Kokoro Handroll Bar Opens in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The Woodlands newest entry into Japanese cuisine, Kokoro Handroll Bar, opened on March 10th, and is quickly making a splash in The Woodlands Waterway district. This is Kokoro’s fourth restaurant as part of Duckstache Hospitality, the combination of their enterprise, consisting of a restaurant at downtown Houston’s Bravery Chef Hall and two overseas ventures. The BCH restaurant that Co-Founder Chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee, along with Co-Founder & CFO C.J. Short, opened in the summer before the pandemic, and the trio recently broke ground on outposts in Dubai in 2024 and January ‘25. All four locations serve expertly crafted nigiri, sashimi handrolls, and crudo; offerings that will open your eyes to new possibilities in regards to vinegared rice, and a variety of proteins. Even the raw seafood is palatable to the wary diner, although some may be slightly cooked; but of course, if your allergies include seafood, or if you have a sensitive stomach, there are other items on the menu that can be sufficient alternatives.

Kokomo has a simple menu, consisting of several Salads, Nigiri & Sashimi, Crudo, Handroll Sets, and A La Carte Handrolls. Their Sunomono salad is a wonderful start to a sitting, consisting of pickled cucumbers, tomato, crispy garlic and shallot. It’s dressed with a Garlic Chili Sauce with a citrus soy infusion, and is simply divine. You’ll be amazed by the crisp veggies snapping here and there when bitten into. It’s a salad you’ll actually want to finish before beginning your Japanese culinary quest. From the salad, you might try the Maguro Crudo, of course Crudo meaning ‘raw,’ in Italian and Spanish. It’s a small plate of bluefin tuna, topped with pickled cucumber, micro-greens, and ponzu sauce, which is made with citrus juice, vinegar, and soy sauce. The tuna melts in your mouth, and is sure to please the most picky of diners. Altogether, it’s a dish designed to invigorate the taste buds and intoxicate the palate.

From the Nigiri & Sashimi protein portion of the menu over rice, the Hotate Nigri, Hotate meaning ‘scallop,’ is coated in extra virgin olive oil. Taking the first bite without being dipped in sauce is interesting, and you get to enjoy the scallop in its natural form. Even without the sauce its mild flavor is not dissuading, and invites more investigation, but when coupled with the ponzu sauce, it takes your dining experience to another level, wondering where the bivalve mollusks has been all your life. The Big Glory Bay or BGB Saketoro Aburi, from New Zealand, is a seared belly portion of salmon protein over rice. You’ll be pleased with the high fat content and its buttery texture, which allows for a rich and delicate flavor. Another stunner, this time from the Turf Side, is the A5 Wagyu Gunkan, made with tiny cubes of meat slightly charred, coated in a lemon juice-wasabi mixture, sitting atop a rice portion, wrapped in a seaweed cup. Any meat lover of value will instantly taste the difference that Wagyu emits, with its unique marbling, plus its unrivaled quality and flavor. And with a dollop of caviar, it's an even more luxurious experience for the taster.

A few selections from the A La Carte Handroll menu wrapped in a seaweed sheet will complete a wonderful dining experience. The King Salmon Handroll with rice, Chili Garlic sauce and Japanese Shiso Mint is exceptional, and ditto that for the Hamachi, or YellowTail Japanese Tuna, each having their own distinctive flavors, tastes, and textures. Of course, wasabi or ginger can be added to personalize the flavors the taster prefers, as well as soy and ponzu sauces, to make the ultimate dining bite.

Meaning ‘heart’ in Japanese, Kokoro is set in a bar configuration with little open seating, and is designed to promote an intimate dining experience for guests, offering diners an opportunity to actually see their desired creations being made in front of their eyes. It’s a continued concept from Chefs Pham and Lee, from their Bravery Chef Hall location, and with international patrons being regulars, sparked the overseas United Arab Emirates adventure. The Waterway district Kokoro is the first restaurant to offer a full bar complete with beer, wine, sake, and cocktails.

Kokoro is located at 24 Waterway Avenue in The Woodlands.

Their website is:kokorohtx.com

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