Kuma Nori - Japanese, Burlingame

1861 El Camino Real, Burlingame CA 94010
(650) 689-5436
Parking: in strip mall parking lot

Hours: Tues-Sat 5pm-9:30pm, Closed Sun-Mon

Last Visited: February 17, 2024

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars 
Price: $$ to $$$$

From the owners of Morning Wood, now Diamond Head General Store, comes Kuma Nori.  I was walking through the shopping center and noticed the Japanese letters and stopped to look at the menu.  I wasn't planning on trying it until the Chow family mentioned how great the wagyudon is. Thanks to someone's thorough yelp review, I arrived at 4:20pm on a rainy Saturday and waited ten minutes for the iPad waitlist (on yelp) to be put outside, along with the A-frame sign containing the menu and the other sign saying BYOB since they don't have a liquor license yet.  From there, I returned to my vehicle, sheltered from the rain and wind.

 

About ten minutes before 5pm, I received my first text asking me to look at the menu since they're expecting large groups (aka 4 people) and then a little after, I received a second text - this one to get ready to be seated.  Your whole party must be present in order for you to be seated.  Note that if you have a need for a high chair, you should plan to count your baby/toddler as a member of your party since it's a small place (they managed to fit someone's baby, 5th wheel, onto the bench seating after a minor scolding about how that isn't a party of 4, but a party of 5).  Also note that even if you arrive early enough to be part of the first round of seating, they fill the restaurant about 1/3 of the way full to manage the kitchen.    

Once in the restaurant, the pop music blaring and modern decorations make it a fun and casual atmosphere, but tables are quite close together - it's actually hard to get into and out of the two person tables since one side is bench seating along the wall.  You're right next to your neighbor which is great for seeing what everyone else has ordered, but bad news if you're seeking a private experience.

I wanted to balance out my selection with one fried item, one meat with rice, and one other dish.  

- "Almost famous" fried chicken - The menu says that this boneless fried chicken has a spicy salt and vinegar rub, comes with nanban sauce, shredded cabbage, and 'ryowa' sauce.  Since I had gotten the Morning Wood spicy fried chicken and nearly collapsed from the aftermath of too much habanero and my system not tolerating the spicy sauce, I knew I wanted to try their fried chicken again, this time, without the spice.  Of the three dishes, this was by far the best one - juicy dark meat, crunchy batter, and finely shredded cabbage topped with a creamy sauce containing small pieces of egg white and sprinkled with green onions.  This was a perfect balance - fried goodness and a refreshing salad with creamy dressing.  I had to look up what nanban referred to and found that unlike karaage where you marinate and then fry, nanban chicken is just the opposite - it's usually fried and then dipped in sauce.  That's likely why there is a separate sauce here with red chili in it - so as to keep the batter crispy.  Even without the nanban sauce, it's quite tasty and the crunch lasted throughout the meal as we savored the last bite after trying other dishes and nearly finishing our dinner.  Solid four stars - if I were to go back, I would definitely get this again. It's easily shareable and very good.  $23

- Crab roll - Dungeness crab meat is put inside a butter obanyaki and served with frisee and a yuzu kosho hollandaise sauce.  So reading the Kuma Nori menu is an experience in itself as it's a guessing game if you don't know all of your Japanese foods well.  Once again, I wasn't sure what to expect and had to look up what obanyaki is.  If it sounds like takoyaki, it's in the same family.  It's like having a crab cake and not at the same time.  The tender crab meat is very moist and stuffed inside of this pancake batter which has been crisped in whatever device they are using in the kitchen.  What's weird is that they don't serve this with a knife and fork (unlike the chicken which came with a large steak knife and a fork).  This makes for a great appetizer.  The crab gives this dish a lot of richness and the creamy yuzu kosho sauce is a nice pairing, although it's not particularly strong. Yuzu koshu is a Japanese condiment made of fresh chilis, salt, and the juice and zest of yuzu (a citrus fruit).  However, I pretty much just tasted a very mild citrus and not much else.  The frisee is topped with tiny round rice crackers (bubu arare) which gave it a little crunch. This was ok to try, but personally, I like this type of pancake as a dessert with red bean instead of crab.  I would choose a crab cake over this dish, although the pancake was browned nicely and a touch crispy.  $32

- Wagyudon - The wagyudon is listed as market price based on the specific farm and cut.  Today's was from Hokkaido prefecture.  The menu lists this as house tare, shoyu cured egg yolk, steamed rice, and garlic. Some other things that come with this is pickled vegetables, microgreens, green onions, tiny round rice crackers (bubu arare), and fresh horseradish.  On the wall is a certificate of authenticity for the wagyu.  So this is going to sound like I'm a total snob, but after having Kobe beef in Japan where I had to cook it myself, I still remember the wonderful fattiness and how that complemented the slight smokiness from the grill.  Here, you can enjoy thin rare slices in the house tare, which is typically made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, vinegar, and aromatics.  The rice in the layer below contains furikake and the sauce is soaked into the rice making for a flavorful bite.  Let me break this down.  The meat is tender and fatty.  Nothing is overcooked even if you leave the lid on it for a bit (I was still eating the crab roll and let this sit a little).  Each bite feels luscious, creamy, and rich and occasionally, you'll get a crispy garlic chip which is a burst of flavor on its own.  However, some of the pieces of beef contained sinew. It was manageable, but still present.  I also longed for the wagyu to have that touch of smokiness from being cooked and that was missing.  It's more like eating a tartare which can also be good, but is not the same.  I'm sure cooking it would also be a tricky endeavor because then it could become tough and overcooked if you're not careful. This dish was just ok for me.  It's easily shareable if you want to try other things. $68

When it comes to service, the two servers were friendly, but considering that your bill has an automatic 18% gratuity, I expect a bit more service.  Menus are already on the table when you arrive.  Since I had already looked at the menu as instructed by the text and was ready to order, the wait seemed extra long.  They don't bring water unless you ask for it, so you're pretty much just waiting for everything. 

