Review: Kemuri Tatsu-ya

What were you first impressions?
This izakaya-meets-smokehouse is unlike anything else in Austin. Even Kemuri Tatsu-ya’s interior is a hybrid of Japanese and Texan aesthetics: Austere wood paneling and intimate booths are reminiscent of the izakayas in Tokyo and Texas-pride taxidermy hangs on the walls. The ambiance strikes the perfect key of east-meets-south.

What's the crowd like?
The crowd here is wonderfully eclectic, youthful, and vibrant. Attire is a couple notches nicer than at your typical barbecue joint, so dress accordingly.

What do they have to drink?
The full-service bar shakes up cocktails inflected with Japanese ingredients (like the Mizu lemongrass shochu in the Hannya-Chan), and features specialty sake and shochu plus flights of Japanese whisky. Whatever you order, there will be a beverage to match.

Main event: the food. What should we order.
Shareable dishes with Japanese and Texan influences make this menu irresistible. From the smoker comes hippie bone marrow (smoked eggplant) with shishito dengaku, brisket with a sesame-pecan rub and serrano limón miso, and Berkshire pork ribs with garlic furikake. Have the munchies? The Hot Pocketz (brisket and smoked gouda-stuffed tofu pockets) will cure that.

What should we know about the service?
The servers here will happily walk you through the menu if it feels foreign. When it gets busy, having your group’s order (or refill orders) ready together will certainly be to your benefit.