Sushi and Sweets at Briarcliff Manor's Jiki

For the Yamaguchis, 2011 was the year when they would make their dreams come true.

Minyoung Cho Yamaguchi—a pastry chef trained in the classic French style—and her husband Masaaki Yamaguchi—an experienced Japanese chef—left their Manhattan jobs and decided to branch out on their own.

"We decided 2011 is the year we try to open our own store," said Minyoung Cho, who is of Korean descent and spent time living in Japan before coming to the United States.

A friend who works in Chappaqua told the southern Westchester couple about the former Kiku Restaurant space available in Briarcliff Manor and they opened the doors to in August.

At first, the menu featured mostly traditionally Japanese offerings, including udon noodles, sushi and sashimi and tempura, all made to order by Masaaki.

"It's delicious sushi—always fresh," commented Jeff Silver, who works at  on Pleasantville Road and frequents Jiki during his lunch hour. "They are always friendly here and I love the free tea."

More recently, Minyoung Cho has been getting her pastries on the menu, which tend to be a mix of French-inspired treats, often made with Japanese ingredients.

She is especially proud of incorporating the trendy macarons into the daily offerings, which can be purchased in traditional flavors like vanilla, chocolate and raspberry—or green tea and yuzu, for a Japanese twist on the French dessert.

"Green tea is a very famous ingredient," said Minyoung Cho, while yuzu is a Japanese citrus.

On the savory end, Masaaki is proud of the fresh and simple ingredients he incorporates into the menu, while his wife said he is careful to "take care of each fish in a different way."

Minyoung Cho recommends simple rolls like salmon with avocado or yellowtail with scallions for cautious sushi eaters who stop by for the first time—which definitely would not include Ashok Chaudhari.

"It's a little gem of a restaurant," said the Briarcliff Manor resident, who dines at Jiki "almost every day."

Chaudhari said the chef's choice sashimi and choux pastry are among his favorites.

"The sushi and sashimi are fantastic," he said. "It's authentic Japanese food and the pastries are just as good."

___

Thanks for reading—you can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.