I heard the server telling the table behind us that the crab roll was a new menu item and asking about what they thought about it, but he didn't ask us.  While that server did come to remove a plate and checked on us once, nobody checked on us again until the end of the meal when they brought the bill and simultaneously asked if we wanted anything else.   

While it was a good place to try since we were celebrating a special occasion, the price tag for most dishes is pretty high.  The food is a variation of what you can get elsewhere; for example, the kuma katsudon is made with a rather large kurobuta pork rib loin, but even in the short period that the restaurant has been open (just a few months), the price tag for that has already gone up and is now $38.  

Other menu items include hambagu steak (hamburger steak), metaiko crab pasta, and the stupid tuna roll which is quite a popular offering.  

Overall, visiting Kuma Nori was an experience that you can't find locally, and I would definitely get the fried chicken again.  The other items were three stars for me.  If you plan to go, show up early to get on the waitlist. 

Stonemill Matcha - Japanese Cafe, San Francisco

 561 Valencia St, San Francisco CA 94110
(415) 796-3876
Parking: street parking
Hours: 10am-3pm Wed-Sun, Closed Mon-Tues
https://www.stonemillmatcha.com

Last Visited: June 4, 2023

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$

I've been wanting to go to Stonemill Matcha for some time because I really like good matcha and they have a matcha cream pie that I read about in an article that was offering a copycat recipe.  Since I ran across the recipe during Covid and tried to make it, but things went a bit awry, I was waiting for an opportunity to check out the cafe, and on this day, I finally made it.

The line outside the door shows the popularity of the place.  Whether it's waiting for your party to all arrive before entering, or the constant hustle and bustle of take out orders, it seems like a rarity not to find a line.  They've anticipated your arrival, even creating a gap in the line for those walking on the sidewalk in front of the shop.  The menu offers light Japanese fare like a pork katsu sando, korroke (potato croquette), or chicken katsu curry to name a few. There are also sides like miso soup and tsukemono (Japanese pickles) available.  Coming to a place with matcha in the name makes getting matcha items a no-brainer, and for me, I had to get the pie that eluded me. 

- Matcha Cream Pie - Described as silky matcha custard, fluffy citrus cream, and flakey pie crust, if any of those things sound good, you surely won't be disappointed.  Is it life changing? Not quite, but it is very good.  The custard has a strong matcha flavor that isn't too sweet. The citrus cream is the best part though; the pairing of the orange zest and citrus flavoring with the matcha gives a lightness that I enjoyed with each bite - it's a delight for your palate.  The pie crust is flakey and golden brown; it holds up well.  The dusting of matcha on the cream makes for a nice presentation - my photo doesn't quite do it justice since this was after a ride in the car.  Nevertheless, it was very good.  $7.50

- Matcha Latte - Matcha, milk, and cane sugar.  Even with ice, the matcha flavor stayed strong throughout the time I enjoyed the drink.  It's smooth and not too grassy.  The price reflects the quality I suppose.  Good.  $6

While I would get these both again, for me, it's not so great that it's worth driving a long distance for.  If you're in the Mission, it's worth a try.  You might purchase some of the matcha products to make drinks at home yourself and that would be a more sustainable long term solution if you develop a matcha habit. 

Service is not particularly friendly or standout.   What is noticeable is that despite these being fairly easy items to fulfill from an order perspective, the wait time was at least 15 minutes if not more; you may want to order ahead if you know you're going to be in the area.  Even those who ordered ahead still had a little wait, but you can approach the window for pick up without waiting in the order line.

Addiction Aquatic - Tresors de La Mer - Seafood, Taipei, Taiwan

2F, No.20, Alley, Lane 410, Minzhu East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei Taiwan
+886 2 2508 1268
https://www.addiction.com.tw/lamer/

Hours: 11am-3pm, 5pm-10:30pm

Cash only

Last Visited: May 21, 2023

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Located in the Addiction Aquatic Development, also known as the Taipei Fish Market, Tresors de la Mer is the most upscale of the six eateries in the complex.  If there isn't space, you can stand at the sushi bar, try out the seafood bar, seafood bbq, seafood tapas, or hot pot.  There is also a market of prepared foods where you can buy items ready-made and sit outside on the patio. 

We arrived about 10:30am and walked around the market just to get a feel for things, but not much was open at this time except the prepared food market, sushi bar, and seafood bar.  The specials are listed on the board with beautiful seafood on display, but if you can't read Chinese, you'll have to ask for help like me. 

