Tataki is a Japanese cooking technique that dates back a few centuries, supposedly to a legendary samurai. I thought about this while my chopsticks placed a piece of Fudo’s seared tuna on my tongue.
The cool, silky fish was cut expertly against the grain, revealing a vibrant pink interior and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth exterior, slightly smoky where the edges had been torch-seared.
That smoky char is just part of the multilayered ride. The seared meat is sprinkled with little pearls of crispy rice, providing crunch. Clean, peppery micro cilantro threads are powerhouses of freshness. Claret-colored squares of ponzu jelly jiggle atop each slice. Much like the tuna, it melts on the tongue, leaving a lingering pleasant sourness.
The dish is visually stunning and works as a shared starter to a series of the restaurant’s exciting rolls, or as an entree. Each ingredient plays a part in complementing the flavor of the fish, and nothing is superfluous.
Fudo. 5070 Peachtree Blvd., Chamblee. 678-691-7088, fudoatl.com
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