Here's a question that pops up often. If Buddha were in the here and now, what would be his favorite food? A gal can get to wondering. Wonder no more. The very charming and clearly labeled Buddha's Favorite on Lido Isle, right behind the Blue Water Grill and across from the Cannery, lays it all out for you. Buddha's Favorite is now one of mine.
Here's the real scoop on the name and the place. Owner and general manager Masaki "Yoshi" Yoshitsuka came from Kamakura, Japan, a city that boasts the "second largest bronze Buddha statute in all of Japan." Something one cannot ignore. Kamakura is also known as the Japanese "surf city," which explains why Yoshi chose Newport Beach as his culinary destination.
His mother owns a noodle shop in Japan. That got him started in the business, and he went on to become not only a sushi chef, but also a master in the prestigious Japanese cuisine of "Kaiseki." He brings all of these first, with interesting twists, including mom's secrets, to the table at Buddha's Favorite. But to truly honor the name of Buddha, one ting you won't find is red meat or pork. Apparently true Japanese Buddhists are vegetarian. But knowing how difficult it is to base a restaurant on that, Buddha's Favorite is what Yoshi would call "semi-vegetarian."
Buddha's Favorite is not only charming, but cozy and beachy and very, very good. The restaurant is done in light tan and red, the color of luck. There are red charis and curtains, with several statutes of Buddha around so you won't forget about the important things. In the summer, the little outside patio with a view of the bay and the new Channery will be the way to go, but on a very cool February night, the inside was warm and inviting. Nothing fancy, but loads of charm.
Buddha's Favorite serves up all your sushi favorites, including ones you have never heard of. If you are still wondering, Buddha's favorite sushi is deep-fried zucchini with cream cheese and salmon on the outside. Their crunchy roll- shrimp tempura wrapped in rice, and a sushi I use as a standard - is just great. Everybody's favorite, the California roll, is rather small in size but lacks nothing in flavor and freshness. And, oh, the ahi! I will say no more.
But don't stop at the sushi. This is, after all, a sushi and noodle house. And remember these are mom's special noodles. And while rice is a Japanese staple, and of course you can get it here, they specialize in both the thin soba noodle and the thicker and more chewy (thus making it my favorite) udon noodles. Both of these noodles can be served cool with a dipping sauce, but I am a pretty big fan of the soup - a bowl of noodles in a warm broth, seasoned with green onions and topped with tempura or chicken, or as in the case of my order, sweet seasoned fried tofu. Darn good stuff.
I also got the scoop on slurping. It is customary after the "solid ingredients" of the soup have eaten to bring the bowl to your mouth and slurp away. For those of us who just can't forget our mother's warnings at times like these, Buddha's Favorite offers funky bamboo spoons, but with these noodle soups, slurping can be unavoidable at times. Sorry, mom.
Speaking of funky, try the tempura-fried ice cream for dessert. It is so worth it. But even funkier is the fact that they offer a soufflé special every night that you need to order at least 30 minutes in advance. This is yet another of the ways in which Yoshi's formal culinary training is evident.
They serve wine and beer, but sake is the way to go. And they describe it in terms to which I can relate. For example, "Ohtouka - recommended for beginners" and "Oni no Shita Furui - so cool that even the devil's tongue gets trembled." Oni no! and Denshin, "maker your thoughts turn telepathic." I appreciate this because when I want a cool, trembling, telepathic devil's tongue, I know how to reach my goal in minutes.
Buddha's Favorite has been open since September 2000, but people are not talking. The restaurant is small, and the regulars don't want to share. I certainly don't blame them. But what would Buddha do?