Since we didn't have reservations, we were first in line for a table.   Service by the hostess at the door is efficient, but not particularly friendly.  We were pointed to the appropriate spot to pick out our seafood  and were told we had 90 minutes for our dining - this seemed to include the time downstairs where you first select what seafood you would like to have made.  Whatever you select is weighed in front of you and then you get to choose how it will be prepared (e.g. steamed, grilled, and maybe some other options, but it's not so clear what those options are).    

After you finish ordering, you are told to go upstairs and someone there receives you and brings you to the table.  Despite being first to arrive, perhaps because we didn't have reservations, our party of two was placed in a corner of the room next to what looked like a makeshift storage corner.  This was slightly less pleasant, but we were still near a window and could see the happenings down on the floor below.   The area we sat in was very bright and the decor is modern and simple.  There is also an inner dining room which has little natural light, so it's a much different experience during the day because it's quite dark.

Service upstairs is okay.  You're given a menu of hand rolls to select from if you would like to order more food, but since we had such limited time and weren't quite sure what to expected, we skipped ordering more food.  Servers wear sailor themed tops, and for some of the men, it seemed the top was a bit too small.  You may also need to flag down a server if you're sitting in the corner - it took a bit of time to get someone to take our order for tea.  

- Deluxe Sashimi Combo - This dish could easily be an appetizer for four people - Salmon, tuna, scallops, oysters, mountain yam with ikura, yellowtail, abalone, shrimp, and I'm not sure what it's called, but I think it's a sea snail.  Everything was incredibly fresh.  What's strange is to say that each item was so superb that it was the tuna that was the least interesting, likely because it did have a little bit of silver skin.  From the lovely display on crushed ice to how each bite was just perfect, if you love sashimi, you will love this platter. Back in the US, this would easily be more than double the price. The quality is just amazing. It was easily the best tasting and most memorable dish that I had during my visit to Taiwan. 1280 TWD 

- Giant Prawns - As previously mentioned, you select the prawns and let them know how you want it cooked. They weight it downstairs before cooking so you know the weight and can estimate the cost.  Since I wanted to try multiple ways of cooking, I ordered one steamed with garlic and scallions and the other was fried.  It's really hard to choose which is better, but if you can only have one, the fried one has such an intensity of flavor because the shell is slightly salty and crispy, and the fresh lime is a nice accent to the prawn.  The texture of the fried prawn is a bit denser than that of the steamed one.  The steamed one is still wonderful and the natural juices with the flavor of the sea are absorbed by the cellophane (also known as bean thread) noodles underneath.  I wished I could have ordered extra noodles to go with it.   260 TWD per 100 gram

- Giant Clam - Sold by weight also, this giant clam was one of the specials of the day, so the price wasn't listed on the board.  We also ordered this steamed with garlic and scallions and you can taste how tender and fresh every bite is.  Similar to the steamed prawn, cellophane noodles also line the bottom of the plate to absorb the natural juices from the clam. I would recommend this dish too. Our clam was 250 TWD. 

- Fresh Fruit - I didn't realize that they ended the meal with fresh fruit, so the slice of watermelon and cantaloupe for each person in the party is a nice way to close out the meal.  

In general, service was a bit sporadic, maybe because of our location.  They will take away the metal buckets that you're using to hold your shells and discards as well as remove dishes, but sometimes it takes a while even if the restaurant isn't particularly full.  However, the servers do go out of their way if you are asking for help (like we asked for directions to a site and the server provided extensive directions on a hand-drawn map) and for that, I give the range of 3 to 4 stars for service.

Since they only take cash, plan ahead.  I could easily have extended our dining experience if we had more time and eaten at least another dish.  Every dish was terrific and I would highly recommend the food to anyone visiting Taipei, Taiwan.  So fresh and so affordable (by American standards), you won't want to miss this experience. Reservations strongly suggested.

Special thanks to Victor for recommending this spot - without you, I wouldn't have even known of its existence, and I'm so glad I fit it into the last day of my trip.

Gram Cafe & Pancakes - Japanese

3251 20th Ave, Suite 172
San Francisco CA 94132
(628) 256-6013 
Parking: mall parking lot

Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm
gramcafeusa.com

Last Visited: December 8, 2021

Food: 2 stars (note I only tried the cool pancake)
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$ 

While Gram is known for its start in Japan and for premium pancakes, especially the hot ones (their signature), note that this review is for cool premium pancakes only.  Gram offers a variety of the Asian version of cafe style food - regular sweet pancakes, savory pancakes, fried snacks, curry bento, rice and spaghetti dishes, and their signature souffle pancakes.   Instead of seeing giant stuffed animals, imagine seeing fluffy stuffed giant pancakes - almost like a pillow you could hug. 

Frankly, I experienced sticker shock when I arrived at Gram.  Those fluffy hot pancakes with 2 or 3 stacked on top of each other and some lovely cream have been showing up on my various social media feeds for a while.  I had every intention of getting a hot premium original souffle pancake (stack of 3), but it's a commitment.  First, it's the 30 minute wait; this dish is offered for dine-in only. Second, the price for this stack of 3 original style pancakes is $17.  I was thinking about whether I really wanted to do this considering I also had 2 mochi donuts awaiting me and how I wanted to spend my time since I had taken this day off from work, so instead, I went for a cool premium pancake.  

