Kuro Nami—which translates from Japanese as “black wave”—reflects the restaurant’s steadfast commitment to honoring traditional Japanese cuisine while leaving room on the menu for creativity and modern expression.
To experience the distinctive flavors of this izakaya—a Japanese-style pub where small plates are designed to pair with beer, sake, and other drinks—you’ll first cross San Anselmo Creek. Tucked along the creek’s Right Bank and facing Center Boulevard rather than bustling San Anselmo Avenue, the restaurant feels like a hidden discovery in the heart of town. Or, to borrow a Parisian analogy, Kuro Nami is its own version of the Île de la Cité—a little island of culinary delight in the center of the city.
Izakaya can also be loosely translated as “stay, sake, shop” — a place to linger, savor a glass of sake or a draft Sapporo or Asahi at the bar, or share a spread of small plates with friends and family. At Kuro Nami, you can settle in at one of the tables in the cheery, flower-bedecked sunroom, or choose a seat inside, where papered windows and dark wood tables evoke a more traditional Japanese aesthetic.
No matter where you sit at Kuro Nami, the experience is enhanced by the sense of connection and hospitality. An actual human greats you at the door, shows you to your seat, and takes your order. Trained to knowledgeably discuss each menu item, your server makes the answer to “what should I order?,” a breeze. And details about the 12 sakes available by the bottle and glass are as easy to procure as details about the sushi, hand rolls, tempura and seasonal specials.
Kuro Nami is, perhaps, best known for Kani Miso, the restaurant’s most-ordered dish. Little more than grilled miso paste, red crab, tobiko, sweaweed, and rice, it is a “make your own handroll with a rich, creamy flavor." It’s a crabby experience found on most izakaya menus in Japan but rarely in the United States.
The menu’s number two item? Crispy Rice Sushi Bites, fried sushi rice topped with spicy salmon, serrano peppers and black tobiko.
The restaurant offers a rotating assortment of seasonal specials.
For the duration of winter, look for Komi Hamachi Tataki (with gentle heat from chili oil and crushed chile flakes, Hamachi Aka Crudo (zippy with fresh grapefruit and ponzu), and Hana Truffle – tuna, salmon and yellowtail, rolled to resemble flowers and served with edible flowers and a touch of truffle-chile-ponzu sauce.
In addition to the 12 sakes by the bottle (and some by the glass), winter brings a seasonal special cocktail: Ichigo Kiss. Strawberry purée swirled with two sakes and topped with dried strawberry petals, the drink is designed for the sweetest among us. If you prefer your sake with a side of sake, we recommend the Sake Flight, two ounces each of three sakes.
The Sake Flight experience is fun to enjoy with friends but is also a popular order for business lunches, a quick way to change the energy at the table. Ranging from sweet to bitter, the house’s three sake cocktails – Kuro Nami (with blue curaçao and coconut), Kawairashii (with plum sake and stone fruit syrup), and Komorebi (with yuzu and lemon), are another fun way to expand your sake experience.
Open for just a year and a half in the space that once housed Sushi 69, Kuro Nami has quickly made a name for itself with beautifully presented, expertly executed izakaya fare and sushi served in a stunning setting. The personable staff and the thoughtful care behind every detail of the dining experience are the icing on the cake. Now, if we could only convince everyone to rename the north side of San Anselmo Creek the “Right Bank,” it would be even easier to find. Until then, Kuro Nami remains a hidden gem hiding in plain sight.
If mouthwatering photos of Japanese cuisine are your thing, be sure to follow the restaurant on Instagram. And don’t forget to sign up for Kuro Nami’s Rewards Program, where diners can earn points on takeout and delivery orders—as well as at its sister restaurant, The Baan Thai Cuisine—when ordering directly through the website.
