Jimisan Sushi Bistro is a sweet little restaurant with a pleasant modern interior that exudes warmth and familiarity without being folksy. I like the art on the walls, the light colored furniture, the friendly staff, but especially the complexity and bright flavors of the sushi. We happened to be walking by one evening and decided to go back for dinner because it looked so inviting.
Blizzard is the one specialty sushi roll we keep ordering over and over. The center is made up of tempura fried shrimp, surrounded by sushi rice, then topped with spicy crab and tobiko. The tobiko is not the characteristic red-orange color, so I sometimes wondered if it had been marinated in the raspberry sauce that is drizzled on the plate and over the roll. Tobiko, it appears, comes in black as well as the more typical red-orange color. They both provide a small crunch that texturally enhances the experience of eating sushi, creating a popping sensation.
Firecracker roll is another of the specialty rolls and a great example of the diversity of the sushi here at Jimisan. It's deep fried very rapidly for the crispy exterior, yet the center of spicy hamachi is not cooked through and barely warm. The classics are all on Jimisan's menu too, including a simple unagi and avocado roll drizzled in teriyaki sauce that is generally referred to as a Rock & Roll.
Above is one of the most beautiful specialty rolls, the Pink Lady. The interior is made from lobster salad and cucumber. Layered upon that is tuna, avocado, tobiko and mustard sprouts that have been drizzled with a dressing similar to a simple Russian salad dressing. It was almost too pretty to eat, but one can admire its beauty only so long before popping a piece into the mouth.
A California roll is beautifully presented with tobiko roe piled high on top, rather than rolled around the sides, as is most common if tobiko is used at all. The photo to the right is of the delicately flavored, deep fried, soft shelled crab that is available on both the lunch and dinner menus. I could be satisfied with just that served as a donburi. Udon, donburi, and many fish entrees are on the menu too.
When one thinks of "a little bubbly", it is seldom in reference to sake. This particular sake is served chilled and it had a sweetness to it that made it perfect for a pairing with dessert, unfortunately I ordered it to go with the sushi. My regular dessert of choice in a Japanese restaurant is green tea ice cream. It is regularly found on Jimisan's dessert menu, shown here with raspberry sauce, the same sauce used for the Blizzard. Waste not, want not.
1380 9th Avenue
San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 564-8989
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