Tsunami

I have no idea why, but I have been craving the fresh, clean taste of sushi lately. It’s a food that can be complex in it’s execution, but the flavors are never muddled and always identifiable; that’s why I describe it as a clean taste. Tsunami is a neighborhood restaurant that makes enjoying sushi as simple as taking a short walk. Their “happy hour” is just the right time to stop in for something new, since each night they serve half off sushi and the menu rotates; a detail that sometimes lets the menu dictate the choices for me. That was the case with several of the selections on this review. Unfortunately the half off Oyster Shooter wasn’t available this time, but it’s on my list to try; it’s made with sake and an oyster.

The Cajun Ahi sounded interesting and at $6 it was a steal, so I tried it. The ahi was excellent and the searing was beautifully minimal, but I found the chili to be fairly one dimensional and gritty next to the silky texture of the ahi. The creamy white ponzu wasn’t contributing successfully to the taste of the dish. The slaw was mostly red onion and out of balance in my opinion. Still, I would definitely order ahi at Tsunami when I go back.

 

The Hamachi Stuffed Shitake mushrooms are regularly priced at $13 and I’d pay that for them gladly, however, I lucked out and only paid $6.60 this time around. The earthy mushrooms had been stemmed,  with Hamachi serving to fill the void, then battered and fried. They were served with a wasabi aioli and sweet chili sauce, then garnished with green onion. This was a satisfying combination of flavors and textures, but the plating deserved some credit too.

However, if I were to award a prize for plating, the Hamachi Jalapeno Sashimi would have certainly won. Unfortunately the taste was too timid. I’ve eaten this combination before and had a much better experience with definite heat coming from the jalapeno pepper. The reason I selected this particular dish  was that it came with white truffle ponzu. There was no discernible truffle taste. I’m a big truffle fan and my experience with it is extensive, so when I say the truffle taste was not discernible, I mean it just wasn’t there at all. Upon questioning, the waitress said that truffle oil was not used. I had suspected that someone in the kitchen had sent it out without that key ingredient. She said the ponzu itself was infused with white truffle and seemed to think that it would taste more like truffle if I used more ponzu. I had to disagree. When the menu stated that it came with avocado, that seemed an ingenious way to cut the heat from the Jalapeno, but as it turned out, there was no heat. The avocado was so small I could barely see it on the plate, so it would not have served well in that capacity. Too bad, this menu item had such great potential. I hope that the kitchen staff starts tasting ingredients to make certain they have the characteristics they were selected for in each dish. Still, look at how beautiful that piece of Hamachi is. Someone certainly knows how to select the fish and to make it look visually appealing. At least this plate was a feast for the eyes if not for the palate.

What’s in a name? Well, it’s the first introduction we have to a particular person place or thing, so it sets the tone. Let me introduce Radio Crunchy. I hope the chef decides not to have children, or defers to his spouse when it comes to naming any progeny. Still, “a rose is a rose…” and this sushi tasted very good. It was composed of crab meat, Maguro, and cucumber, then wrapped in sushi rice that was in turn rolled in fried Tempura flakes. It worked as a cohesive whole and I’ll be going back for seconds at $12 per order.

I’ve saved the best for last and it wasn’t dessert, but it certainly was rich enough to be. Here’s a mouthful… the name on the menu is Snake River Wagyu Beef Tataki Nigiri. I’ve wanted to try Wagyu beef for a long while, but the price has always been the choke point for me; I’d choke if I had to cough up the money to pay for it! I’m finally sold on the idea of forking over the cash for a full steak, but it had better be small, because this meat is so very fatty. Look at the marbling in these pieces, or should I say layering? The sear served the beef well by imparting a slightly smoked flavor. This order of nigiri was $10 for the two pieces and well worth it to try this remarkable beef. I highly recommend this dish as nothing more could have made it any better than it was. Why gild the lily?

Tsunami Website

1306 Fulton Street San Francisco  CA    94117 (415) 567-7664