Hapa Japanese Cuisine is a gift for the people of Owasso. Remember that rule I have about what determines the authenticity of ethnic restaurants? Okay, it's been a while since I've blogged but my rule is, if there are people in the restaurant of the same ethnicity as the food, it's authentic.
Chef DaisukeTanaka is not only passionate about creating delectable Japanese cuisine, he's damn good at it. Restaurateur Masataka Ido and Chef Tanaka chose Owasso to launch their Asian foodie delight.
I started with the Beef Carpaccio...I know you can practically taste the goodness you see before you but the truth is, words and photos can not even begin to describe the flavors that came from this dish. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is just writing about it.
Beef Carpaccio-seared tender beef with mayo, Sriracha, fried green onions, ponzu served with salad greens, drizzled with sesame citrus vinaigrette.
Next, I inhaled the Tuna Tataki, it's marinated Tuna, sesame oil and seeds served over a bed of greens. Now, at first, I was a little taken back by the usage of iceberg lettuce rather than leafier greens as well as the usage of lemons rather than limes. But then I read the review Scott Cherry of the Tulsa World wrote and I learned that Hapa, according to Ido, is a Hawaiian term for a harmonious blend of Caucasian and Asian cultures. Which explained the use of more Americanized ingredients such as the Iceberg lettuce.
Tuna Tataki-marinated tuna, sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallions, hot sauce and ponzu served with mixed salad greens.
No visit to a Japanese restaurant is complete without trying some sashimi and nigiri. I chose the yellowtail, tuna, smoked salmon, and my favorite, escolar nigiri. The product is fresh and delicious. So straight forward and to the point.
Yellowtail, tuna, and smoked salmon sashimi with a side of escolar nigiri.
I had to try a roll while I was there. Chef Tanaka prepared a roll called The Force Awakens. Well, it sure does. It awoke my taste buds deep down to my foodie soul. It's comprised of crab salad, sesame dressing, cucumber, jalapeno and avocado inside and topped with tuna, white fish, scallions, and Chef's Special sauce. Underneath, roasted sesame sauce. The roll was clean and not over sauced. Chef Tanaka created and assembles it so all of the flavors come together while standing on their own.
The atmosphere was relaxing, music was classic American Standard (who doesn't like Sinatra, Holiday and Martin over a nice meal?). The food is seriously authentic, and fresh. What I adore most about Hapa Japanese Cuisine is how Chef Tanaka gets it. They don't try to be something they're not. They're true to the cuisine but it's like they chose the BEST of Japanese food and put it on their menu. I feel like they offer way more REAL options on their menu than most sushi places in Tulsa without the fluff.
You can have a business lunch or romantic evening because you can actually hear the people you're dining with...it's not a "night-club", it's a superb Japanese Cuisine Restaurant. Whether you live in Owasso or Tulsa, it's worth the drive. 乾杯！(Kanpai!)
Visit their website for business hours and menu:
https://www.hapaok.com/home.html
Hapa Location on Google Maps:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hapa+Japanese+Cuisine/@36.277649,-95.8246761,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87b6f0b74b06eedd:0xb72fb2cbe0b51733!8m2!3d36.277649!4d-95.8224874
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