$1,200K Dish at Katsu Los Gatos

The new upscale Japanese restaurant Katsu celebrated its grand opening last Friday at the former Valeriano's location at 160 W. Main St. in downtown Los Gatos.

The new eatery joins just a few other modest Japanese restaurants in town, distinguishing itself with its elegance and fine cuisine and expensive prices on its menu.

That's what seems to have caught the public's attention—the cost of some of its meals—including a dish called the Decadence priced at $1,200.

Decadence features Russian Sevruga, Osetra, Golden Osetra and Beluga caviar, carefully presented on a tiered wooden platform. The dish also comes with Pacific spiny lobster sashimi with 24-karat gold leaf and Japanese Wagyu Shabu Shabu.

Important to note is that these are the highest priced varieties of caviar, with Beluga and Ossetra varieties being even more expensive. Sevruga is harvested from the sturgeon that bears its name found in the Caspian Sea.

There's also the $200 Japanese Kegoshima Prefecture Wagyu six-ounce New York strip steak and a dish called Serendipity, which features Wagyu beef three ways, American, Australian and Japanese for $400.

A portion of Friday's grand-opening food sales benefited Hurricane Sandy victims. A direct donation was made to the New York Mayor’s Fund, earmarked for the New York Food Truck Association, which provides immediate meals to some of the hardest hit areas.

Owned by B & G Group LLC, Katsu's hours of operation are consistent with the town's alcoholic beverage policy, meaning closing times of 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 1 a.m. Friday, Saturday, holidays and evenings before holidays.

Katsu Los Gatos has an alcohol beverage counter with six seats and serves Sunday brunch, dinner and a late-night menu. Its capacity is 72 seats prior to 5:30 p.m., 108 seats after that time.

The building, which used to be a bank, is owned by Robert and Muriel Brouwer.

Japan-born Chef Katsuhiko Hanamure,“Katsu,” who lives in Los Gatos, is in charge of the kitchen. He's worked at A Thousand Cranes Restaurant in the late New Otani Hotel and Garden in Los Angeles under the direction of Japanese Master Chef Saga. 

He's also worked with Chef Willie Miller at the Commodore Perry restaurant in the New Otani Hotel and Garden.

In 1986 Katsu met Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, famed and renown chef of Nobu, Matsuhisa and Ubon restaurants, who took him under his wing, guiding his career, developing his talent and acting as a father figure, according to the restaurant's website.

Since then Chef Katsu has been a part of numerous Matsuhisa and Nobu restaurants, working his way up to a Sushi Chef at Matsuhisa Los Angeles and Nobu Los Angeles and then as an Executive Chef of Matsuhisa Athens, Matsuhisa Mykonos and Nobu in Badrutt’s Palace.

To check Katsu's new menu, see attached pdf.