Following is a post by my friend and fellow gastronomer--the lovely and talented Angela Craven, who has been known simply as A (or sometimes Mrs. Craven) in the posts of UG. A is also an artist who creates beautiful and thoughtful work. You can find her on Twitter @throwingpaint. My thanks to her both for offering this wonderful post and for her kind words about UG!
After a couple of hours (yup) of browsing and talking with
the artist, I decided to do a bit of holiday shopping. Each of Kazu’s pieces appeared
to hold a story--making it even more fun to look for gifts. I asked him if he
had a specific type of food in mind when he created each piece. He told me he
did, but he didn’t want the story of a piece to determine how it is used in the
future. He hopes that his work takes on a new and better life, with food, once
it leaves his hands. “It is meant to be used,” he said.
A few days before our favorite Urban Gastronomer presented me
with this guest post opportunity, I came across an interesting-looking (Urban
Gastronomy worthy) event online. The event, Den Show, was to be a celebration
of ceramic artist Kazu Oba’s work and the relationship between food and
dinnerware. It happened to also be hosted by the owner of one of Denver’s best
Japanese restaurants, Izakaya Den. The Show and the restaurant were both located
in the charming Denver neighborhood of South Pearl Street. There it was already
planned, the perfect December weekend day of checking out some local art, enjoying
a tasty Japanese lunch and, I would soon discover, gaining some solid blog
inspiration!
Den Show promised to be the sort of event that Chris and I would
have attended or at least discussed over cocktails or brunch, or a cocktail
brunch. That is, if we still lived in the same neighborhood, city and state. Since
I have relocated to the Mile High City and Chris is sipping cocktails on the pristine
beaches of Tortola, it seems only fitting to be bombing her UG blog with
stories of food and art.
 |
| Kazu Oba at Den Show (photo by Angela Craven) |
I was greeted by Kazu Oba as I walked in to the former Ototo
restaurant where Den Show was held. It was about 11:30 in the morning on the
last day of the show and the artist was getting ready to trim a few bowls he
had made the day before. His wheel was positioned directly in front of the door
where he thanked visitors as they entered.
Kazu’s porcelain serving plates,
bowls, sake cups, mugs and vessels were thoughtfully placed on the bar and
shelves, and even on wood tables he had made. For the previous nine days, from
10 am to 10 pm, Kazu had been creating, selling, and discussing his work in
this space. Occasionally he would leave the wheel to answer questions and offer
snacks, coffee or sake for anyone who had the time to stay. Needless to say, it
was a comfortable and inviting space that few could resist walking past, or
leaving once they were in. As I bellied up to the sake bar and talked with Kazu
about his work and technique, I felt like I was at a housewarming party rather
than an exhibit.
 |
| Den Show with Kazu Oba Photo by Angela Craven |
 |
| Den Show with Kazu Oba Photo by Angela Craven |
With that, I left Den Show with a bag of carefully wrapped
gifts and headed across the street to Izakaya Den for lunch. I found a sunny
corner in the front of the restaurant where I could eat, sip tea and write down
all that I could remember from the Show.
 |
| Izakaya Den restaurant, Denver, CO Photo by Angela Craven |
As told on their website, Izakaya
Den is a Japanese gastro pub. Izakaya pubs can be found all over Japan.
They’re…
“a place where locals go to let
loose after a hard day’s work. Like the traditional sake dens of Japan, Izakaya
Den is a wonderful place to sit and contemplate your work day. For those who
love Slow Food, Izakaya Den offers the chance to stretch out your dining
experience, enjoy each bite, every carefully balanced flavor, every drop of
liquid genius, disguised as sauce.”
My server recommended bluefin toro sashimi and I ordered a
caterpillar roll to go with it. It seems counterintuitive, to expect
high-quality seafood in a landlocked city so far from the ocean. Somehow this
restaurant manages to exceed expectations every time. The tuna was buttery and
full of flavor and the caterpillar roll an even sweeter take on the traditional
roll. My server was attentive yet unobtrusive, the food warmed my belly, and my
table in the sun was just the right spot to reflect on the day. What I enjoyed
about Izakaya Den is what I enjoyed about my time talking with Kazu and roaming
the Den show, and about UG, reverence for the experience.
 |
| Photo by Angela Craven |
As lucky readers of UG, we know it is written with the
philosophy of slowing down to soak up the richness of life. Through her witty
posts about Cocktail
Club, unique travel destinations, inspired trips to
the greenmarket, and New
York’s top cocktail bars, the Urban Gastronomer reminds us to celebrate the
details of each experience. So ladies and gs (as someone you know might say),
as you start your week and head into the holidays, may you remember to slow
down, sip your holiday cocktails and soak up all of life’s sweet possibilities
that surround you.
 |
| More from the Den Show with Kazu Oba Photo by Angela Craven |
Comments
Post a Comment