1/13/2023 UPDATE:
Unfortunately, Google has a character limit that is preventing me from fully expressing my love for Kenzo. To keep it short, I tried some different menu items this time around, the Uni (2 pieces) and Yellowtail Heaven (6 pieces). Prices were very fair compared...
Read More1/13/2023 UPDATE:
Unfortunately, Google has a character limit that is preventing me from fully expressing my love for Kenzo. To keep it short, I tried some different menu items this time around, the Uni (2 pieces) and Yellowtail Heaven (6 pieces). Prices were very fair compared to other Japanese restaurants, but the quality was still amazing.
The Uni (sea urchin) was very creamy and packed with umami.
The pieces of yellowtail were tender and the yuzu soy sauce was absolutely delicious.
Can’t recommend this place enough!
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I'm definitely becoming a Kenzo regular as this is now my fourth time coming here. It's my go-to recommendation for any friends or family members wanting to eat in the Murphy area. All my friends and family that have eaten with me here LOVE Kenzo's sushi!
My friend ordered the Avocado Bombs as a starter, and boy where they the BOMB! The idea of warm, whole avocado wasn't appealing to me at first, but I changed my mind once I took a bite. The Avocado Bombs here were deep fried, filled with crab, and topped with sauce. The flavor profile is similar to the sushi rolls but without rice and avocado being the star of the show.
My favorite sushi roll I've tried so far has to be the Nezuko Roll (named after a character from the popular anime series Demon Slayer). My second favorite would be the Lobster Tempura roll. I've also tried the Dragon 2, Temptation, and Pink Pink roll, and I would rank them in that order. The rolls are VERY generously sized (especially the Nezuko and Lobster Tempura) and fairly priced. Rice is flavorful and cooked well, ingredients are fresh, and presentation is beautiful. Rolls with tempura still remain crunchy inside the rice and seaweed. I usually don't get full on sushi, but with these rolls, I feel satiated.
I also tried the Shoyu Ramen, which was just okay. I could tell they used high quality eggs by the color of the yolk and overall taste, but they were cooked longer than to my liking (I prefer a jammy, soft-boiled ramen egg). Broth, noodles, meat, and vegetables were satisfactory.
The Sushi & Sashimi Bento Box is a fantastic bang for your buck, especially if you want to try more traditional sushi, which tends to be pretty expensive. It comes with chef's choice sushi, sashimi, California rolls, and gyoza. I received nigiri as the "chef's choice" and they were sooo good. The fish was tender and the rice was perfectly seasoned. The sashimi was ok, perhaps because of the bigger cut, I found it chewier and less enjoyable than the nigiri. The California rolls were delicious. The gyoza was good, but I wish it came with a dumpling sauce of sorts.
Kenzo is a rather small restaurant. The interior design is sprinkled with traditional Japanese items, screens/prints, anime merch, to kpop albums (BTS, NCT etc). It may not be the most "aesthetically correct" way to design, but it sure does show character and personality. We usually get free ice cream (and drinks sometimes like Yakult, Vitamin C) too!
As a side note, I've seen quite a few reviews complaining about customer service etc. Kenzo is a small hole-in-the wall/family-owned type of restaurant. Cultural differences come at play when it comes to customer service; the service here is rather blunt and up-front. I could definitely see how someone could be taken aback by this, but don't take it personally.
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