Dining review: An enthusiastic ‘Irasshaimase!’ at Oiso in Cary

“Irasshaimase!” The traditional Japanese greeting, offered by all employees whenever a customer enters a shop or restaurant, is an expression familiar to many longtime sushi bar patrons. But for some reason – a concession to Western social norms? the explosive growth in the number of sushi bars run by people not rooted in Japanese culture? – the greeting has become almost as rare in these parts as uni in the shell.

The tradition is alive and well at Oiso, where you’ll get a hearty “Irasshaimase!” (literally, “Come on in!”) the moment you walk through the door. Leading the chorus is owner/sushi chef Young Kim, a native of Korea who trained and worked in Japan for several years before coming to America. Locally, Kim wielded the knife in a number of restaurants, notably Sono and Mura, before opening Oiso last November in Cary.

“I can top anybody’s sushi roll in this area,” Kim says, and he backs up that brash claim with an extensive selection of specialty rolls notable for their thoughtful composition and skillful assembly. In a competitive market driven by everything-but-the-kitchen-sink rolls, his Hamachi Mania roll (yellowtail three ways – spicy, deep-fried and seared – punctuated with cucumber, avocado and aji amarillo sauce) is a model of restraint.

Kim’s thorough grounding in the art of the sushi roll is especially evident in his most exuberant creations. The signature Chef Kim’s roll deftly walks a tightrope of nearly a dozen ingredients (including salmon, white tuna, lobster salad, truffle, cilantro and a daikon wrap), maintaining a balance among distinctive flavors while bringing them together as a harmonious whole.

Kim also gives due respect to what has become the standard repertoire of special rolls with an impressive accounting of Rainbow, Spider, Hurricane and their ilk. You won’t find any BOGO offers here, but rolls are reasonably priced with a generous fish-to-rice ratio.

Sushi traditionalists will find a modest selection of nigiri and sashimi, frequently supplemented by one or two specials (recently, conch and striped bass). But the sushi bar at Oiso is clearly and unapologetically about the rolls.

While Young Kim is working his knife magic behind the sushi bar, his wife, Ji Yun Kim, is in the kitchen cooking up Japanese and Korean specialties worthy of a visit in their own right. The Japanese side of the ledger is an abridged offering that includes a handful of teriyaki and udon variations, and a first-rate rendering of pork tonkatsu. Shrimp and vegetable tempura are good enough to make you wish you’d also put in an order for her deep-fried take on hamachikama.

Should you opt instead to go the Korean route, a complimentary assortment of house-made banchan (traditional small mostly pickled dishes that will invariably include kimchi) will be brought to the table. For a more substantial shareable starter, a savory Korean pancake (kimchi is the most popular; I’m partial to seafood) should do the trick.

Dolsot bibimbap, the classic dish of rice, vegetables and meat of your choice, topped with a fried egg and served in a hot stone bowl, is a rewarding entree option. Better still, for my money, is Korean barbecue, offered in three variations: bulgogi (tender petals of lean marinated beef), spicy pork bulgogi, and galbi (short rib so succulent that, unless you’re more adept with chopsticks than I am, will have you licking your fingers).

Fittingly, the dish that I find myself craving the most from this mom-and-pop culinary team is a joint effort between sushi bar and kitchen. Hwaedupbap, a sort of chirashi-meets-bibimbap-meets-entree-salad composition of sashimi, steamed rice and crisp greens, punches all kinds of flavor buttons, and is healthy to boot.

Located in a compact strip mall space that has previously been home to a string of restaurants (most recently KoMo KoMo), Oiso is modestly but attractively decorated in a casual contemporary Asian style. The place owes much of its personality to its ever-present and hospitable manager, Sang Lee. Frequently pressed into double duty as the only waiter in the house, Lee has the rare ability to attend to more tables than you’d think one person could handle, all the while providing such personal, friendly attention that regulars already know him by his nickname, Sam.

Ask Sam about the squeeze bottle of spicy sauce that he brings with the hwaedupbap, and he’ll explain that it’s classic Korean gochujang, with a touch of rice vinegar added because, unlike Japanese sushi rice, the Korean rice in the dish doesn’t contain vinegar. He’ll also be happy to tell you that Oiso is named for a popular seaside resort in Japan. And that, as it happens, the name sounds very much like a Korean term that – wouldn’t you know it? – means “Come on in!”

This story was originally published April 21, 2016 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Dining review: An enthusiastic ‘Irasshaimase!’ at Oiso in Cary."