Words and photos by Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–OKO, the Japanese-inspired place in a former brick firehouse, was getting some attention for its robata items on the menu – a traditional Japanese way of cooking over hot coals – but I couldn’t help noticing the fried chicken with caviar.

Strange pairing, that. One food that’s a favorite of the masses matched with a symbol of upper crust cuisine. OKO’s take on the combo was a juicy rectangle of fried chicken, a little larger than a piece of sushi, with the caviar in a cream to one side. 

A dinner at OKO with a companion came with touches you might not expect with strictly Japanese cuisine. 

Like chorizo. 

The sausage added an extra layer of flavor to the crab rice, which also featured scallion kimchee and Chinese broccoli, topped with a layer of sunny side-up quail eggs.

“Our menu celebrates Japanese techniques and traditions, infused with Chef (Bryan) Lewis’s signature culinary style,” says the website for the restaurant and its sister location in Rye, N.Y.  “We use ingredients from local farms and waters in Connecticut and New York, from across the United States, and from the Tsukiji fish market in Japan.”

The Westport restaurant fills the simple brick building at 6 Wilton Road that was Vigilant Hose Company No. 3 firehouse. OKO opened there in 2018.

And that robata?

It was tasty. The chef’s choice brought us three skewers – chicken, hanger steak and salmon – each with its own dipping sauce. The chicken was the star. It was juicy with a perfect char and the teriyaki glaze didn’t overpower it. The white aioli was a good complement.

The salmon was brightened by chunks of Asian pear. The miso mustard sauce with it was necessary to perk up the mild taste of the fish. The hangar beef was cooked a bit more than might be optimal for someone who prefers medium rare, but it wasn’t dry. And the black garlic aioli was a good match.

The rice that came with it was topped with plum sauce, dried seaweed and sesame seeds for layers of flavor.

The care and high quality showed in other items as well. A sushi-sized piece of A5 Miyazaki beef was so tender, it was actually silky. A handroll married warm rice with cold scallops, seasoned with seaweed flakes and sesame seeds for a well-sized mouthful.

The ice cream we had for dessert was not the strong suit of the meal. But the sauces were good. 

Overall, a decent ending to a great dinner.

OKO Westport

6 Wilton Rd
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 557-8404

Tues – Sun
5 p.m. – close
Reservations here

Ken Valenti

^{_{A career journalist and lifelong resident of the New York City region, Ken Valenti has enjoyed decades of reporting local, regional and national news in New York and Connecticut. Topics of special interest are development, the environment, Long Island Sound and transportation. When not reporting, he’s always on the lookout for the perfect coffee shop or used book sale.}}