Josh Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Kukuri received a moderate amount of hype when it opened, based on the presence of sushi chef Shimao Ishikawa. Ishikawa was behind the (sushi) bar at Michelin-starred Jewel Bako in New York, where I had a memorable meal years ago. I had omakase reservations last week ($175 per person), but ultimately cancelled after hearing rumors that Ishikawa was no longer in the kitchen. I asked a couple of the food critics in town, neither of which had heard anything. A perusal of the Kukuri Facebook page showed that Ishikawa responded to a negative review from his personal account, claiming to have been out of the kitchen since an automobile accident in November. I sent him (or at least whoever is behind the "Shimao Ishikawa" Facebook account) a personal message, and he confirmed that he is no longer associated with Kukuri. While their website still lists him, their frequently updated Facebook page now lists Masayuki Kawai as the head chef. I haven't been able to find out any information on his past work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 Aaaand wouldn't you know it, Eric Sandler at Culture Map reports that Kukuri is closed. I wonder if Chef Ishikawa has any other Houston-based plans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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