Tapas, mezzes, or small plates by any other name have been a dining trend in the United States for years. The idea seems to be that a restaurant can be a more effective third place if it focuses on small servings of flavorful food that arrive as they are prepared. As diners progress serendipitously from one round of food and drink to another, there is plenty of opportunity for conversation and socializing. This style of dining is most often associated with the countries that line the Mediterranean, but Sens, the newest project of restaurateur Johnny Chu, marries the small plates concept with Pacific Rim cuisine, creating a sort of "tapanese" cuisine in the process.
Sens is the follow-up to Chu's first Downtown venture, Fate, which was known for its artsy atmosphere, pan-Asian menu, and late hours. Chu is no longer at Fate, and that restaurant is now changing to a new name and identity. Sens seems at first glance to follow the Fate template, but then departs from it in several ways. First, the space at Sens is fundamentally different from Fate. Instead of a renovated house with myriad small rooms and a patio, Sens is built into a storefront -- one of several in a commercial building that will eventually house other restaurants like PastaBAR. The building lies along First Street on the block between Pierce and McKinley roughly halfway between the Roosevelt / Central Avenue Station and the Van Buren / Central Avenue (northbound) and Van Buren / 1st Avenue (southbound) stations.
Just beyond the front entrance, customers are greeted by a Buddha figure flashing the peace sign. To the right is a DJ booth that is active in the later evening hours; to the left is a small secondary dining room good for private parties. The main dining room, bar, and open kitchen occupy a rectangular space directly behind the host station. Interesting light fixtures reminiscent of a Georgia O'Keeffe painting create a soft glow, and electronic music, thankfully at a moderate volume, sets a contemporary mood.
The intimate setting allows customers who show an interest in the food to receive a little personal attention. The executive chef frequently comes out from behind the counter to comment on the dishes served and to suggest ways to enjoy the maximum possible taste. A suggestion to dip tofu cubes into a sauce and then into flakes of roasted garlic, for example, suddenly makes a potentially complicated dish come alive with a simple sequence of steps resulting in an unexpected burst of flavor.
About that tofu -- Chu and his kitchen crew have long had a reputation for preparing bean curd in a way that will win over anyone who normally dislikes this staple of east Asian cuisine. The first trick is a technique that renders the tofu cubes crispy on the outside while keeping them soft on the inside; the result is a pleasing alternative to the uniformly gelatinous texture typically associated with tofu. The second trick is to pair the tofu with high-impact dipping sauces that more than compensate for tofu's lack of intrinsic flavor. The sesame tofu (right photo below) comes with a spicy sauce; the wasabi tofu comes with an even more provocative dip that manages to meld a certain sweetness with a horseradish-like tang.
Of course, it's not all about the soybeans. Red meat, chicken, shrimp, clams, and even the occasional whole fish make their presence known. Many are grilled over charcoal, and a few, including a red snapper special, are fried until crispy. As with the tofu, these dishes are almost always matched with dipping sauces. The house sauce, an addictive soy-vinegar-chili amalgam, is so good that one could contemplate drowning everything in it. That's not a good idea, though, since it would mean missing out on some of the more subtle sauces specifically paired with various dishes.
An Asian small plates concept also calls out for dim sum touches, and those are apparent with dishes like shu mai (center photo below), stuffed with a mixture of shrimp and pork. Even more interesting is a meatless alternative, the mango-papaya spring rolls, and the napa rolls, which encase whole prawns and shiitake mushrooms in a sturdy wrapper of napa cabbage. For a really unique taste, however, the banana leaf dish should not be overlooked. A variety of vegetables, including an unexpected cameo appearance by okra, fill a banana leaf pouch in which they are both smoked and steamed. The result is a subtle taste of banana augmented by a slight char but without the dryness common in many smoked foods.
The descriptions of the food could go on and on, but beverages also merit attention. Sake and shochu, a Japanese analog to vodka, are featured. Both come in flavor-infused varieties. High-octane martinis pair vodka with fruit flavors to create strong, intensely-flavored cocktails. The beer and wine selection is not large, but is well-matched to the food. The only item lacking on the menu: dessert; there is none. A walk north to the Chill Out Gelato Cafe on Roosevelt might be a possibility, but only before 8 PM. For Sens customers who dine later, skipping dessert may be an unfortunate necessity. Given the leisurely pace and stylish aesthetics at Sens, this restaurant is best experienced without young children.
705 N. 1st St., #120, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
(602) 340-9777
http://www.sensake.com/
Reviews from Other Sites:
Chow
Phoenix New Times
Yelp
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