Restaurant Review: Japanese and Latin Flavors Combine at Aker 

• Landry Hudman
• Sashimi

The balance between style and substance is often a tricky line to toe when it comes to restaurants. In my experience, an overabundance of style tends to accompany food that is often sub-par. Sure, we try and convince ourselves that it's worth the premium, but deep down, we know the menu was part of a grift.

Over the years, I think local restaurateurs have become a bit more adept at nailing this balance, and my recent experience at Aker is a good example of this. For starters, Aker has a decent pedigree of restaurateurs and chefs running the show. Brothers Brandon and Jason Hargett—the team behind Ruby River Steakhouse and Hoppers—have summoned their years of restaurant experience to turn Aker into downtown's most exciting new nightspot.

Its culinary foundation comes from Japanese robata, a wood-fired grilling technique that brought us yakitori skewers. The Japanese theme extends throughout the rest of their menu and into the space as a whole; its floor-to-ceiling windows offer plenty of natural light, and its elegant decor provide an excellent backdrop for your meal.

Chef de Cuisine Jhonny Lopez of Urban Hill and Sushi Roku fame is running things in the kitchen, while Chef Pae Randall oversees the sushi menu. Their combined talents make for an adaptable dining experience that can be easily adjusted by the diner. Those looking for some socializing among small plates and cocktails can stick to the starters and sushi menu, while those after something a bit more substantial will be happy with the menu's mains.

My wife and I decided to craft a three-course meal for ourselves, and the food is definitely on par with Aker's elegant design. We were initially intrigued by the yakitori skewers, so we started things off with one beef ($10) and one Kurobuta pork ($7). Both skewers were right on the money as far as preparation goes. The beef skewer is prepared with a bit of soy sauce, and it absolutely melts in your mouth. I liked the pork skewer slightly more—each morsel of pork is rolled up with a small shiso leaf, which imparts a nice minty herbaceousness to each bite. As these skewers are designed to be starters, don't expect gigantic shish kabobs to hit your table after you order. These little guys are about condensing huge amounts of flavor into small, orderly bites.

We liked the idea of getting some sushi next, since Aker's sushi menu is one of the few local spots to dry-age their sushi protein. If you're familiar with dry-aging beef, the process is quite similar. Before it's served, dry-aged fish is kept in a temperature-controlled environment that removes excess moisture, and promotes the breakdown of connective tissue. The result is that your yellowtail, amberjack and sablefish are a bit more buttery and flavorful once they hit your plate.

The best way to experience the sushi menu at Aker is to order the nigiri flight ($29), or the premium nigiri flight ($39) if you're feeling fancy. We went with the former, and it was lovely to behold—sushi fans are going to want to check this place out pronto. The nigiri that you get in your flight are up to the chef; I always appreciate this option because you're typically getting the stuff the chef is most excited about. If the dry-aging description is at all confusing, it makes sense when you take your first bite of these nigiri. The proteins are texturally delicate, and the dry aging process does seem to have intensified the proteins' natural flavors.

When it came time for mains, I knew I wanted to try out one of the wagyu steaks, so I went with the ribeye ($59). My wife is a fan of miso-glazed anything, so she ordered the miso cod ($33). As the freedom to try each others' restaurant entrees was in our wedding vows, I sampled some of her dish—I shared mine too, don't fret—and it's everything you'd want in a miso-glazed cod. The fish itself was tender and flaky, but the glaze—made from three different types of miso—was fantastic. Buttery, sweet, caramelly and smokey are all appropriate adjectives here, but they're tremendously balanced, which means you get a little bit of everything with each bite.

The ribeye, served with a housemade chimichurri and piles of both kosher salt and black lava salt, is a fine cut of meat. It arrives pre-sliced, though it has been given plenty of time to rest, and hitting it with a few dabs of that chimichurri to help bring out its natural flavors is a match made in steak heaven. Based on my visit, this is the dish that really brings the Japanese and Latin flavors together.

Even though Aker is still in its early days downtown, the service, menu and execution are all quite impressive. I've been burned by a few high-concept restaurants before, but the team at Aker is creating something very special in the heart of Salt Lake City, and it's definitely worth checking out.