Present Tense - Review - Wedgewood-Houston - Nashville - The Infatuation
"Present Tense, a Japanese spot in Wedgewood-Houston, is where you go when you want to look extremely cool. The crowd is made up of people effortlessly rocking rare Japanese selvage jeans and sweaters from The Row. The restaurant is always spinning eclectic indie records that feature some funky, obscure cuts. The scene is so good, that they could've phoned in the food, and we’d probably still come to hang out at the bar. The great news? They didn’t. The small and medium-sized dishes are typical stuff you’d find at an izakaya. But at Present Tense, each one is genuinely artistic. Squid ink noodles come draped with a crispy black lattice cracker, the whole plate a superb study in goth composition. The platter of kusshi oysters is doing its best miniature Mondrian impression while swimming in various colored migonettes. These aren’t things you readily see around town, and they’re not just pretty to look at—they taste really good. photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin Pause Unmute Situated in the lobby of the Placemkr hotel, the restaurant is an airy but relatively small space with outdoor seating by the entrance. The booth-style tables offer a bit more privacy from the couples canoodling over crudo, but the benches can be hard on the cheeks and back. Grab one of the other tables or a seat at the bar with the regulars chatting up the bartenders instead. Present Tense also does an omakase at a small bar in the back. And while each course is right on par quality-wise with their izakaya plates, the bar’s proximity to the dining room and turntables make it difficult to hear the chef—a key part of any omakase experience. With all of the amazing new omakase options around town, your best bet is to stick with the main dining room at Present Tense, nod along to the music, and melt into the scene. Food Rundown Kusshi Oysters These shucked oysters served on ice are slightly briny and sweet, and get a bright burst of citrus from the yuzu leche de tigre pooled inside the shell. The black seeds sprinkled on top are a cool visual contrast to the oyster and mignonettes. photo credit: Casey Irwin Bluefin Tuna A veritable mountain of ruby red cubes of bluefin tuna brings a nice juxtaposition to the crusty slab of sourdough. Although the bread has been overcharred every time we visited. The wagyu fat mayo spread on the toast ties it all together and is the rich, creamy condiment we want stockpiled in our refrigerator forever. photo credit: Casey Irwin Squid Ink Noodles After you crack through the black lattice crisp gently draped over the inky swirl of pasta, you’ll be treated to bite after bite of tender grilled squid, thick al dente noodles, and a ’nduja ragu that brings a nice smokiness to the dish. Iberico Pork This is the dish to order here. The pork filet is so delicate and light, we almost thought we were eating fish at first. The katsu breading isn’t overdone and adds a nice texture to the pork, right along with the citrusy sudachi butter. photo credit: Casey Irwin Duck Meatball The lone duck meatball on this dish looks like a mini burger patty, so while you’re only getting one, it’s a hefty portion. The foie gras tare drizzled on top, along with the egg jam, make this dish an exercise in decadence. White Sesame Soft Serve Unlike McD’s, the soft serve machine always works at Present Tense. And that’s a really good thing. This isn’t your typical vanilla swirl as it’s got a blend of white sesame, miso, and peanut, and the latter ingredient really comes through like a cold, creamy Nutter Butter. Cocktails The cocktail list has some serious Japanese influences. Ingredients like shiso, sansho, lychee, and amazake are infused throughout the well-balanced drinks. We like the kick in the Andorra, a mix of bourbon, rye, cynar, and sansho. photo credit: Casey Irwin" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
