Sushi Tomo

 

Sushi restaurants are not hard to come by in the Bay Area, so in order to get my business, they need to distinguish themselves in some way. Sushi Tomo managed to do that the minute we sat down. Extra pickled ginger made an immediate impression, because my experience has always been that there was never enough served when I ordered sushi. This was the only time I have not had to ask for more.

  

My niece, who was visiting from UC Santa Cruz, and I made 4 selections, each of us selecting one sushi from the more usual offerings, ($5.95 - $6.95) and another from their specials ($9.95). Looking at the photo above, it is difficult to imagine any of them being less than special. If we look at the far left and work our way clockwise, the selection starts with the Hawaiian, then the Waking Tiger, the Viper and finally the Crispy Salmon. Each one was well thought out and very good.

 

On the top photo, the Hawaiian roll is distinguished by a wrapping of white and red tuna with a thin sprinkling of Tobiko. On the lower left you can easily see the spicy tuna of the interior wrapped around a small amount of cream cheese. This made for a nice rich tasting sushi that was further enhanced with soy sauce mixed with a little wasabi paste and the pickled ginger. Waking Tiger Roll, seen more closely in the photo to the right, was a good adaptation of a sushi made with tempura shrimp. The crab salad on top would have been much better had it been made with real crab instead of imitation crab. Personally, I'd gladly pay the higher price for the real thing. Even the better quality imitation versions always have a sweet taste that just annoys the "crab" out of me. It doesn't belong in sushi, but that didn't stop me from eating it.

The Viper Roll may have seemed the most unusual to me because of its topping of small bay scallops mixed with mayonnaise and tobiko. The chives were a good compliment  to the mild scallop taste. Again, had the filling been made with real crab, this would have been a superior item on the menu. I'd certainly order it again.

The Crispy Salmon proved to be the most photogenic of all the sushi we ordered, but it also proved to be our least favorite in taste. Something about cooking the salmon, even for a short time to crisp up the tempura batter, just did not work. The salmon became overly "fishy" in aroma as well as taste. The idea of it was far better than the execution, so we ended up leaving a few pieces on the plate. I still say that the combination of sauce, tobiko and chive makes this one of the most appealing looking sushi rolls I have ever seen.

Sushi Tomo Menu From allmenus.com

201 University Ave Palo Alto CA 94301 (650) 324-3300

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

Ebisu

I started finding reasons to try this restaurant after seeing photos of some of their sushi offerings on Foodspotting.com. One of the most astonishing photos was of a sea urchin served in its shell. That was it; I had to finally try Ebisu, a restaurant I have been passing and been curious about for years. I had shied away from uni for a long time, since a very bad experience at another sushi restaurant, where the sea urchin was so spoiled, I immediately had to spit it out or risk something far worse. As chance would have it, last year I ordered a Futomaki that had a bit of sea urchin in it and I really liked it. The first thing I did when opening the menu was to scour it for the uni. As it turns out, you have to special order it.

  

One of the most unusual elements of the menu was the selection of vegetables. I don’t think I have ever seen so many options for vegetables on a Japanese menu and the prices were very low. I put the photo of the wasabi and ginger as a reminder that it came to the table ahead of the sushi and I really liked the fact that there was plenty of it. The seaweed salad was very nice with a sesame oil and rice vinegar dressing that made it taste fresh and bright in flavor. It was actually too generous a portion for one and only cost $4.75. It was comparable in value to the Duo of Ohitashi (spinach) with bonito flakes that was priced at $5.50. My dining partner took half home even after sharing a good portion with me.

Agedashi Tofu was lightly fried and bathed in a lovely light broth. The texture was very silky so the contrast with the crisp exterior was quite nice; another good value for $5. I ordered the Tokyo Tower because I like Tempura Shrimp in sushi, but more importantly because the name conjured up a very architectural image. I’m afraid the only architecture in the order was the small bit of shrimp you see towering all of one inch above the piece of sushi on the right. It was a also a let down in the fact that the roll was only cut into 4 pieces; this was not good value for $6.95. In order to give a fair evaluation to my dining experiences at Japanese restaurants, I almost always order a spicy tuna roll for my point of comparison. The Poke Roll at Ebisu was not outstanding, in fact it was ordinary and cut too small into 8 pieces from a noticeably thin roll.

