San Diego Metropolitan Magazine

James Montejano, executive chef at Café Japengo, displays Sake Marinated Prawns. (photo/alandeckerphoto.com)

One of the most successful restaurants in San Diego, Café Japengo, has beaten the odds when it comes to survival statistics. While most restaurants fail within two years of opening, Café Japengo is celebrating its 16th anniversary. Its longevity is even more surprising given that it is a hotel restaurant — it belongs to the Hyatt Hotel Aventine — and until only recently, it certainly wasn’t very chic to be a hotel restaurant. Most surprising, especially to those in the business, Japengo has flourished while the three adjacent restaurant spaces suffer a revolving door of operators and concepts, many turning out fine food but none approaching Japengo’s staying power.

Part of Japengo’s success just might be the food. Sure, the dark interiors of concrete, stone and metal are cool. And the chill-out club music makes even the 50-year-olds feel hip. But let’s face it, if the food hadn’t been top-notch all these years, none of that would have mattered.

Credit that in part to the many years that Amiko Gubbins, San Diego’s hottest she-chef, was in charge before opening her own restaurant, Parallel 33 in Mission Hills. Also, things really soared to a new level last year when James Montejano signed on as executive chef. The fact is, Japengo has always had a very capable kitchen.

The menu is, and always has been, Fusion. Although the concept has become a bit played out over the past few years, Japengo was ahead of its time as one of the first such restaurants in San Diego, and still does it better than just about anyone else.

Montejano comes to San Diego after a five-year stint at San Francisco’s famed Aqua restaurant. No more need be said.

Although many go to Café Japengo just for the sushi, and it certainly is one of the best in town at that, try to limit yourself to a roll or two as a starter so that you have plenty of room to try a few of the kitchen’s dishes. The one-page menu, printed on vellum, offers all of the old Japengo favorites like “Crispy Chicken and Vegetable Spring Rolls,” “Miso Chilean Sea Bass” and “Ten Ingredient Fried Rice,” as well as some new dishes where Montejano really struts his stuff.

Rarely do I take a pass on a bisque, and the Japengo “Coconut Lobster Bisque” ($12) is a great way to kick off an evening. The not-too-creamy soup is embellished with chunks of Maine lobster and finished with a drop or two of truffle oil. It is served with housemade taro and sweet potato chips. (They’re actually kind of good broken up and tossed in.)

Don’t miss the “Char Su Duck Salad” ($16). It is great to share and a delicious combination of flavors and textures. Char Su is a marinade and glaze usually consisting of fresh ginger, garlic, brown sugar, tomato paste, soy sauce and star anise, and is a common preparation in Asian cooking. It will be a familiar taste, I promise. The chef combines the glazed duck breast with baby greens tossed in pomegranate vinaigrette, candied pecans and goat cheese. “Char Su Duck” also is served as an entrée with veggies, plum sauce and moo-shu crepes.

Whole-fish fans definitely should indulge in the “Whole Fish Japonaise” ($31). It’s served with shrimp pad Thai and drizzled with honey ponzu and citrus oil.

The tender “Braised Short Ribs” ($31) are served in a sweet and spicy brown chili sauce and tossed with fettuccine and woked Chinese vegetables. It’s sprinkled with black sesame and a fresh parsley garnishing, lending color to the dish.

For the record, my favorite entrée is the “Sake Marinated Prawns”($29). Hunky U-12 shrimp are marinated and served over a risotto cake and quick-cooked broccolini and Chinese long beans. The dish is surrounded by a slightly sweet, slightly spicy tomato broth and finished with sesame seeds and a few drops of satay sauce.

The desserts are all housemade and are a must. The Chocolate Lava Cake, in particular, makes for a decadently perfect final act for Montejano’s magic.