Skip to main contentOf course, Micah Camden didn't have the backing of a Tokyo syndicate when he secured the corner of Northeast 30th Avenue and Killingsworth Street for his four restaurants. Don't be ridiculous. There are other perfectly logical explanations for why this izakaya (that's a pub, you stupid gaijin) became the founding cornerstone of Camden's cooking empire. His chile-peppered recipe for kyuri—cucumber and avocado salad, with toasted sesame seeds—for one thing. Or his knack for searing the flavor into bites of fish: What the man does with raw salmon would make a Kodiak bear blush. Under the chic shade of brass pots and painted cherry blossoms, Yakuza serves scallops wrapped in so many strands of phyllo dough they look like Miyazaki jellyfish. As for the Kobe burger…well, missing it would reflect poorly on you, my young friend.
Order this: While any sashimi is a good bet, the salmon tataki is unsurpassed.
Best deal: That kyuri is the sprightliest veggie concoction in Portland.
I'll pass: Sorry, I can't afford to order a $44 bottle of sake called "Bride of the Fox." But I'd like to.
WWeek 2015