- Cool Premium Pancakes - Offered in original, matcha, oreo, salted egg, strawberry, and seasonal flavors, I figured that if it's good cold, it will be even better hot. Pictured here are the original and matcha.  While the pancake is not too sweet and it was delicate and soft, the mixture of the custard and the pancake both being refrigerated (versus one at room temperature or custard that might be like ice cream in coldness) meant that the contrast of temperature was missing.  As you can see here, the matcha, while flavored well, could have been presented better where the seam of the piping bag could have been on the inside of the pancake 'sandwich.'  You can upgrade the flavors by adding salted egg for $2 or sesame for $1. The texture of the filling is on the denser side which means that it holds up, but well, I just wasn't wowed by this experience.  I'm not sure I would go back for the hot ones based on this experience, and I'm unlikely to get the cold ones again.  $5 each or $20 for four

On the plus side, the guy working the front counter was completely patient with me and asked if he could answer any questions since I mentioned that I had never been there before.  He was certainly kind and that was greatly appreciated.  

Shiroi Sushi - Japanese, Los Gatos

14103 Winchester Blvd, Suite C, Los Gatos CA 95032
(408) 340-5965
Parking: shopping center parking lot
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 4pm-9pm; Closed Sundays

Last Visited: January 12, 2019

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$

I was looking for a good Japanese restaurant in Los Gatos and happened upon this one.  The rolls looked quite appetizing in the photos, and I needed to be fairly close to downtown Los Gatos, so this fit the bill. 

I arrived at 5pm, just when they opened, and there was already another family there waiting.  While you might think this is an authentic Japanese restaurant from initial looks, a closer examination will reveal the influence of another source.  Aldo's, the Italian restaurant in the same shopping center, owns this place, and from the decor, you can see how the fishing boat print that hangs on two of the walls, the display of a rather large bottle of what would likely be wine (not sake) if it were full, and the tea towel napkins being used, shows that this restaurant isn't owned by a Japanese person.  A further look at the menu where something called a Tokyo to Milan roll contains pesto and Aldo's roll has prosciutto and mozzarella seem to confirm that you may have Italian influences here.  It's not a bad thing, but you should know what you're getting into.

- Hamachi Carpaccio - It seems that this is one of their most popular appetizers.  Ten slices of yellowtail are topped with a very thin slice of jalapeno and green onions and sit in a light soy sauce.  A very small bunch of  kaiware sprouts accompany the hamachi.  The fish is fresh and the jalapeno doesn't overpower the fish.  Probably the best of all the dishes of the evening, but a bit on the expensive side for what you're getting. The slices are really thin and makes me think I should just go to a Japanese market to get hamachi and try to mimic the same. $17

- Unagi Lover (shown in the front of the photo) - The roll is filled with deep fried unagi and topped with unagi and tobiko.   While it's tasty for a bite or two, the unagi sauce gets too sweet at the end.  Okay.  $17

- Spider Roll (shown in the rear of the photo) - Soft shell crab is deep fried.  Cucmber and avocado fill the inside of the roll and it's topped with unagi sauce and tobiko.  I liked the legs as they were not oily/greasy, but the body of the crab was a bit mushy, so that was less enjoyable.  $15

- Salmon Skin roll - Of all the dishes, I found this one to be the most disappointing.  A good Japanese restaurant can make the skin crispy and keep the meat moist.  In this case, while the cucumber gives this roll a good crunch, the salmon itself was too dry.  It's also pricy for what you're getting and you don't feel better when you see it used to be $7 three years ago.  Overpriced and dry.  $10

Service was pleasant, but with just two people serving the sushi bar and quite a few tables, as the room filled, we saw the servers less and less.  They tried their best, and did a good job handling a rather surly couple that didn't want to sit anywhere except at a four-person table. 

Overall, the rolls are okay, but avoid the salmon skin roll.  If you're going to go, try the hamachi, but maybe go for sushi instead.   

Marugame Udon - Japanese, San Francisco

3521 20th Ave, Space 184 (Stonestown Galleria)
San Francisco A 94132
(415) 680-1280
Parking: shopping center parking lot
Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
http://www.marugameudon.com

Last Visited: February 17, 2018

Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

This hot spot had a soft opening late 2017 and grand opening in mid-January 2018.  The lines are pretty long as San Francisco flocks towards another trendy chain opening up.  Their other location is in Los Angeles.

If you've been to Marukame Udon in Waikiki, you'll recognize the setup at Marugame - cafeteria style ordering with a tray and watch your udon be assembled. Behind the assembly line, you can see someone preparing the dough and cutting noodles.  In the assembly line, you can see noodles being cooked, rinsed, and plated.  One can order from about ten varieties - some with and some without meat.  Choices include hot and cold noodles, spicy or curry or their house Kake sauce, and chicken or beef.

Then proceed to the tempura section where you can select vegetable tempura (zucchini, sweet potato, eggplant, potato, asparagus, veggie kakiage) or meat tempura (shrimp, fish, fish cake, chicken, squid). Lastly, there are few flavors of musubi to choose from.  Once your purchase is made, there is a side station for adding green onions, chopped cilantro, ground sesame, tempura flakes, and additional spices.  At this station, you'll also find more dashi, sweet tempura sauce, and regular tempura sauce.

