Early Changes at Ro-Zu


Trey Popp laments the exit of Ro-Zu’s original chef,Todd Dae Kulper and finds that the successor, Hung Pham is in an unenviable spot.

Pham, formerly of West Chester’s Kooma, has a simpler, lighter style than Kulper. During a recent meal, he was at his best when injecting the clean flavors of thinly sliced lemon and mint leaves into a yellowtail roll, for a refreshing summer pick-me-up. It’s hard to see him dabbling too much with anything as heavy and potentially overbearing as truffle. He’s working with the same fresh, high-quality fish Kulper was using, and mostly letting it speak for itself. A bowl of sashimi dressed in a bright vinegar sauce was simple and light, with enough zip in the liquid to make pieces of tuna shine. A nigiri spread was, again, simple and without flaw — but also without much to distinguish it from other mid-level sushi places around town.

Under the Ro-Zu [City Paper]
Ro-Zu [Facebook]