Tucked away in a nondescript block of downtown Santa Barbara is one of the best Japanese restaurants in town — Yoichi’s — and it’s one you could easily miss if you’re just walking by.

Opened in 2015 by Yoichi, the head chef and the restaurant’s namesake, Yoichi amassed a wealth of experience as a kaiseki chef throughout several regions of Japan. He now offers Santa Barbara the opportunity to enjoy a traditional kaiseki meal consisting of high-quality ingredients, perfectly balanced flavours and flawless presentation.

The clean, minimalistic interior is simple yet elegant, with a meticulous and deliberate placement of every item. The attention to detail, the care that goes into each choice, and the pride in quality are evident from the start, and they are present throughout the experience.

Though we were there to review the restaurant as a whole, the staff’s primary concern was simply that we enjoy the food. You’ll get the impression that they are not only proud of what they serve, but that they are confident you will enjoy it — and for good reason. The food is phenomenal, and your taste buds are taken on an eclectic journey of pleasure from the first bite to the last. The sake pairing was elegant, floral and smooth — a perfect complement to each of the delicious dishes.

The appetizer evoked memories of Japan for anyone who has been there. It featured an assortment of four delicious morsels: simmered vegetables, Japanese firefly squid, roasted Washugyu beef and iidako octopus. My personal favourite was the tender, melt-in-your-mouth Washugyu beef, which set a high bar for the courses to follow. Next came a soup of clear bonito fish broth with snow crab and white fish cake, a comforting and flavourful combination that builds anticipation for the rest of the seafood-focused experience.

The assorted sashimi plate included Murasaki sea urchin, striped jack, yellowtail, bluefin tuna belly and Mongo squid. While every single one was an absolute delight, the standout was the sea urchin, which is easily the best in Santa Barbara.

The sashimi was followed by a steamed dish of Japanese egg custard with salmon roe, sea eel, shimeji mushroom and green onion. The roe had a subtle sweetness that played well with the flavours of the custard and eel.

The Saikyo miso-marinated Chilean sea bass was the star of the show, and there are no words to do it justice. Paired with the miso bechamel sauce on top, it is an explosion of umami flavour that makes you reconsider what you thought was possible with food. We expect to be dreaming about it for a long time.

Though the Chilean sea bass was hard to follow, the parade of mesmerizingly delicious food did not end there. Yoichi’s continued to serve a series of consistently high-quality dishes, including king mackerel simmered in sweet bonito fish broth with koji miso-marinated black tiger shrimp.

The sushi course consisted of golden eye snapper, scallop and marinated sweet shrimp. The deep and complex flavours did not require any additional soy sauce or wasabi to be fully appreciated.

The meal concluded with a dessert of green tea and soy milk pudding, with tangerine jello and red bean paste — a delightfully refreshing and sweet end to the series of elegant dishes.

Though expectations were high, Yoichi’s exceeded them in every way. From the well-crafted presentation to the rich flavours of the food to the impeccable service, every aspect of this restaurant sets a high bar for dining in the area. 

Yoichi’s has many regulars — and that comes as no surprise. Whether you are a local or just visiting our beautiful town, you will be well served by making a stop here. Santa Barbara is lucky to have it.

Photography by Valeria Chepilev. With files from Alex Chepilev.