Japanese Soul Food

When Erika Tokuyama talks about Japanese Soul Food, she doesn't mean some fusion nightmare of chicken fried steak teriyaki or collard greens tempura. "I want people to try our traditional food," she says. "What we eat in Japan." The longtime sushi roller at Ko-Doraku helped start the restaurant's Soul Food night as a monthly experiment in home cooking. The theme the first time was ramen; this second-ever event is Curry Night. Seating is limited, so to avoid disappointment get your ticket ahead of time at the restaurant, downstairs in Spring Garden Place. And if you're unsure how satisfying Japanese curry can be, look at the photo of Ko-Doraku's staff at a "family meal"—those satisfied smiles aren't coming from catfish nigiri.