Kukai was a Japanese Buddist monk who lived in the Nara period of ancient Japan. It’s also the name of a quaint ramen shop tucked into a shipping container in downtown Tucson.

Located at the MSA Annex on South Avenida del Convento, Kukai serves up classic dishes like ramen, curry and sushi, while also offering some items that are a little harder to find.

One of these dishes is Onigiri, which was Kukai’s specialty when the business first opened in 2019. The nori-wrapped rice balls include a variety of different savory or sweet fillings and are common in convenient stores across Japan.

“In Japan, they’re everywhere, in every little market, and they’re phenomenal,” said Kukai owner and head chef Michael McCormack.

McCormack, originally from Los Angeles, has always loved Japanese food and aspired to open his own restaurant. 

His girlfriend at the time (now his wife) convinced him to move to Tucson in his late 20s to train under her father and master Japanese-style cooking. He took a job at Samurai on the north side of town, where he worked with his now father-in-law for about 11 years.

“He taught me everything he knows and finally said, ‘Hey, it's your turn to start,’” McCormack said. 

He found its current location in late 2018 and opened Kukai in early 2019, serving only onigiri, which quickly became a local favorite. 

And then the pandemic touched down in Tucson.

“It started slowing down, but people kept coming,” McCormack said. “Since we’re outdoors, we were one of the few people that could open shortly thereafter, which really helped push us forward.”

Kukai has remained successful, with McCormack improving his craft and expanding the menu, including a carefully curated ramen selection.

Many locals have their personal favorite, but most diners agree that each is equally fantastic.

Mentai, one of the first ramens added to the menu, is a great starting point for newcomers. It’s a simple dish, but with complex flavors consisting of a classic Hakata creamy rich pork broth with added spicy cod roe that gives it that extra kick.

“I’m a believer in very simple things,” said Chris Thai. “That's how you know a place is good, if they can nail the simple things.”

Thai orders this classic specifically at Kukai.

“For ramen, this is my go-to for sure,” he said.

For McCormack and his team, the shoyu ramen is the favorite. A soy-based broth with traditional additions like chashu pork, menma, bamboo shoots and seaweed, all providing a textural pleasing experience. (You can opt to get it spicy for some extra flavor.)

Another noteworthy option is the highly praised vegan spicy miso ramen. Ami Hutchinson, a Kukai regular, said she comes with a friend who always orders this shitake mushroom based ramen and it hits the spot.

McCormack says quality and consistency is Kukai’s top priority, and their sushi is no exception. He works with Japanese suppliers from across the country and sometimes imports directly from Japan, depending on the fish. He also carefully sorts through each shipment.

“We make sure the fish comes in nice,” he said. “Sometimes I’ll do a toro from a bluefin, and if the bluefin doesn’t hit where I want it, I’ll use it for myself and only use the good parts.”

Chef Rayray Romero said that focus on quality is one of the things he loves about working at Kukai.

“We never keep fish that's low-quality," he said. “I don’t eat sashimi anywhere else besides here.”

Romero has been working for McCormack for almost six years, joining the team a few months after the restaurant’s opening. He had no prior experience making Japanese food.

“Michael is a great mentor, he taught me all the stuff that I know about sushi,” Romero said.

Born in Tucson, Romero had no idea what Japanese food was until he moved to the Bay Area in California when he was 10 and discovered the elegant style of cuisine. Ever since, he says he’s been well aware of the standards for quality sushi.

“Our most popular item is the Mt. Fuji Don, the volcano looking one,” Romero said.

This creation is essentially a rice bowl topped with spicy tuna, an assortment of vegetables, masago, all drizzled with an eel sauce. Again, it's the simplicity of the dish that makes it stand out, where the fresh fish really shines and the accompanying ingredients complement it without being overpowering.

“We’ve been here for like 15 times and we always get the Mt. Fuji Don,” said Hutchinson, who was there with her partner David Cestelli. 

The dish is an absolute must try at Kukai, alongside the many other traditional favorites.

“When we find something that we love, we don’t really stray from that too much,” Cestelli said.

Griffen Engelberg is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact him at at gje1@arizona.edu.

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