Houston’s Japanese Whiskey Bar Is An Intimate Retreat In Autry Park — Diving Into Bar Doko and Its $70 Hi Fire

It’s likely the hardest barstool in Houston to snag on Friday or Saturday night. Yes, without snagging yourself a reservation on weekends, each of the 16 seats at the intimate new Bar Doko is likely to be spoken for. Tucked away in a quiet alley within Autry Park across from its sister restaurant Doko, the chic sushi and yakatori spot created by chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee of Duckstache Hospitality, this bar is all about the artistry of the talented mixologist Souvik Dasgupta.

Inspired by the innovative bar scene in the Ginza section of Tokyo, Bar Doko boasts the largest selection of Japanese whisky in Texas. Produced in a similar manner to Scotch with the distillation of malted barley, Japanese whisky is considered lighter with distinctly delicate notes from floral to fruit, unlike the smoky, peat-infused profile of many Scotches.

Secure a seat and treat yourself to one of the signature highballs. There are six in all, each representing one of the six seasons in Japan. For instance, the tincture called “Risshun” (or early spring) is composed of Iichiko, a type of Japanese Honkaku shochu, a smooth, rich, distilled spirit made from barley combined with a briny saline vermouth, coconut, cucumber and club soda ($18).

If a classic gin martini is your drink of choice, you can select from four varieties of gin and choose a vermouth that’s either dry and crisp or a savory umami style one infused in-house with ingredients like three varietals of mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, olives and MSG ($18 each). The signature cocktails (also six in all) range from the $70 Hi Fire made with Macallan 12, an aged Kombu amaro, charred wood and Japanese bitters. Or perhaps follow my lead and try the Ai Affection, a beautiful (and delightful) matcha cocktail blended with Calpis (a sweet and tangy Japanese fermented milk drink) with yuzu marmalade and the foam of a beaten egg white, topped with a seasoning blend called Kyushu ($18).

Joining the ranks of Pham and Lee’s other resturants (Handies Douzo, Kokoro, Himari and Aiko), Doko is the bar the duo admits they always yearned to create. It serves a balance of sushi and cooked food called yakitori, the latter is prepared with as much meticulous care as the sushi, with ingredients subject to an array of flavor-boosting techniques, From bringing to dry rubs to fermenting before meats and vegetables are grilled over a live fire.

“Sushi is 90 percent prep and a behind-the-scenes technique that guests never get to see,” Pham says. “We’re taking that same approach to yakitori to create complex, layered flavors within a single bite.”

Inside Doko

Doko’s restaurant interiors have a cool mid-century vibe with light woods throughout, a coral and petal pink geometric patterned wallpaper and soft, flattering lighting care of custom Louis Poulsen pendants. Sit at the chef’s bar and you’ll be poised in a loveseat banquette for two, a thoughtful touch created by the design firm JT Arc Studio.

Indulge in the seasonal five-course tasting menu ($75), which changes monthly and includes an array of dishes from crudo or aguachile to gyoza to chef-selected nigiri. You can also peruse the menu and select tempting dishes a la carte.

If you’re a fan of Japanese eggplant, don’t miss the yakitori starter Nasu ($5) a grilled eggplant brushed with a sweet lemon miso glaze and topped with fried shallots and sesame seeds. Kitchen sides include a dish customers have been asking for — chicken fat rice ($6, plus egg an additionaal $2). For those who appreciate the buttery rich flavor of A5 Wagyu, there is a Wagyu toast ($18) with caviar, chimichurri sauce and (mushroom) duxelles.

“I think the chicken fat rice will be one of our most popular items,” Lee says. “We simmer chicken fat with lemongrass and aromatic spices for about eight hours and top it with a slow-cooked Japanese egg — people love it. It’s currently only served at one other Duckstache concept, but people ask for it every time we open a new one.

“We didn’t have the set up for it until now. And we’re excited to give our fans something they’ve requested for years.”

The K.F.C chicken ($9) isn’t the Kentucky kind, rather a spicy Korean fried chicken wing bathed in a gochujang sauce, while the tamer Karaage is marinated fried chicken with pickled cucumber and a smear of lemon aioli.

Nigiri and sushi selections focus mainly on tuna, eel and ocean trout. The maki include a kani maki made with delicate crabmeat, yuzu kosho, aioli and avocado ($12) as well as an A5 Wagyu maki seasoned with a chili garlic marinade and dressed with chimichurri sauce ($18)

Doko is located at 3737 Cogdell Street, suite 145, in Autry Park, and reservations can be made via OpenTable. The restaurant is open Wednesdays from 4 pm to 10 pm, Thursdays through Saturdays from 4 pm to 11 pm, and Sundays from 4 pm to 10 pm. Bar Doko is open from 4 pm to 2 am seven days a week.