74 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM Notable new(ish) restaurants. the beat on your eats ingredient of your meal to be intentional. They import their rice from a private grower whose farming lineage dates back to the Edo period and source their fish from trusted purveyors at Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, the world's largest wholesale fish market. Each piece—whether it's the delicate sea bream, slightly-seared golden eye snapper or soft sea eel glazed with sweet soy sauce—is prepared and presented with precision, restraint and care. 2074 Broadway. Closed Mondays and Thursdays. kunjip tofu MOUNTAIN VIEW Prepare for pristine presentation at Kunjip Tofu, where upscale Korean cuisine arrives on gleaming golden dishes atop marble tables. Praised for their tofu soup steeped in deeply umami broth, the menu touts toppings for every kind of diner: a mushroom medley for vegetarians; A5 wagyu for the meat lovers; and scallops, snow crab, shrimp and octopus for the seafood-inclined. With deep appreciation reposado SAN MATEO Reposado, a beloved Mexican restaurant that has already won hearts and stomachs at its Palo Alto outpost, is opening a second location in San Mateo. Interested in the fan favorites? Regulars rave about their empanadas and cocinita pibil, slow-cooked pork steeped in earthy achiote and bright citrus with tangy pickled onions. As the name suggests, they boast a spirited drink menu and their medley of margaritas are mixed with blue agave tequila. Also open for brunch, early risers can savor seafood twists on their favorite breakfast comfort dishes: omelets punctuated by crab, tomatillo salsa and chihuahua cheese or blue corn crepes loaded with crab, shrimp and red snapper, then cloaked in poblano cream sauce. 311 Baldwin Avenue. Open daily. sushi kinsen REDWOOD CITY At Sushi Kinsen, there’s no menu to peruse. In true omakase fashion, the evening unfolds at the chef’s discretion as you’re guided through a 20-or-so-course journey of traditional Edomae sushi (known for hand-pressed, nigiri sushi atop vinegar-kissed rice). You’re in expert hands with chef Jason Sen Li, who recently returned from a quest to Tokyo where he dined and exchanged ideas with lead master sushi chefs around the city to further his mastery of the craft. Expect every {food coloring} for the ocean’s bounty, the kitchen also dishes out scrumptious snow crab twigim delicately fried in gamtae batter and abalone bibimbap accompanied with rice and 10 kinds of vegetables. Another perk: bottomless banchan—the Korean term for all those delectable, shareable sides served alongside the main dish—add an array of flavors and textures to the meal. Walk-ins may face a wait, but the restaurant extends warm hospitality with complimentary cups of coffee and cocoa. 1962 El Camino Real. Open daily. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: SUSHI KINSEN / DIANA LEE
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