Pro Tip - There are actually two sections of the line separated by a space to created a walkway for shopping center visitors.  The line starts as early as 10:20am.  If you come by 10:30 am, you'll likely be in the first seating.

- Nikutama Udon - Sweet flavored beef (a mixture of thinly sliced beef and caramelized onions) as well as a soft-boiled egg top the udon.  Kake sauce is poured on top.  What worked: the udon - it's chewy and fresh.  The beef also tastes really juicy, but don't be surprised that it's due to the quantity of fat.  What didn't work - the broth.  When you watch them assemble the udon, you'll notice that only half of the bowl is dipped in the hot water, so it's not uniformly hot.  The kake sauce is not quite hot enough and it doesn't even top the noodles, so the whole bowl turns room temperature pretty fast.  The broth makes the dish, and since it was lacking, it made it pretty disappointing - hence the two stars.  $8.50 Regular, $9.50 Large

- Tempura Shrimp - Pretty standard.  No complaints. $1.90

- Tempura Fish - This isn't showing on their menu, but is available.  Good. $2

- Tempura Fishcake - Not my favorite as it just seems to be filling and more chewy than tender.  Part of my fishcake was also not thoroughly cooked through as the batter was too thick and the flour was still present in its powdery form.  Avoid. $1.70

- Potato Croquette - This is essentially a mashed potato patty.  If you love potatoes, go for it.  Otherwise, it's more filler.  At least the outside has a good texture.  $2.20

- Salmon Flake Musubi - Not a whole lot of salmon, the price is reflective of what you can expect - more for show, the salmon is well salted, but you might be better off going to an onigiri shop. $1.60

It's easy to order too many pieces of tempura because it's so accessible - just take the tongs and go, but I would suggest two to three pieces maximum unless you've got a huge appetite.  It's quite filling.

I was hoping for a nostalgic experience that would remind me of Hawaii's Marukame and how amazing that experience was, but instead, I left disappointed wanting a hot bowl of soup that would warm me up.  If they don't fix this soon, their reviews on well-known apps will continue to have a mix of praise and those describing people getting sick from the food.  So much potential, and yet they have a ways to go to fulfill it.

Kusakabe - Japanese, San Francisco

584 Washington St, San Francisco CA 94111
(415) 757-0155
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Sat 5pm-11pm (First seating 5pm, Second seating 8pm), Closed Sundays
http://kusakabe-sf.com/

Last Visited: December 9, 2017

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 to 5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$$$

Grand Omakase $165

Ron told me how much he loved his Kusakabe experience and highly recommended it to me.  I remember the articles about Kusakabe from when it first opened.  The fact that Chef Mitsunori Kusakabe (shown at the far end of the sushi bar) came from one of my favorite restaurants, Sushi-Ran in Sausalito, made this particular restaurant opening memorable and it has been on my list of places to go ever since.


I walked into the restaurant during the first seating and to my surprise, there was Chef Ngai whom also used to work at Sushi-Ran.  It was a mini-reunion of sorts as we sat at his station at the sushi bar and compared notes about places to eat.  I didn't expect to bump into him here, but learned about how he came over with Chef Nori and it was fun to see a familiar face.

Kusakabe's decor is modern with a long sushi bar and tables near the front of the restaurant.  A prix fixe menu,  either the regular omakase for $98 or the grand omakase for $165, is provided first followed by an a la carte menu if you wish to add to your meal.  The primary difference is that the grand omakase offers more pieces of special nigiri and a few additional dishes that are not available in the regular omakase menu.  If you want to try these additional dishes, you can still order them through the a la carte menu, but as a whole, the grand omakase is a better value than ordering all of the same items from the a la carte menu.

Ichiban Dashi
Upon being seated, you are presented with a tea cup which actually doesn't contain tea, but has a broth made from dried kombu and katsuo bushi.  It was a good way to warm up and prepare the palate for the delightful meal ahead.

Sushi Prelude
-Zuke chutoro - Seared on one side, this bluefin tuna is cured in soy sauce. This piece was so tender and was an excellent first bite.

- Live halibut - If you want to watch a cool video, the Kusakabe Facebook page has a video of live halibut that is still moving after it has been cut.  This piece of live halibut was still, but was alive earlier in the morning.  The shiso leaf and lemon zest make this piece very refreshing. The quantity of rice is just right and if you want less rice, they're happy to oblige.


Takumi Zushi
- Katsuo bonito - Cherrywood cold smoked tuna that has been aged two weeks is topped with garlic, chives, and radish.  Another melt in your mouth experience.  Each piece is so put together so that the garnishes don't just look pretty, but they balance the flavor of the fish and bring out its best qualities.

- Shima aji - Striped jack is topped with daikon radish.  This fish is what you might expect of a blend of yellowtail and mackerel. Good.

Oshinogi
- Santa Barbara sea urchin and shirako (cod eggs) - The menu refers to this one as the harmonic sushi. This combination topped with Italian black truffle shavings was one of the most memorable pieces because the earthy tones of the truffle balance out the creaminess of the fish so it's not too heavy.  Sometimes uni can be off putting, but when it's fresh, it's wonderful.  While this was a great start with the uni, it's good that it's spaced out in the meal from the Hokkaido uni which was amazing.  Great combination.

