Samurai Kitchen — Restaurant in Coeur d'Alene

Samurai Kitchen Delivers a Culinary Cut Above

There are restaurants you stumble into because you’re hungry, and there are restaurants that make you remember why food matters in the first place. Samurai Kitchen belongs firmly in the second camp.

I ordered the Ronin, because of course I did, who doesn’t want to eat like a masterless warrior with nothing to lose? They topped mine with a fried egg and a hit of spice. The first bite landed with balance and weight, like a blade slicing clean through the noise of the day. The texture was spot on, soft giving way to crunch, heat met by savory depth. And then came the fukujinzuke pickles. Sweet, sharp, a little odd, like that eccentric side character who shows up halfway through a Kurosawa flick and somehow makes the whole story richer. I mixed them straight in, because good food isn’t meant to be precious. Suddenly the dish wasn’t just good, it was alive.

To wash it down, a peach Ramune soda. One of those Japanese imports that fizzes with nostalgia, as if bottled by someone who still believes in summer afternoons and first crushes. Simple, sweet, refreshing, a reminder that not everything has to be complicated to be perfect.

My wife, the sushi skeptic in our relationship, ordered the Double Dragon roll. She doesn’t hand out compliments lightly, when it comes to sushi, she’s colder than a Tokyo fish market at dawn. But she took a bite, looked at me with that rare flicker of surprise, and said it. the best sushi she’s ever had. No sloppy rolls falling apart in your hands, no muddled flavors hiding behind mayo or gimmicks. Just clean, deliberate combinations, executed with the kind of discipline that separates the amateurs from the lifers.

Samurai Kitchen isn’t just making food. They’re practicing a craft, the way a swordsman sharpens steel or a calligrapher lays ink. There’s precision here, but also joy, respect, and an understanding that a good meal can be both art and comfort. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to come back, not just to eat, but to experience the quiet perfection of people who give a damn about what they’re serving.

We’ll be back. The Ronin was just the opening scene, and the rest of the menu is waiting like a story still untold.

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Got to enjoy both the brown beef and chicken curry. I am now curious about the create your own curry option. Someone mentioned yellow curry in their google review. I noticed that wasn’t on the menu as an option through Grubhub. Even selecting the “create your own curry” option doesn’t prompt additional options. I feel there are probably additional curries to try and that’s exciting! Because what I had was excellent and I definitely recommend it. It might be better to go in person if you want more choices. My rating is solely based off of the curry I got to try. I’m a big fan of curry, and jumped with excitement to see a Japanese variety in Coeur d’Alene as I only tried Thai and Indian prior. Both the brown curries were savory with a hint of sweet. A gravy like consistency. Mild and delicious with every bite. The rice was excellent as well. It’s total comfort food and that warms...

I have had many different Japanese curry dishes over the years, including a couple in the CDA area; they didn’t come close to comparing to the curry shack. I was recommended the popular Yokozuna plate and it was perfection. It bursted with flavor, you can tell the ingredients are good quality. The portion size was generous, I was so full from halfway through but there was no way I wasn’t going to finish it all. I also really love that the menu was crafted from skate decks, super rad and unique touch. I will be coming back so much more for sure and look forward to trying new stuff...