tiger prawns, snappy french beans, and crispy pumpkin (order extra). The rubbery tempura chicken is the only piece to avoid, but the restaurant makes up for it with tasty little sides like an earthy chawanmushi, yuzu-dressed cabbage pickles, and miso soup.

photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley

Carbonara Udon

The udon trends a bit soft, but you don’t mind since it’s paired with perfectly cooked bacon and such a fluffy mix of cream and eggs, it's like they used an industrial-grade fan to whip air into it.

photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley

Kurobuta Pork Katsu Curry Rice

This combo of nutty curry, crisp pork cutlets that keep their breading, and warm rice can do no wrong. Especially when you upgrade it with an omurice that adds a comforting blanket of soft rich eggs.

photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley

Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée

Our hot tip here is to order one for each person at the table. Because after one perfect bite of custardy sweet potato, crispy sugar shards, and vanilla soft serve, anything you were taught about sharing as a child goes right out the window.

photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley

Coconut Bouncing Cat Pudding

This dessert is the most bland out of the bunch. But what the jiggly coconut jelly lacks in flavor, it makes up for in fun. The milky cat-shaped mold comes with a side of black edible paint and a brush for you to practice your art skills—it adds nothing to the flavor, but is definitely cheaper than classes at Cornish.