Fusing Flavor: Houston’s Kata Robata mixes traditional Japanese elements with cheesy southern flair.
Kata Robata’s chef and owner Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi.
Cheese may not be the first ingredient you think of when it comes to Japanese cuisine. However, at Kata Robata, cheese seamlessly marries Japanese ingredients and the comforting flavors of Houston. Led by four-time James Beard Award–nominee chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, Kata Robata has been serving traditional and modern Japanese cuisine for 15 years. Horiuchi got his start in Texas after being recruited by the Consulate General of Japan in Houston in 2000. After his contract ended, he spent eight years at Kubo Sushi Bar & Grill before opening Kata Robata in 2009.
Kata Robata is more casual than Horiuchi’s upscale restaurant, Katami; the menu is packed with unique dishes made from high-quality ingredients that are both shipped from Japan and locally sourced, including the cheeses used in their decadent miso lobster mac and cheese. “The story of our famous miso lobster mac and cheese was inspired 15 years ago,” Horiuchi says. “For staff meal, we made miso shrimp mac and cheese using basic ingredients. That inspired me to use higher-quality ingredients to elevate a simple comfort dish.”
Macaroni and cheese is a revered dish in Southern cuisine—a force on its own. But for Horiuchi, mac and cheese is a unique base for incorporating Japanese flavors. To help craft his take on this Southern staple, Horiuchi turned to Lindsey Schechter of Houston Dairymaids, a leader in the local cheesemonger scene for over 20 years.
Kata Robata Miso Lobster Mac and Cheese. Photo by Julie Soefer.
“We use a blend of three cheeses recommended by Lindsey—it is a blend of Marieke Gouda, Veldhuizen Cheese Redneck Cheddar, and a 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano,” explains Horiuchi. “We wanted to have a combination of sweet, sharp, and savory flavors. The cheeses are not so bold that they overwhelm the lobster and miso, but they are not lacking in flavor, either,” says Schechter. “We wanted cheeses that would melt well while adding a different flavor dimension to the dish.”
Another Southern classic with a Japanese twist is Horiuchi’s take on fried green tomatoes; he pairs crisp, tangy slices of tomato with young buttery gouda and zesty kimchi aioli, resulting in an irresistible fusion of flavor.
The same cheese trio that elevates the miso lobster mac and cheese also brings layers of luxurious flavor to the miso sake lobster at Katami, Horiuchi’s latest venture that offers a refined extension of the culinary genius he is known for at Kata Robata. “I am at Katami most of the time, creating new dishes and bringing more exotic ingredients from Japan, such as hairy crab and live sea urchin from Hokkaido and Queen Rouge grapes from Nagano,” he says.
Chef Horiuchi’s innovative ideas, paired with his commitment to using top-tier ingredients, has redefined how traditional flavors can harmonize with unexpected elements. At both Kata Robata and Katami, Horiuchi’s menus prove that incorporating unexpected ingredients—such as cheese—can transform and enhance Japanese cuisine.
Want to make Chef Hori’s mac and cheese? Check out the recipe below.
Kata Robata Miso Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow noodles
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter plus more to coat
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 3 tbsp grated Veldhuizen Cheese Redneck Cheddar
- 3 tbsp grated Marieke Gouda
- 3 tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3 1/2 tbsp white miso paste
- 16 oz cooked lobster meat coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- dried parsley flakes to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return pasta to the pot. Toss with a pat of butter to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and season with salt and pepper. Cook until bubbles start to form, about 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream a little at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. (The mixture will be very thick at first but will smooth out as more cream is added.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1–2 minutes, or until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the cheeses and white miso paste, whisking until the sauce is smooth and the cheese has melted.
- Add the pasta and lobster to the cheese sauce and gently stir to combine.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with panko and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling.
- Remove from oven and garnish with dried parsley.
Alexandria Jack
Certainly! Here's the content without any bold formatting: --- Alexandria Jack is the creator behind @dinnerwithalexandria on Instagram and is a food writer based in Houston, Texas. Her journey in food started in high school with the National Future Farmers of America Organization, where she got to practice raising pigs. When she is not creating cozy, comforting food experiences in the kitchen for her audience, she loves to enjoy new restaurants, travel to some of the best food festivals, and spend time with her dog, Manifest Rose.
