Rintaro: Japanese Food from an Izakaya in California

by Sylvan Mishima Brackett

“I think this might be the most beautiful cookbook I have ever seen! Sylvan is not only an artist in the kitchen, he is also an artist on the page. He understands that delicious food and beauty are inextricably bound together—and that beauty originates in the soil, in the hands of the local, organic farmers, ranchers, and fishers. Readers will find this book irresistible.” —Alice Waters, Founder of Chez Panisse & the Edible Schoolyard Project Nestled behind a leafy courtyard in San Francisco’s Mission District, with the warm glow of lanterns illuminating well-worn wood counters, Rintaro is a beautiful escape; familiar and unexpected, bold and restrained. And its food is straightforwardly dashimaki tamago, juicy and piping hot, pork gyoza, each dumpling held together by a web of crispy batter, udon with hand-rolled noodles and a hot-spring egg, and a towering melon parfait with bright melon jellies that all but burst in your mouth. This is food that tastes both like Japan and California -- not fusion food -- but the food that you’d expect if the Bay Area were a region of Japan. Rintaro, the debut cookbook from this groundbreaking restaurant, translates the experience of a Tokyo izakaya to the home kitchen. Beautiful and idiosyncratic, Rintaro is both a master class in making homemade udon noodles, and plumbs the depths of true comfort in food, with recipes like its curry rice. With over 70 recipes showcasing inspiration and detailed instruction in equal measure, Rintaro is a book for anyone who loves Japanese food, from the curious novice to expats craving the tastes of home. It is a book that blends careful mastery with the pure delight of making the tastiest food, it encourages you to find the beauty in your own terroir and the heart in your own cooking.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Food and Drink, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 10, 2023

Reviews

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would love to visit Brackett’s restaurant Rintaro, a modern Izakaya in San Francisco. Some day…. for now, I’m savoring what is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever owned. Brackett, who was born in Kyoto, came to the US as a small child. His American father traveled to Japan to learn Japanese carpentry and there, he met Sylvan’s mother. Returning to California, the family lived in a gorgeous Japanese-style home built by his father in a “profoundly rural” location outside of Nevada City. No phones, sewers, streetlights or even neighbors, he writes.

His career started off at the legendary Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse (one of my favorite restaurants).

Most of the food in the book is not something I would make myself. I never fry food at home or grill meat. Not that I don’t love to eat those items, but as a cook I am not so wide-ranging. In ten years back in the US, I have only rarely used the oven, cooking almost exclusively on the stove-top. I don’t have a microwave, don’t bake, and don’t own many appliances beyond my rice cooker.

So, Rintaro was mainly a pleasure for my eyes.

But I did make the curry—and it was a triumph!

Japanese curry has a long history in Japan. Arriving on British navy boats from India in the days of the British Raj, the dish quickly became a popular favorite. My friend Laura Kelly tells the story — even providing a recipe for frog meat curry—on her wonderful blog the Silk Road gourmet. Like Omurice and Seafood doria, it is considered to be yōshoku (洋食) or western food.

It isn’t really a favorite of mine, but I do make it with the ready-made roux every so often. I always felt guilty that it wasn’t a great choice loaded with palm oil and maybe lard. Always promising myself I would try and make it from scratch one day—I finally did using my latest favorite cookbook, Rintaro by Sylvan Mishima Brackett.

I used Brackett’s recipe—but instead of beef, I used chicken and I also added renkon lotus. Like me, Brackett (who started off his career at Chez Panisse) likes to eat Japanese curry with raita and he also suggested to use hardboiled eggs if you make it with chickem which I did.

I used Osawa brand Fukujinzuke without the red food dye.

I am not a fussy cook so I didn’t do the food processor step… but I have to say it was easy and so much better than store bought!

There was also a fantastic recipe for one of my all-time favorite foods: shira-ae goromo (here is a recipe from Just One Cookbook) It is not much to look at but I love it just the same. In honor of the painting of the six persimmons, I used this dressing on boiled spinach and persimmons.

Venice, by Russell Norman, is still my all-time favorite cookbook, but Rintaro is a close second, I think.

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up “Rintaro” at the Now Serving cookbook store in L.A. this past weekend, and I couldn’t put it down.

This is the rare cookbook that has no faults. The design is gorgeous from the cover and throughout the interior. The chef/author Sylvan Mishima Brackett shares his story and the story of the Rintaro restaurant in wonderful vignettes that give context and accent the dishes.

The recipes are quite accessible. Very few require specific kitchen implements that are a part of most people’s kitchens. And any home chef can accomplish the recipes. And the chef takes time - and step-by-step photos - to show some higher skill techniques for the more adventurous home chef if one does want to break down a bird.

I eagerly hope to visit Rintaro in San Fransisco soon to experience this food by the master, but until then I will enjoy making many recipes from this fantastic book.

If this praise sounds over the top, I insist that it is deserved and true. “Rintaro” is a perfect cookbook. I rank it with Cynthia Shanmugalingam’s “Rambutan” and Erchan Chang’s “BAO” as the finest examples of what cookbooks can be and achieve that I’ve encountered in the past few years. Worthy addition for any home cookbook library.

[Isaac Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

so pretty! I wish I went here more when I was in SF. only a limited number of dishes I feel I can actually make-- but I would be willing to practice to make that cheesey tonkatsu.

maybe one day, in our future farm, we can have our own charcoal yakitori grill-- it's good to have dreams

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

The chicken and cheese katsu looks amazing (not GF obviously) and the souffle cheesecake is gluten free!

[Timothy Dolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful cookbook, fantastic add to the collection.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Elaborate and terribly impractical recipes. Go to Rintaro in SF - it’s amazing

[Lisa]

Haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but I do love a beautiful cookbook that mixes elaborate preparations I will never make, with homey dishes I will definitely be attempting!

[RYAN PHAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photography is amazing and there are step by step photos for the fish

[Augusto Bernardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one hell of a cookbook. Truly unique, authentic Japanese food that's not the typical bento, sushi and ramen. That isn't to say that this book doesn't have a sashimi tutorial and a full blown udon masterclass. It's brilliant, almost every recipe is worth trying. And I truly mean TRYING, because I didn't think these recipes are easy. Not all the ingredients are easy to find and some may need equipment you need to find, like a yakitori grill. As a cookbook itself it is beautiful. the photography and artwork are great with realistic presentations.