For seriously creative maki, there is a special list with items such as King Cobra ($16). You might expect bite, but the snake aspect comes from the appearance of a round roll (crab and avocado) with a length of broiled eel on top, crowned with golden tobiko (fish eggs as large and flavorful as osetra caviar) and bits of edible gold leaf. Also on the special list is an elaborate version of spicy scallop maki ($14). These are large spiral inside-out rolls topped with black caviar and chili paste, with spices and slices of raw scallop inside. I preferred the tame cobra to the scallops that fought back, but both were excellent.
In order to sample the large plates, we tried the grilled chicken ($18). This is a bistro-looking platter with nicely done grilled chicken breast that was sliced thin and reassembled over a Thai-style green curry of potato fingers, artichoke hearts, and grilled pineapple — an old friend from the East Coast Grill. There was also a bowl of Thai jasmine rice, made sticky like the Japanese short-grain variety, which was pretty good.
Gari has a short list of wines, a better list of bottled Japanese beers, and a fine mid-length list of different styles of sake.
There are two desserts, both impressive. Green-tea mousse cake ($6.95) is an exquisitely made little cylinder with four layers of mousse and thin-sliced cake, and another cake wrapped around and decorated with lines and dots. Unfortunately for some, the mousse retains the slightly fishy flavor of fine green tea. Crème brûlée ($8) is a classic version, with a very slight granularity and also a slice of kiwi.
Service at Gari was excellent, even when crowded — and it does fill up. The décor, a kind of backdrop sail to the sushi chef at the sushi bar, doesn’t quite work for me. It’s too much in too little space, though maybe you have to spend a lot of time in Japan to get it. (The owners are Chinese-Americans, but seem to have absorbed Japanese culinary culture quite well.) What is fun is the unisex bathroom. It’s not huge, but manages a large sink with a central slab and a well around the sides for runoff. There’s also an automatic garbage can for paper towels; you put your hand in front of the door and it pops open, like a parody of the new high-tech sinks. The only barrier here for some diners and family groups is the distracting lighting and club music. Stick them out and you’ll rave about the food.
Gari Japanese Fusion | 187 Harvard Street, Brookline | Open Mon–Thurs, 11:30 am–3 pm and 4:30–10 pm; Fri & Sat, 11:30 am–3 pm and 4:30–11 pm; and Sun, 12:30–10 pm | AE, MC, VI | Beer and wine | No valet parking | Street-level access | 617.277.2999
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Robert Nadeau: RobtNadeau@aol.com
