The first thing I notice upon entering Present Tense’s new location is the natural light that fills the dining room. As the sun sets, the lighting shifts to moody hues of red, accented by candle light. Soft, minimalist design touches every element of the izakaya style restaurant , from the 12-dish menu to the small team working closely together with care and knowledge to create a welcoming experience. Previously a 120-seat restaurant, the new location, on Houston Street in Wedgewood Houston, has scaled down to a 40-seat dining room. This includes a cozy bar where guests can watch executive chef and creative director, Ryan Costanza, and his team at work.
The menu is concise, but has plenty of variety. The grilled hamachi collar is an interactive experience that comes with rice, ponzu, lemon and seaweed paper to assemble into personal hand rolls. I was told that the hiramasa was caught two days prior and flown in from New Zealand. It was served with burnt citrus ponzu, riesling gelee, shaved fennel and colorful citrus segments. The Parisian gnocchi with mushroom dashi and parmesan foam was simultaneously unique and comforting. The gnocchi melts in your mouth and the sauce is rich in flavor, yet light and brothy in texture.
The menu also offers a list of creative cocktails and natural sakes, including junmai sakes and a pet nat nigori. The star of the cocktail list was the Botanist, a balanced and herbaceous gin sour. The meal concluded with a gently sweet matcha and kinako soft serve. Present Tense shares a building with Flamingo Cocktail Club, which makes it the perfect spot for dinner and drinks before a night of live music next door.
