The Tataki of Beef at Sushi Nami in Dartmouth had a novel presentation and was very good indeed. I gave it well deserved 5 out of 5 Rating.
A Tataki, in Japanese cuisine can mean to different preparation techniques, but in this context, the most common, it refers to a piece of meat or fish that is quickly seared on the outside, leaving the interior barely warm, and then served sliced, usually with a sauce and garnishes. The Beef Tataki at Sushi Nami Royale in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was presented slightly differently than usual, but proved to be excellent.
When I was first presented with the dish, as you see it pictured above, I was a little surprised and a bit disappointed. Typically, the Beef is a fairly thick pieces from which the slices are arranged flat, revealing the rare interior. Here, it looked as though a thin slice had been grilled to well-done and then plated whole. Luckily, this proved not to be the case.
Here, the Beef was served over a bed of lettuce, with lemon slices on the side, and a topping of either Katsuobushi, or else the slightly less-expensive Bonito Flakes. Although not shown, there was a little dish of Soy Sauce on the side. I didn’t actually bother with the lemon, here, but a little touch of Soy worked nicely.
On closer inspection, it turned out that the beef was sliced and, I was very happy to see, beautifully grilled, with just a thin band of dark, seared flesh around the nicely still-pink meat inside. The exterior was seasoned with pepper, which had clearly been pressed into the little fillet after cooking rather than before. Sometimes, when this is done, the mat in question is wrapped tightly in cling film and chilled to let the seasoning penetrate. Here, though, the meat was still slightly warm so I don’t think that was the case in this version. In any event, the meat was beautifully tender, very flavorsome, and, I have to admit, better than any of my Beef Tataki productions thus far.
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