Izanamai

Dinner at Izanamai at Ten Thousand Waves was a lovely session of Japanese inspired cuisine.

The beauty of having an on site restaurant at Ten Thousand Waves is that I didn’t have to go far for delicious food. I made reservations for the last night in Sante Fe.

Upon arriving, I was pleased by the decor. It had tastes of Japan. But, with a distinct Southwestern flavor. The same could be said for the menu.
At my appointed reservation time, I was led to my table and browsed the menu.

I need to state – the service at Izanami is better than the food. Yes, the food is decent. But, my waiter was absolutely incredible.

The beauty of having an on-site restaurant at Ten Thousand Waves is that I didn’t have to go far for delicious food. I made reservations for my last night in Sante Fe.

Upon arriving, I was pleased by the decor. It had tastes of Japan. But, with a distinct Southwestern flavor. The same could be said for the menu. At my appointed reservation time, I was led to my table and browsed the menu.

I need to state – the service at Izanami is better than the food. Yes, the food is decent. But, my waiter was absolutely incredible.

I began my meal with the SAKE FLIGHTS OF THE WEEK (a pour of the staff’s favorites flights).

My waiter was fluent in every aspect of the menu. He suggested that I try a light bite while browsing the rest of the menu. So, I ordered the BLACK SESAME NOODLES (burdock root, carrots, edamame, scallions, house made black sesame dressing).

When they arrived, I took my first bites. The noodles were flavor filled and not bad, at all. Between the noodles and the sake, I felt settled.

Browsing the menu, I considered the WAYGU BEEF, the SHISHITO PEPPERS and some other options. Now, the waygu doesn’t impress me. It’s common in Japan and I knew it wouldn’t match the flavor. My waiter was smart and rightly described how small the pieces would be. So, I opted instead to order the SMOKED PORK RIBS (sweet chile glaze, ginger cabbage slaw, parsley peanut mojo).

Now, with this dish, I felt that it needed a bit more heat. So, I added more of the salt and additional seasonings that were on the table.

I also ordered the EBI TEMPURA (shrimp tempura, pineapple-aj amarillo sweet Chile) because another table ordered it – and I was impressed. Unfortunately, I was too focused on the pork ribs to eat the shrimp tempura before it cooled down. The pineapple-aj amarillo sauce was good. But, I should have eaten them pipping hot.

At the end of my dinner, I appreciated how my waiter had suggested the restaurant’s greatest hits for me to enjoy. It made for a better experience at such a lovely location.

And, after my meal, it was a delight to walk back to Yado and relax a bit, before getting ready for bed.

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