Best Japanese Restaurant: Kata Robata
When Kata Robata debuted in 2009 as a modest strip mall restaurant in Upper Kirby with executive chef Manabu Horiuchi at its helm, no one could have predicted the heights that it would achieve. In the ten years since it opened, however, Horiuchi has gone on to earn three James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef Southwest. The Press has named Kata Best Sushi and Best Japanese in its Best of Houston® awards times over. And step into its doors any day of the week with or without a reservation, and you’ll have to queue up for a table.
The reason? As with wine, Kata Robata has only gotten better with age. The sushi is perfection, made from the freshest, highest quality fish like kinmedai (Golden Eye snapper) or o-toro (fatty tuna) flown in several times a week from Japan. But what takes Kata to the next level, and helps it maintain its longevity, is that fact that it doesn’t do anything by halves. From the ramen to the robata items, to the silky smooth chawanmushi egg custard, the hot dishes from the kitchen are just as incredible as the sushi — exactly what one would expect from the best Japanese restaurant in town.
3600 Kirby, Suite H, Houston
713-526-8858
katarobata.com
Readers’ Choice: Uchi
904 Westheimer, Houston
713-522-4808
uchihouston.com
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2019.
