Out and About

By Daryl Wilson

In recent years, bistros have attempted to make sushi more amenable to the American palate. Chefs have added dressings, candies and small fried bits known as tempura flakes. Are they delicious? Yes. Are they crunchy and mouthful? Undoubtedly. But are they sushi?

A sushi purist, a healthy food advocate or an enjoyer of the summer hospitality in the Berkshires can find true sushi at Bizen restaurant on Railroad Street in Great Barrington. The chefs at Bizen, who include founder and owner Michael Marcus, adhere to a traditional approach to sushi and, notably, do not sprinkle tempura flakes on any of the dishes. In fact, as manager Tasja Keetman said recently while preparing for a busy restaurant night, “There is more going on at Bizen than meets the eye.” Fresh, seasonal ingredients are only the beginning.

The Bizen menu is fun and imaginative in a traditional sushi way. The dragon rolls (there are three on the menu) differ in their mix of eel, tuna and other sushi, fresh from the bar. Attention to freshness generally makes for a healthier dish, and Bizen offers a number of supremely healthful choices, including the sakizuke salad, composed of a piece of tuna tataki (braised with a torch) served on a bed of fresh greens with a delicate ginger dressing. The robata menu is a selection of open-hearth cuisine from the Ainu people of Hokkaido that is seared with an intense heat over a charcoal grill.

The art of Bizen reaches its highest expression in kaiseki, often referred to as the “poetry of Japanese cuisine.” Kaiseki is a multi-course meal of small dishes, usually served as part of sado, the Japanese tea ceremony, and uses specific dishes, tea, preparations, dress and customs. In fact, it was the kaiseki and its utensils that first propelled Marcus to open Bizen in 1996. Marcus, a potter, spent four years in Japan’s Bizen prefecture and the region of Mino, learning this art form. The name Bizen refers to a traditional Japanese art of making wood-fired unglazed clay objects and utensils. His pieces can be found throughout the restaurant.

Bizen’s attention to the details of the sushi meal involves using all organic ingredients, without dairy and without sugar, including whatever can be grown on his biodynamic farm in Monterey, Mass., harvested according to the seasonal, biodynamic calendar.

The restaurant includes bar areas and traditional tables, as well as faithfully recreated 16th century tatami rooms designed and prepared for the tea ceremony. The refreshing atmosphere, congenial and attentive service and fresh and healthy food makes Bizen a good choice for sushi lovers in the Berkshires or Litchfield Hills and is a personal favorite of this sushi lover. 

Bizen is located at 17 Railroad Street in Great Barrington and is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Visit bizensushi.com for additional information.