Dining Review -- Kathy Mader

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 statue 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 gifts, with interesting twists, including mom’s secrets, to the

table at Buddha’s Favorite. But to truly honor the name of Buddha, one

thing 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 chairs and curtains, with several statues 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 Cannery 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 been eaten to bring the bowl to your mouth

and slurp away. For those of us who just cant 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 souffle

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 Suita Furui -- so cool that even the devil’s

tongue gets trembled.” Oni no! And Denshin, “makes 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?

* KATHY MADER’s dining reviews appear every other Thursday.

FYI

* What: Buddha’s Favorite

* Where: 634 Lido Park Drive (behind Blue Water Grill), Newport Beach

* When: Lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Dinner is served 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 to

10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

* How much: Inexpensive

* Contact: (949) 723-4203 or www.buddhasfavorite.com