- Japanese snow crab - Served on a spoon, the snow crab is seasoned with crab miso and tops a slow cooked quail egg.  Topped with chives, this is another delicious bite.  My dining companion loved this one.  What I found interesting was how the mouth feel and flavor evolves - the initial bite is light at first and as the egg yolk surrounds the crab when you take the whole spoonful, the creamy richness makes it a more savory bite.

Sashimi
- Chef's selection of Sashimi with Umami soy sauce and yuzu onion sauce - Beautifully plated on a stand over shaved ice were two pieces of hon maguro, aged five days and two pieces of Thai snapper.  Accompanying the fish were pieces of radicchio, Japanese mountain potato inside the snapper, mizuna, a slice of radish, a slice of apple, and a dollop of fresh wasabi.  Depending on which server you receive this from, you get a different explanation of what is one the plate.  I heard my neighbor informed that you get two pieces of fish so that you can try one in each dipping sauce.  My server mentioned nothing about this.  Here's an opportunity for consistency, especially since we all sit side by side at the bar.  The fish itself was delicious and the accompanying vegetables were a nice touch. While the Umami soy sauce was good, I could eat the yuzu onion sauce by itself - slightly salty with a hint of citrus from the yuzu, I wish I could get vats of yuzu onion sauce to bring home with me.

Hassan
- Six kinds of chef's assorted les petit plats - Here's where you are likely to have a differing opinion from anyone else's because there are so many items on this plate with varying textures and flavors.  In the cup is a soy cream chowder with a single short neck clam in its shell, mushrooms, and chives.  While this was creamy and tasted like the sea, I'm not a fan of cold creamy savory things.  I prefer chowder to be hot.  In the lower right corner of the picture is rock shrimp with eggplant and bell pepper.  The rock shrimp is first fried and then marinated in dashi.  Topped with microgreens and a fried lotus chip, this was my least favorite bite because the rock shrimp had been battered and I didn't like the soft texture of the batter.  It soaks up the marinade well, but is still soggy.  The yellow cylinder is umaki - an egg omelette with unagi in the center and topped with unagi sauce.  I found the unagi to be too fatty here and sweeter than what I prefer.  In the square dish is ice fish (typically available in winter or spring) over cucumber and seaweed salad.  Grated ginger garnishes the dish.  This was refreshing and I found the cucumber and seaweed mix to be slightly bitter, but perhaps my palate was sensitive since my dining companion didn't notice any bitterness. In the upper left is a napoleon of red crab, braised sea kelp, and ikura.  While my neighbors enjoyed this the most, I found it unexpectedly sweet, but I liked the strong seaweed flavor.  The center bite was, by far, my favorite of the dish - a Shikoku oyster from Washington state topped with white sturgeon caviar.  The combination of the fat, juicy oyster with some yuzu juice was so refreshing - I loved this oyster.  I could have eaten a dozen of them.  Just bring me a plate of these.

Soup

- Ankou-jiru, monkfish tail, and Ankimo soup with shredded burdock and Kome Koji soy - A surprising mid-meal course is this monkfish in three ways.  Monkfish bones are used in the dashi based broth.  Monkfish liver floats to the top and a cube of monkfish sits on the bottom of the cup.  The presence of ginger juice is noticeable and there is fermented soy in the base.  When served, it comes covered and the lifting of the lid makes the contents a surprise.  Flavorful and not fishy, this was a good warm up.

Shizakana
- A5 Wagyu Kasu-Zuke, Daiginjo sake kasu marinated ribcap with buckweat risotto and Matsutake mushroom - When this plate arrives, the server pours the hot broth onto the plate.  The two slices of beef were very tender and the buckwheat risotto was a nice base.  While it's easy to want more and wonder why it's only two pieces, I found this to be very rich.  Good, but it wasn't significantly different from other experiences I've had.

Seasonal Sushi
- Seared arctic char - With a shiso leaf, sea salt, and lemon juice, this was another great bite.

- Young snapper - Cured with a bamboo leaf and topped with egg yolk powder that has been dehydrated with vinegar, I found this garnish to be too sour.  My dining companion was fine, so again, perhaps my palate was too sensitive.  Chef Ngai even tried the egg yolk powder and said it was no more sour than usual.  For me, less powder would have been better.

- Handroll - Chopped bluefin tuna is topped with bonito flakes and onion microgreens.  The seaweed flavor was strong, but such a great complement to the ingredients.  The onion microgreens were so flavorful and just a tad sweet.  I could eat a few more of these with ease. 

- Hokkaido uni - If you haven't tried uni from Hokkaido, it seems creamier and sweeter than any sea urchin from other regions that I've tried before.  As mentioned above, this one is definitely a few levels above the Santa Barbara sea urchin. 

Sushi Finale
- Fresh eel - From the Tsujiki fish market in Japan, they treat this one like royalty.  Braised with peppercorns, the fish is cooked on a leaf and the skin is heated until crispy.  This process lets you enjoy the two textures in a single bite.

- Toro - Closing out the grand omakase is a tender piece of toro that has been aged two weeks.  I found some silver skin in mine, so it wasn't quite the perfect bite, but still delicious. 

