Most of Montclair was shut down for July 4th. Claire and I had some errands to do and had planned to have lunch at Kakui. A couple of our errands were thwarted by holiday closures so we started thinking we may need a plan B for lunch but luckily Kakui was open.
Kakui is a very small restaurant and they did an excellent job with the space, it’s very nicely decorated. I am no expert on Japanese food or sushi but I do know that everything I’ve ever ordered at Kakui is really good. I’ve enjoyed it every time we’ve gone. Often we’ll get an assortment of salads and appetizers and the dishes are always fresh and interesting. Yesterday we each got a bento box. Claire got the salmon teriyaki and I got the sashimi bento. All the classic elements of the bento box are artistically arranged; even the orange half looks inviting. I ate every bit of it. Sushi and sashimi are not the kind of food to take home, I think its best enjoyed immediately after it is prepared.
It was a beautiful day and we sat in one of their outdoor tables giving us a great view of the people and dogs going by. I often go for lunch and have never run into a problem getting a table, but if you go for dinner you will want to get reservations. They also do a brisk to-go business. I see people carrying bags of food home every time we go.