 

The Applewood Scallop Carpaccio was outstanding and worth every single one of the 900 pennies it cost. The smoked scallops were layered over a blood orange sauce that was slightly bitter like a marmalade; not the taste I was expecting, nor as sweet as I had hoped, but very good. The mustard micro greens and sesame seeds added a visual and textural contrast. Again, the build up was misleading. The menu lists “Sizzling blood orange vinaigrette”, yet mine was room temperature at best.

 

I admit, I was smitten with the idea of the uni, and it didn’t disappoint. The briny, creamy , rich taste was what I was seeking. If you want a taste of the sea, sea urchin is the ticket. I didn’t even bother with the lemon. As a child I watched my Italian grandfather eat sea urchins right out of the shell and wondered why he did it standing up in the kitchen, not sitting at the table. I think I now understand his urgency at eating it as fresh as possible. Then again, perhaps he didn’t want to share.

 

The Drunken Berries In Sake with Vanilla Ice Cream was refreshing and very well thought out. The sake and berries worked perfectly together, so perfectly, I now want to try more sake, since my experience has been limited. The mixed berries were a combination of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Fresh strawberries may have made it even better, but sometimes we have to settle for frozen fruit.

http://www.ebisusushi.com/ebisu-sushi-menu.php?location=1&menu=14

Sweet Ginger in Sausalito

If you find yourself in Sausalito and you like sushi, Sweet Ginger is your best option for price and a peaceful, spare, atmosphere. It resides just across the street from a small, quiet park, so the scenery is pleasant too. The sushi is well made and very fresh, but not exceptionally creative. Even so we always manage to find what we need and have always enjoyed our meal.

In the above photo, their classic approach is evident and the California Roll is easily identifiable. Granted, I have never ordered a special, so there may be more creativity than my experience indicates. But no one needs to stand on their head to please the patrons as this is good solid food.

Quality and freshness are mandatory for good sushi and this spicy tuna was a prime example of both. The addition of avocado cooled the palate while the cucumber provided a nice textural element; both worked just as well in the soft shelled crab roll to the back of this photo and the addition of crab meat pushed it over the edge in the flavor department.

The hamachi roll, in the foreground of the photo to the left, was so very fatty and rich tasting it practically melted in your mouth. It needed nothing more to boost the flavor, and was quite an achievement in its simplicity. Similar but less restraint was used on the Red Sun Roll, a California style roll topped with tuna. The sushi is so very fresh at this restaurant, it's a surprise that it doesn't still wiggle.

http://www.sweetgingersausalito.com/index-1a.html

400 Caledonia St

Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 332-1683

Closed Monday Lunch Tues-Sat 12-3

Dinner Tues-Thur 5-10

Dinner Fri-Sat 5-10:30

Dinner Sunday 4:30-9:30

Jimisan Bistro

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.

http://webpos.wlinformation.com/jimisan/default.aspx

1380 9th Avenue

San Francisco CA 94122

(415) 564-8989

Sushi Groove

If we didn't have friends living around the corner from Sushi Groove, we may never have found this sake bar and sushi restaurant. The sushi itself is as modern and inventive as the name, with a twist of fresh vitality lacking in many traditional sushi restaurants. It's an East meets West approach at its sophisticated best. Our first time there was only for a drink, but we sat at the bar to watch the making of a foie gras nigiri. That told us enough about this restaurant to bring us back. They offer specials along with their regular menu every night and that makes it enticing for repeat business. I'm hoping to find the foie gras again on another visit.

The first dish ordered this time around was an Eel Salad reasonably priced at $7.25. The unagi was beautifully dressed with the traditional sweet sauce that usually accompanies it, sitting on a bed of pickled cucumbers. One could make a meal in itself of it. Next was a platter composed of sushi of varying complexities and prices.

Spicy Tuna Maki in the lower range of complexity and priced at $6.75 was still more complex than at most other restaurants. It came with avocado, a nice creamy foil to the heat of the hot sauce employed on the ahi. California Maki for $5.75 was equal to any other and the crab was very fresh. West Coast Roll at $13.00 was particularly good and may be a regular on the menu. It is basically a California Roll topped with ahi tuna and a dollop of hot mayonnaise. It was rich, creamy and hot, just delectable. The Lahaina Roll priced at $13.00 may have been a special for the night as I believe it was topped with Hawaiian Ono. I'm sorry to admit that I don't recall the other ingredients, but I could easily order it again because it was delicious. Judging by the photo, I might guess it was ahi, cucumber and avocado inside, but it very well may have been spicy tuna and not ahi.

1916 Hyde St
San Francisco CA 94109
415)440-1905