After the omakase, guests are given the a la carte menu.  By the time we got to this point, we were stuffed, but after hearing about their desserts which included tiramisu and sorbet, and after seeing a number of these being plated, I chose the sorbet.

- Yuzu shiso leaf sorbet - This dessert was indeed refreshing - the balanced flavor of citrus with the presence of shiso was a great complement and it was just the right level of sweetness.  It's also a great palate cleanser.   A lot of my sushi bar neighbors were celebrating special events this evening, so candles kept appearing in the desserts throughout the night.

Overall, I was very pleased with my Kusakabe experience - the fish is high quality and very fresh; the attention to detail of for each piece of nigiri and the other dishes is delicate and full of care.  The service from Chef Ngai was very personal and customized to each individual (he had six people per seating), and while there are still improvements that can be made with the overall service (such as wiping spilled tea after refills more thoroughly), I would highly recommend trying this experience.

As a side note, if you feel the need for a large personal space bubble, then you might not want to sit at the bar - besides being close to your neighbor, some of the staff members are close talkers as they explain the dishes.  Be sure to visit the restroom if you like technology - the Japanese style Toto toilet lid greets you (the lid lifts automatically) as you enter the room and of course, the typical full featured toilet offers bidet and other functions.   

If you know what you like, the regular omakase coupled with the a la carte menu many be just right for you, but if you want to try the chef's special, the grand omakase is certain to leave you feeling full.  Kusakabe makes it to the top of my sushi/kaiseki restaurant recommendations.  You get what you pay for here, but the bill is not for the faint of heart.  Make reservations early because it can be difficult to find a spot with only two seatings.

Benkyodo - Japanese mochi, San Francisco

1747 Buchanan St, San Francisco CA 94115
(415) 922-1244
Parking: street parking and pay parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am - 4pm, Closed Sundays and 1st & 3rd Mondays
http://www.benkyodocompany.com/

Last Visited: December 8, 2016

Food: 5 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $

If you love mochi and manju, this is the best place to go in San Francisco and probably northern California. Open since 1906, the shop has stayed within the family and is now operated by the third generation family members.

While it's easy to pass by this shop and not even notice it, once inside, the glass case holds many delights including fresh fruit mochi (during my visit, they offered blueberry mochi) along with their staples of red bean paste stuffed mochi with different mochi dough wrappers, lima bean stuffed mochi, and several manju too.  Pictured here are red bean paste stuffed mochi sprinkled with soybean powder and traditional white mochi with red bean paste.  These handmade treats are super fresh and the dough is soft and tender.  Most of the mochi is $1.20 each, but special items like season fruit vary in pricing.  Note that payment is cash only.

In case you're looking for Japanese treats, Benkyodo also offers rice crackers, both savory and sweet and the Japanese version of rice krispies treats - ever so delicious.

On the other side of the shop is a lunch counter.

Don't miss this piece of Japantown history!  Go early since once they run out for the day, they don't make more.

Sushi Hon - Japanese, San Francisco

2598 Harrison St, San Francisco CA 93123
(415) 525-4527
Parking: street parking
Hours: Daily 5pm-11pm
http://www.sushihonsf.com/

Last Visited: July 29, 2016

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$$$

I learned about Sushi Hon through an Eater SF article last week.  The article touted a premium omakase menu with 11 courses for only $65 which included nigiri made with fish that was line caught and flown in from the the Tsukiji Market in Japan.  How could I resist?  The article warned that Sushi Hon is going through a soft opening and won't officially be open yet for another couple of weeks, so with one week into the soft opening, and another week to go, I thought it would be a good time to visit.

Bottom line:  Based on the article, I thought I was getting more nigiri than what was offered, but it's clear from the menu that nigiri is just part of the omakase.  If you're a purist, go elsewhere.  If you want to have a dining experience with hot and cold dishes, this is a nice offering.  Overall, it's a modern take on Japanese food, and for the nigiri, the wasabi was a bit heavy handed.  My dining companion experienced the same, but for fewer pieces.  You'll find that the hot dishes will meet expectations for fusion between Japanese and California cuisine and be beautifully presented.  Since they're going through a soft opening, the long wait is forgivable, but the is staff friendly and the chef, Zhe Song, is very detail oriented.

Reservations can be made online through their website and over the phone.  I recommend the latter as you'll get a faster response if you call during business hours.  For now, my online request was met with a response to call anyway.

The space is modern with a regular bar; open kitchen/sushi bar; and long, wood, rectangular tables for communal style dining.  The decor contains a lot of wood, bamboo, metal, and gray.  The television was on behind the bar.  The sushi bar doesn't have the typical refrigerator that you find in traditional Japanese restaurants.  Instead, you'll be able to see the cutting boards and plates.

We arrived a little before 5:30pm this evening and they were still doing a lot of preparation.  We were able to watch several fish being filleted by the expert hands of the chef.  My understanding is that this work would normally be done before opening, but they were a little behind - if you don't like watching a stake go through the head of a fish, you might want to go a little later.  We were promptly given a drink menu with many options of sake and other typical items.

