They’re weighty and comfortable to hold, and the 14-ounce capacity was perfect.

finely chopped shallot.1. garlic clove, thinly sliced.

piment d'Espelette or smoked paprika.yellow American cheese, finely shredded (about.cream cheese, softened.

finely chopped jarred piquillo peppers, patted dry.pimentón dulce (sweet paprika).

1/16-inch-thick.

jamón serrano or prosciutto slices.in Houston and might have continued on this path—this Gulf Coast Vietnamese kid becoming a modern master of sushi—had someone not sent the whole thing sideways: Tien met José Andrés.In the four years he spent at Oyamel, Andrés' Mexican kitchen in D.C., Tien was captivated by the ways the Asian and Latin-American pantries overlap.

It was a realization that planted the seed for Himitsu, Tien's first solo effort as a chef, a Petworth jewel where he connects all the dots of his life experiences.The menu leans Japanese, with shades of Tien's Vietnamese heritage and Latin-American experience.

Nasu dengaku, a classic Japanese dish of miso-glazed eggplant, reaches toward Mexico with chile-lime vinaigrette and candied pumpkin seeds.A strip steak with a dozen fried quail eggs nods to bò né, a Vietnamese breakfast staple he discovered while working in Houston.