Jane Stern: House of Yoshida is all Japanese in a pan-Asian world

The reason is obvious. Restaurants do not want to lose customers, so while a place may have originally been all Cantonese or Szechuan, they now have Korean BBQ, Udons, dumplings, shrimp and lobster sauce, fried rice, sushi rolls, Malaysian street food and basically anything you can call Asian.

What I like about House of Yoshida is that it is a pure Japanese restaurant. They do not need to tack on orange beef (Chinese), spring rolls (Thai) or Pho (Vietnamese) to grab more business.

House of Yoshida has been in Bethel a long time, long enough for me to have gotten in the habit of not even seeing it as I drive by. It is very low key, very “beige” and serene both inside and out.

The restaurant is divided into a small dining room and a bar. It feels very private and tucked away. You do not see the parking lot through the windows and it feels like it could be anywhere in the world.

I went here for lunch on a weekday and was surprised to see how busy it was. From what I could tell, many of the diners seemed like regulars. They were joking and chatting with the owner, who keeps an eagle eye on the food and service.

At lunch, if you like raw fish, you can get five pieces of very fresh sushi plus a tuna roll. Or if you prefer sashimi there are five fresh fishes to choose from each day. If you are a fish frowner, try the first-rate chicken teriyaki served with broad Asian noodles and vegetables. Personally, I like the beef teriyaki, which has a deeper richer flavor.

Start with a bowl of miso soup or a salad, included in the price of the meal.

A must for me on any visit to a Japanese restaurant is consuming a great deal of shrimp tempura. I think tempura was the first Japanese food I ate and I still cannot resist it. Tempura is a way of frying that is uniquely Asian, you will get a plate of fried shrimp (very large thin ones) and alongside a nice mix of Tempura Vegetables, they are not at all greasy or bready but light and savory. If I had vegetable-hating children, I know all I would have to do is introduce them to Tempura cooking and they would be hooked for life.

“Mom, where’s the broccoli?” they would whine. I swear you could give me a Tempura fried shoe and I would eat it.

I adore the lunchtime Japanese Bento boxes served here. These are pretty compartmentalized plastic boxes that are filled with Teriyaki, Shrimp Tempura or Sushi. If you are familiar with Marie Kondo, the Japanese Martha Stewart who has made an art form out of folding clothing neatly, you will adore the Bento Box. In Japan, Bento Boxes are eaten at work at lunch hour and by children at school. From what I have heard, producing the most aesthetic Bento Box is a competitive art in Japan. I can assure you the Howdy Doody lunch box I carried as a kid was anything but pleasing to the eye.

One more suggestion for dining here: order the Nabeyaki Udon. This is a deep bowl filled with eel, salmon, scallops and clams to which a poached egg and an array of vegetables have been added. It is like a Japanese Boulliabaise, hearty and delicious.

There are some interesting specials on the menu at House of Yoshida. I ordered a platter of Duck Fried Rice that came with a poached egg in the center. It was unlike any fried rice I have ever tried, wonderfully gamey and smokey. I have also heard that if you call the restaurant a day ahead and have a party of at least two you can order Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu and Yosenabe, These glorious dishes are served like a fondue, slices of raw meats and vegetables that you cook yourself by dipping them in a small pot of hot oil using your chop sticks. It is a slow ceremonial way of dining and seems to fit a special occasion. There are different dipping sauces that come with it; my favorite is the Ponzu.

It is a cliche (but true) that one never feels stuffed after eating Japanese food. Maybe the chopsticks slow the pace, maybe because the foods are not sided with mashed potatoes and gravy. What ever the reason, as I exit House of Yoshida it occurs to me that I still have room for dessert, and how handy that Dr. Mike’s, the best ice cream on the planet, is half a mile away.

In a very un-Japanese fashion I get two scoops of Chocolate Lace ice cream, thick homemade fudge sauce and real whipped cream. Yes, it pays to eat lightly.