Koko’s Kitchen
My absolute favorite snack - A SPAM ROLL!
Salt Lake City
801-364-4888
$
When judging whether an ethnic restaurant is the best of its kind, how do you decide if it’s worth the visit?. Is it where people of that same ethnicity also eat or one that has clientele with different backgrounds?
Usually, in most cases, the more of that demographic, the more likely the food is to be authentic and good. This isn’t to say that places which transcend culture aren’t complimentary towards cuisine but usually “insiders” know what’s best. If you find someone of that background, culture, or cuisine experience patronizing an establishment, it is pretty safe to say it’s delish.
But those places are like the last piece of a large puzzle. As much as it’s a team effort to complete the puzzle, there is something special, sinister, and selfishly good about holding onto that last piece. It’s not about the action of putting it in as the last piece to complete the puzzle picture but rather it’s the power that knowing you have somethings someone else doesn’t have. This is what I call “Insider Eating”. Everyone who knows about a special eating spot, a new place they call their own are just like the person with the last piece of the puzzle. They do their best to hide it because they find join in that unique experience of holding back the “last piece” or their own special eating spot. How often have you said you no longer like something because it’s now trendy or popular and that takes away from it’s charm?
As is the norm with these new spots I discover, I’ve driven by Koko’s Kitchen numerous times but never had the desire to stop by. Its rag tag random exterior doesn’t seem inviting to passerbys and with a name like Koko, Japanese food is not what jumps out at you. I have a different stereotype in mind. But alas, after speaking to a friend who spent most of his life living in Japan, he filled me on the secret: Koko’s is where those who want real good Japanese food go. In fact, when I asked him where to get good Japanese food, he strayed away from the sushi craze that comes to mind when people say “Japanese Cuisine.” Instead he told me that when the Japanese delegation was in town for the Winter Olympics, Koko’s was the place. I thought, authentic? I gotta try it! Thanks to my friend for not holding back that last piece of the puzzle for real Japanese treats!
My first visit got me hooked. Walking into any popular eatery with high expectations always leads me nervous and anxious filled because I literally don’t know what to expect. Furthermore, eating alone usually is a bit awkward, especially as I take pictures of each thing I have. When I walked into Koko’s I was immediately overwhelmed by the huge, and that is an understatement, huge whiteboard listing their entire menu, both sushi, sashimi, as well as udon, ramen, bento boxes, and more! At the suggestion of my friend
The Full Meal : Round 1
I had Tonkatsu but while deciding upon that I glanced on their special Tako Roll and decided upon that too. Tonkatsu is basically a breaded breast or pork loin that’s fried to a nice crispy texture, sealing in the flavor of the meat portion inside. If you like fried food, you’ll love the Tonkatsu. The dish comes with potato salad, stir fried vegetable, pickles and a heaping portion of rice. It fits the basic of what I call a man’s meal, carbs, meats, various vegetables and fried goodness. Be advised that Tonkatsu isn’t anything that will blow your mind. Koko’s is about comfort food from a cuisine that seems to often only be showcased for sushi.
For my second visit, I decided to try Yakisoba. The dish was basically a teriyaki bowl with an egg on top. I tried it at the suggestion of a friend and while it was flavorful, it was a bit soggy and didn’t fit my palate considering I’m very particular about the texture of the rice I have. I did happen to have a spam roll. If you’re cringing at the the thought of spam, don’t. Spam for all it’s negative connotations as mystery meat is best served in two ways: Fried or in a roll in this fashion. Trust me, if you like rice, sushi rolls and salty meats (such as lunch meats) this is the best way to each the dish. It’s cheap and very filling and by far one of the best snacks when you’re in a need for a quick fix. Try it, I promise you’ll like it or if not, I’ll personally mention you in my next blog for not liking it. (Yeah, special, huh?) Here are a few more shots of the meal I had. The first picture is the Spam rolls, with Tako hand roll, Spicy Tuna Hand Roll and Yakisoba. The picture above is the Tonkatsu. Overall, great place that didn’t let me down. Service was casual, dining was relaxed and food was comforting. Now unlike everyone who has held back on telling me about this place – check it out. Just be sure not to hold onto this gem and instead share it with your friends.
- The Full Meal : Round 2
I wish I could wrap my arms arms arms arms arms arms arms arms around this hand roll
A Grab Bag
The Full Tonkatsu
Friend Meter: Preston,
Koko Kitchen
Salt Lake City
801-364-4888
Bruges Waffles and Frites
Yes, your sandwich comes with fries and yet we still ordered a side.
http://www.brugeswaffles.com/main.php $
I hate pancakes.
Yes, you read that correctly. I’ve never been excited about pancakes. Maybe it’s because they remind me of spongy bread. Or perhaps it’s because pancakes are a cheap breakfast filler. Or maybe it is because when I was younger, my dad would buy Eggo Waffles and when I asked if he could buy pancakes he said, “Those are gross. No one eats pancakes.” Regardless of the reason, pancakes are an anemic dish that requires sugary toppings to spice them up. They should simply make pancakes infused with syrup (I’m sure they have them). Every time I am eating out and pancakes are an included item, I do my best to try the bland dish since I hate seeing food go to waste but I always wish, when situation warrants, that they would instead have waffles.
Waffles are the opposite of pancakes. They offer a better flavor, they’re crispy and buttery on the outside and moist and soft on the inside. It’s the closest thing you can get to cake in the morning, without getting cake. It know it sounds like a contradiction to love waffles for that reason and hate pancakes for the other but that’s my palate. So basically, I love waffles because they are crunchy. That’s a general rule.
Bruges was a solid affair. What makes their waffles different than other places in Utah is that their waffles are made from a thick dough with Belgian sugar pearls all inside. What this does is not only make the waffle hearty, but also gives it a snap on the outside with the crispy shell and crunchy interior. Each bite resonates as you break through the exterior to find a gem, packed with sweetness.
Submarine Sandwich - I don't know where the sandwich is...
It doesn’t need any toppings but you can adorn it with anything from fruit to creme fraiche. The Machine Gun (as featured on the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food) is basically a lamb sausage on a baguette with an andalouse sauce. They were out of the regular andalouse sauce so we instead got a spicy sauce called the Samurai sauce. The sauce was awesome. It had good kick to it and surprised my palate. Bruges offers a number of different dipping sauces that compliments their fries or frites.The fries are double fried and have consistent flavor throughout. They’re not as good as shoestring fries or my favorite Arby’s fries but they were delicious enough and even better with the sauce. Just be sure that you don’t order an extra side of fries or you’ll have more fries than you can handle.
This is the waffle by itself. Tucked inside are sugar crystals and chocolate!
On this occasion, we didn’t get our sandwich on a baguette and the bread they used in it’s place wasn’t as good as the baguette would have been. There was an unbalanced ratio of fries-sausage-bread. The sausage was the highlight but much like Mazza’s Lamb Kefhta, it seemed alone on the bun. My dream fattening combo would be to dip the sausage in a batter, fry it up and serve it with a side of fries and fresh dipping sauce. Glorious corn dog for sure. Bruges is located across from Pioneer park, next to Tony Caputo’s. While it sits in the shadow of the premier sandwich shop in Utah, Bruges carves out it’s own niche by providing an incredible waffle found nowhere else in Utah.
PS – I love crepes so I guess pancakes are the middle zone of nastiness. But crepes is a story for another day.
Friend Meter: Tony, Spencer, Elisa
Peng's Palate 