Two prix fixe options were available - the omakase for $65 (not 11 courses, but 7 courses - the chef says they never had 11 courses, so the article was wrong) - even if you count every piece of nigiri as a course, it still doesn't add to 11. Perhaps there were complimentary items during the writer's visit.   The other option is 12 pieces of chef's choice nigiri for $48.  All other items are offered a la carte as an add on.  Over the course of the evening, we were given three menus - each with a little more information - first the prix fixe, second the nigiri and prix fixe, and finally a full menu with all a la carte options like butter poached fish.  Clearly, another reason for a soft opening.  They do ask whether or not you have any allergies and can accommodate for that as needed.

- Hot tea -  What was strange was that the cups were American style.  Everything else was Asian, but these white cups without saucers didn't seem to fit the decor.  At least the tea was good though.  $3

- Ume Salted Edamame - Warm edamame is seasoned with ume salt (slightly sour  as it comes from a plum and slightly spicy).  I liked this twist on the cold edamame that you find elsewhere.  The warm temperature was nice, but for those whom are very sensitive to any kind of spice, you may want to ask for it on the side.

- Katsuo Tataki - Katsuo is also known as skipjack tuna.  The tuna is seared and cut into two pieces.  It was served with a puree of cucumber with a little bit of ginger for a refreshing taste.

- Hamachi Namazuke - Three pieces of yellowtail are lightly breaded and fried.  Thinly sliced marinated red onion, green onion, ginger, and I think bonito flakes (not completely positive on the last item) top the fish.  All of that is placed on top of a light tempura sauce.  I liked this dish, but would have preferred the sauce on the bottom to be served separately as the fish's breading had already soaked it in and the bottom piece was no longer crunchy.  The topping is refreshing and adds a nice balance to the fried fish.

While we were waiting for our nigiri, two complimentary dishes came - one was the geso karage (fried squid) which came with an aioli and the other was a mix of green beans and asparagus tossed in sesame paste.  Both were done very nicely.  As you can see from the photos, presentation is nicely done with little edible flowers on top of the katsuo and the green beans.

- Nigiri (Chef's choice - 6 pieces) - Today's fish included Akami (bluefin tuna), Isaki (grunt), Aji (horse mackerel), Washi (sardine), Muki Hotate (Japanese shucked scallop), and Anago (sea eel). As we were sitting at the bar and had waited for a long time, the chef gave us a bonus nigiri of flounder fin muscle which you see in the middle of the photo.  This piece is rare in the sense that there's very little of it - essentially only a couple of pieces per fish, so it's not listed on the menu.  Four of my six pieces of nigiri had a bit too much wasabi, and though the fish was certainly fresh and had good flavor, my pieces were quickly overpowered by the wasabi.  My dining companion only had two pieces with too much wasabi, and had a much more pleasant experience.  Depending on the fish, it was garnished with lemon juice, ginger, or just simply brushed with soy sauce.  I enjoyed the fish, but found the sardine flavor to be very strong and the sea eel to be not as tender as I would have liked.  The scallop was very good and for all pieces, the portion of rice to fish was just right.   Some of the rice was a bit too loose and did not hold up fully.  Each piece is presented on a leaf that is placed on the bar.  While this presentation is beautiful to start and makes for great photos, by the end of the course, the leaf has started to curl and looks less appetizing.  It might be better for the leaf to be placed on top of a plate to prevent it from drying out so quickly.

- Shiro Miso with Japanese Mushrooms - The soup was listed last on the menu, but came out before the maki.  It was the right temperature, but you can see it was served with a spoon (not traditional) in a rather wide mouthed bowl.  The mushrooms were good.


- Hoso Maki (Chef's choice - 6 pieces) - Other tables were given tekka maki, but ours was ume cucumber maki.  This was a nice palate cleanser and unique with the ume plum having a strong salty/sour flavor.

- Soft Shell Crab  - The soft shell crab is lightly battered, deep fried, and served with fresh cherry tomatoes over a blended tomato cucumber and basil gazpacho.  The crab was very plump and juicy - nicely done.  I liked the fresh tomatoes and while the combination of flavors were fresh, but I would have it would have been nice to have a spoon to enjoy the gazpacho.  It didn't feel like I had the right tools.

If you order the dishes a la carte, you would find that the total adds up to about $85 or thereabouts.  A la carte nigiri is sold per piece at a minimum price of $5 each or more.   Other dishes vary in price up to $18 for the butter poached fish.

I thought it was a good dining experience, although the total time was quite long for this visit - I was there for two and a half hours.  While the staff is friendly, since we were the only ones there for the first half an hour, and the staff was checking on everything, they're a little too attentive.  I was feeling chatty this evening, but I had a ton of interaction with the staff - had it not been a soft opening, I would say it was too much.  The chef was very generous in offering a few complimentary dishes to offset the wait and he was very welcoming which made it a great visit - I felt like we had our own personal chef since we had him to ourselves at the sushi bar for more than an hour. The omakase would have been better if there was something sweet at the end - even if it's just something little.  I wouldn't have minded paying another few dollars to end on a sweet note or to at least have a dessert menu to choose from.

For those whom are picky about this, the staff is not Japanese.  The chef has experience from Gintei in San Bruno, and the other sushi chef also has experience working at a Japanese restaurant, but you could see that the remainder of the staff is still learning about the fish, albeit learning quickly.

Hopefully they work out all of the kinks soon, but I would recommend Sushi Hon to those whom want to try modern dishes, good sushi, and friendly service.  Grand opening is next week.