Keiichi (Denton, TX)

Keiichi
500 N. Elm St.
Denton, TX 76201
No website, phone: (940) 230-3410

Photos courtesy of Kevin Hwang (Flickr)

As others have clamored, I am in full agreement: Yes, Keiichi is worth making a trip to Denton. I was at a loss when I initially sought out information about this restaurant as there are limited details and photos of the impressive work done by Mr. Keiichi Nagano. Here’s my account from this hidden gem up north.

The L-shaped bar seats six on the long side, three on the short. There’s also a back bar behind the coppery window as well as a separate dining room, but sitting at the bar is essential for the best experience. Unfortunately due to impromptu planning, we were forced to take an early seating (5:30), but in this case, it may have been the right thing to do.

Fresh wasabi with sharkskin grater:

The palette for this fine art, Kei-san’s chopping block.

Had green tea to drink. It poured a cloudy green with a slight hint of yellow, had a grassy aroma, and was not bitter. I’m guessing this was sencha since I saw that the leaves were not ground once I drank enough to see to the bottom.

Action shots:

Now for the food.

The menu changes daily to ensure freshness of the fish. He also discussed the huge significance of rice preparation as you cannot have good sushi without good rice. His rice is served at room temperature with perfect seasoning and acidity.

After scanning the menu, a few items immediately stood out. This is the Keiichi Hometown special. It has five pieces of sushi sourced from Japan’s smallest island. Each of the shiny fish was light in flavor and very lean.

The second sign we happened to pick a very good night to go. I’ve always wanted to try engawa and lucky me, it was available. Engawa is a cut of the muscle from the dorsal fin of a halibut. If you’re interested in trying this uncommon sushi-neta, you need to request it. Soft and chewy, and the dollop of yuzu kosho added a slight sour and salty tang. One of my new favorites.

As if we hadn’t experienced enough good luck on this particular night!

Uni, straight from San Diego with seawater intact. So delicious. Unctuous, creamy, briny, and smooth. One of the best experiences I’ve had with uni (many have been very disappointing), though I just wish it were a tad bit sweeter and firmer.

We inquired about futomaki and unfortunately, Kei-san did not have any mushrooms. However, by this point he had noticed we’d be willing to try anything and he offered up something new to try which was outstanding. Umetamago is the other of my favorite sushi-neta at Keiichi. It has tamago (egg), mint, and pickled pear. This sensory attack had tremendous complexity of flavors ranging from sweet light egg, the mint’s distinct flavor, and the tart, pungent notes of the pear.

The experience has already far-exceeded anything expectations we had, and we concluded with two more fish:
Kampachi is greater anberjack. Firm and snappy texture.

Salmon is typically a boring choice, but this one was meatier, chewier, and had a distinct oily flavor.

Japanese continued to dominate our orders on the second trip, but we did add in some Italian items.

Salmon Skin Salad has salmon skin, bonito flakes, small cucumbers, carrots, and sweet onions. Light, crispy and crunchy.

Futomaki is a sweet and savory combination of egg, crab leg, mushroom, and Japanese cucumbers.

Beef Ragu pasta has noodles cooked perfectly al dente, with meaty, tender beef and rich, slightly acidic sauce.

Chu-toro is medium fatty toro. One step above maguro but not quite toro. Still frictionless and had proper wasabi to enhance the creamy flavor.

The sauteed King Oyster Mushroom can be described in two words: umami onslaught. These golden brown mushrooms were hearty, smooth, and chewy, with a crunch to finish.

Keiichi Nagano is a humble itamae who has raised the bar for Japanese cuisine in North Texas. A meal at Keiichi is a whole experience as he only settles for the freshest fish that is attentively prepared and creatively presented, while he constantly interacts with his diners. However, it is not an exclusive club for sushi aficionados, as he maintains a smile on his face whether he serves you a spicy tuna roll, or prepares his masterpiece octopus carpaccio. Dining here is always a unique experience and although Kei-san insists that he’s still learning, I’ll gladly vouch that he keeps getting better and better.