You have pre-conceived notions about certain things (we all do) and then when it turns out that your expectations are completely wrong, it takes a little while to adjust. That was the case when we walked into Katsuno, a little Japanese restaurant in the middle of suburban Forest Hills.
I sort of expected this place to be dark and romantic, but the lights were bright and the few tables looked more like a fast food set-up than a respectable restaurant. But I must say besides the layout and the lighting, everything else far exceeded my expectations of this place.
I’ve already talked about how much I love the delicate and light flavors of Japanese food and Katsuno was a perfect example of this. As the very friendly waitress/owner approached us, I realized this was a place to take seriously, regardless of the ambiance.
In addition to the list item (cold onsen poached egg), we got an appetizer of cucumbers with wasabi miso dipping sauce, chawanmushi (an egg custard with chicken, shrimp and gingko nuts, a warm duck soba soup, and a different approach to a spicy tuna roll (the tuna was not chopped up and mixed with spicy mayo as usual). Everything was incredibly fresh and well-prepared. I was in heaven.
The cold onsen poached egg was the thing I had to get and even though I probably would not have ordered it myself, I’m glad it ended up in front of me. The egg was floating in a broth of bonito and seaweed and when you gently break it, the yolk fills the bowl. The thickness of the egg and the clean lightness of the broth were a perfect combination of flavors and textures.
I learned later that Katsuno is from the same owner and chef as Seo, which is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in midtown. Now if only they spruced this Queens location up to be as intimate and stylish as the Manhattan location, this would be a great destination spot.
Would Katsuno’s Cold Onsen Poached Egg make my Top 100 of the year? I’m not sure this is the dish I would pick from this place, but I probably would pick something. The egg was interesting and delicious with the right balance of texture and flavor and therefore gets an 8 out of 10.
