My first experience with sushi was at a little place in La Jolla on Prospect called Sushi on the Rock. I went with a good friend from high school, Matt Bokovoy (CHS ’87). This experience ignited a lifelong obsession with Japanese food. I followed Sushi on the Rock when it changed locations in La Jolla and went on the regular until it finally shut its doors. I loved the Orange Crush Roll; it has been placed in my mental Rolodex of great dishes.
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Cloak & Petal in Little Italy. A magical venue whose bar features two very realistic cherry trees in full bloom. My girlfriend Georgia and I were feeling adventurous, so we requested an omakase dining experience. For those of you not familiar with the term, it means allowing the chef to choose the food for you. It is a compliment to the chef and an adventure for the guest.
The chef, Robert Cassidy, came to the table, introduced himself, and asked us some questions about our likes and dislikes. We ordered a drink from our server Evan, who was great by the way. He did a wonderful job walking us through the different plates that Chef Rob brought out. A good server is worth his weight in gold. While I am at it, big props to Juan the busser. He was old school in his attention to detail. Our table was well-maintained throughout the experience. I wouldn’t poach an employee from another restaurant, but if you ever need a job Juan, please give me a call.
When Chef Rob came to check on us, I started asking questions. The food was so fresh, delicious, and innovative that I asked Rob where he had been before Cloak & Petal. His answer both surprised me and warmed my heart as he had been the chef at Sushi on the Rock for 20 years. He may not have been there for my first bite of sushi, as that was nearly 40 years ago, but I have loved his food over the years, and here I was, having an unreal experience with a craftsman, dare I say artist, who I can safely say is a true master of his trade.
Let’s break down the experience. As we do, my girlfriend Georgia and I started with a cocktail. I had the A5 reserve: A5 fat-washed Suntory Japanese whiskey, tamari tincture, sanato sugar (Japanese golden brown sugar), and bitters. The bartender smoked the cocktail for a fun effect tableside. Georgia had the Lychee Sakura: basically a lychee martini with Haikin Lychee Vodka, nigori sake (coarse-filtered), yuzu, lychee juice, and lychee cordial. I switched to Japanese lagers after my cocktail and Georgia took the high road as she was driving.
The curtain came up, and it was time for the show to begin. Here is the cast of characters.
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice: Shiso (herb in the mint family) crispy rice, chipotle-spicy tuna, sweet soy sambal, dehydrated orange zest, and petite shiso. Spicy Tuna crispy rice can be found on many menus around town, but don’t think for a second that you have been there and done that; you have not. This is show-stoppingly good. The kind of flavor that makes you close your eyes mid-bite to really savor the experience.
Agaedashi Tofu: edamame hummus, kimchi aioli, garlic soy, vinegar, and petite shiso. Never loved tofu until I put this in my mouth. Edamame hummus, you heard that right. The tofu bites sat atop this concoction, and our server instructed us to get a little on every bite. Thanks, Evan, but a little was not going to happen. We used the tofu bites to make sure there was not a trace of this creative hummus anywhere to be seen. I wished I could have hidden this plate; it looked like we licked it clean.
Moment of Truth: yellowtail belly, truffle-infused ponzu, poblano crema, kizami wasabi (finely chopped wasabi stems and roots marinated in soy sauce), and micro cilantro. Thank goodness for this melt-in-your-mouth delicacy. It gave us time to catch our breath.
Grilled wild Spanish octopus: chorizo mash, charred poblano crema, grilled lime squeeze, and micro herbs. Chorizo mash, are you kidding me? Picture all that great fat in the pan after cooking chorizo, now put that in your mashed potatoes. We waited for a quiet moment, then used our fingers to swipe up every last bit of this whipped delight.
Notorious P.I.G.: tuna, yellowtail, candied ume bacon, panko, shrimp, krab, avocado, seared garlic aioli, sweet soy. The little voice in my head whispered, “I love it when you call me big pappa.” Big pappa indeed! I was glad I wore my food pants. Come on, ume bacon. For those of you not familiar with ume, it is a Japanese salt-cured plum. Salty, Sweet, and Smoky, yes please.
Spicy Garlic Godzilla Wings: jumbo chicken wings tossed in a spicy garlic sauce, jalapeño, radish, micro herbs, and sriracha ranch. Loved these, but made sure we didn’t go too deep as this was a generous portion. I will order this again at some happy hour down the road and put a hurting on these babies. Sriracha ranch is like a Reese’s peanut butter cup, two great tastes that taste great together. Godzilla by Blue Öyster Cult was playing in my head.
Curry Karaage Shrimp: silken curry, pickled red onion, curry toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and petite shiso. This dish was a flavor bomb, and we were caught in the blast.
Sadoboxin’: Salmon belly, truffle shio (salt), goma rice crisp, fried shallots, yuzu kosho (black pepper) aioli, sambal vinaigrette, and petite cilantro. Once again, I felt blessed to have something light and ethereal to balance the steady march of heavier delicacies that just kept coming.
Tokyo Gangster: wagyu strip, shrimp, asparagus, avocado, yamagobo (pickled burdock root), black garlic sauce, garlic aioli, smoked garlic salt, and micro shiso. Wagyu on a sushi roll, what can I say except, wow. That had to be the encore, right? Wrong.
We were telling our server Evan we were tapping out when he announced that Chef Rob was on his way out with one last dish: the Skirt Steak. This was sink or swim for me, as I was not sure I had room for another bite. Thank goodness my mamma taught me manners, because what a bite that was.
Skirt Steak: prime outside skirt, roasted bell pepper chimichurri, eggplant puree, charred broccolini, and micro cilantro. I love chimichurri, and its use with this dish is a testament to the fusion on this menu.
The fight was over, Rob had won hands down, and I have never felt more satisfied and well taken care of than I did at that moment. Evan brought us some containers so we could enjoy all the things we couldn’t possibly finish. Rest assured, these leftovers disappeared quickly and were every bit as good the second time around.
I think Georgia may be worried that being mentioned in my writings will cast her in a less-than-ladylike fashion. As we often come across sounding a bit like gluttonous alcoholics. I assure you, Georgia is not, but I may be guilty of that label on more than one occasion. The sacrifices I make for the love of food and drink should be appreciated, not scoffed at. Anyone buying that? I hope that everyone who reads this heads to Cloak & Petal. They have a killer happy hour, and the ambiance is next level. I may not actually be hip enough for this space, but the team at Cloak & Petal made us feel at home. Take an Uber or pay for parking any time you dine in Little Italy, don’t let circling the block ruin your night before it even begins. After 33 years of cooking, I cherish inspirational moments like the one provided for us. Chef Rob, I will follow you wherever you go. I am a fan for life. Thank you again to you and your team.
Cloak & Petal
1953 India Street
Little Italy, 92101
