Kemuri Japanese Barú - Redwood City (CA)

3 /5 Jielin Yan: Ramen: cost $18.5, where the entire toppings consisted one bok choy leaf and a single piece of chasiu… 2/5 Wagyu Curry Rice & Tonkutsu: not sure we found any wagyu, the tonkutsu was way too chunky, the rice was strangely watery 2/5 The sesame ice cream was the best thing we ordered. 4/5

4 /5 Jenn Jiang: Kemuri is definitely not a typical American Japanese restaurant; if you’re not raw fish eater you can enjoy much broader range of different cooked and uncooked Japanese food beyond sushi rolls and sashimi at this restaurant. However it is far from providing an authentic Japanese food experience. Which authentic Japanese restaurant does not provide tempura sauce but soy sauce for a vegetable tempura dish? And their smoked soy sauce, the staple of Japanese cuisine basic sauce is very salty and dark, another mistake. Other disappointment included real tough overcooked beef tongue and thick fried pork chop not juicy due to problems with the flours. The only dish we truly enjoyed is sardine with cheese, a fusion of east and west. That is probably the strength of this restaurant’s cooking but when I ordered simply traditional Japanese food, it is far from perfect. All that being said if someone wants atypical American Japanese food, this is the place to go.

1 /5 Shiyao Lin: I want to begin by saying that I’ve been a loyal customer of Kemuri for years. After my boyfriend and I moved to Redwood City, this became one of our go-to spots, both dine-in and through DoorDash. The Kemuri Udon has always been one of our favorites. That said, I need to share a concern that has come up more than once. A while ago, I noticed a small bug floating in my DoorDash order. I let it go, assuming it was a rare oversight since bok choy can be difficult to clean thoroughly. However, in tonight’s order, I looked more carefully and found several tiny bugs again. They’re very small - easy to mistake for black pepper - but when you look closely, you can clearly see wings and legs. This was disappointing and made the meal inedible for me. More importantly, it shouldn’t be the customer’s responsibility to wonder whether something in the broth is seasoning or an insect. Clean produce and quality control are basic expectations, especially for a restaurant with such a strong reputation. I’m writing this not to complain, but because I genuinely care about Kemuri and want to continue supporting a restaurant I’ve loved for years. I could have left a brief low-star review, but I believe honest, constructive feedback is more helpful. I hope the owner and kitchen team can take this seriously, review the cleaning process for bok choy and broth preparation, and ensure this doesn’t happen again. I truly want to return as a loyal customer - and I hope I can trust the quality again soon.

5 /5 Alisa B.: I love a good cut of eel, and I would recommend the Unagi Kaba-Yaki from here! A generous portion, and you have the option to turn it into an ochazuke. The housemade broth to pour over (optional) adds a complexity to the simple dish. As the eel is so rich, it allows you to change the flavor halfway through the meal :) Funny that they call it an "unagi paella" haha Their oxtail miso soup is also pretty yummy! Rich in flavor and lots of umami. A great start to my lunch. My party also shared an order of the Chicken Karaage, which was really tasty! Crispy and a creamy tangy dipping sauce. Very decent appetizer! Ambiance here is quite industrial, with a bar and minimal decor. I can imagine its really different and lively in the evenings. During lunch, it was chill and easy to talk with everyone at my table.

5 /5 Ashley Hung: The grilled veggies were seasoned soooo well but didn’t feel too heavy either. Corn was good, but drunken monk did it better. I think kemuri’s was overfried just a bit and hardened more than it should have. Still so good though. But the star of the show was the WAGYU GARLIC RICE. I thought it would be fried rice but it was more of a charred sticky rice situation and it exceeded my expectations by so much. The steak was also extremely tender and YUM, great combo. I’m not the biggest fan of udon but they did a really nice job with the chewiness of the udon and the thin yet flavorful broth. Their menu is extensive (but not overwhelmingly so), and I want to come back to try everything else!