Rasa - South Indian, Burlingame

209 Park Rd, Burlingame CA 94010
(650) 340-7272
Parking: street parking and pay parking lot
http://rasaindian.com/

Last Visited: February 15, 2018

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

Ben suggested Rasa because of its Michelin rating.  I didn't realize there was a Michelin rated South Indian restaurant in the area and after the experience, I can understand why.  This is probably the best service I've experienced at an Indian restaurant - from waiters explaining the details of the menu and specials to their courteous nature, Rasa is a great place for a business dinner, date night, or those unfamiliar with South Indian cuisine. 

From the lighting to the decor, Rasa has a very modern design with red-orange accent walls, gray tile, and classic dark brown finishes.  The bar in the rear of the restaurant is also a nice focal point.  From its logo, I initially mistook it for a dance club or bar, but behind the glass windows are the table settings.

- Bombay Sliders - This is a good starter for someone who is interested in a fusion experience.  The bamboo skewered sliders are comprised of a spiced potato patty fritter and served on toasted pav bread with a tangy tamarind chutney, and cilantro chutney.  A side salad that is lightly dressed, ghee (at least I think it was ghee), and a spice powder mixture they called gunpowder dust accompanies the sliders.  The sliders are a flavorful bite and well balanced, but I still miss the meat from a texture standpoint.  The salad was very fresh and I like how they are thoughtful in using colorful vegetables to make the plate beautiful. Okay to try, but not a dish I would likely get again. $13


- White Elephant Butter Paper thin Dosa - Dosa is a crepe made of fermented rice and lentil batter. The size of Rasa's white elephant dosa is impressive, spanning the width of a two person table (about 2 feet). The crepe is touted for being brushed with house churned butter and sprinkled with gun powder dust, but what I enjoyed was its crispy and light texture.  It's also fun to eat because of the sides: a well seasoned and colorful potato mash, coconut chutney, sambar (a lentil stew), and another chutney.  The heat of the sambar, both temperature and flavor, makes it a delicious dipping sauce.  Definitely worth a try and excellent for sharing.  Also good for Instagram photos.  $18

- Butter Chicken - This dish comes with an option of rice or parantha and the waiter talked us into the kerala parantha which is a layered dough that is pan fried.  Given the choice, after having the dosa, I would opt for rice for a less oily and lighter texture/flavor.  Dark meat is marinated in yogurt, ginger, and garlic and then cooked in a tomato and fenugreek curry making this a very rich sauce that would be excellent for topping rice.  For me, the parantha, though tasty, is heavy.   Very good.  $28

It was a delight for the eyes to see the various dosas go to each table as each one appeared so distinct in shape and filling.

Service throughout the meal was attentive and water glasses were frequently filled.  The staff was ready to remove any empty plates and check in on our table.  I also saw that neighboring large parties received the same level of attentiveness and with a bar featuring unique cocktails, Rasa would be good for a business meal.  Great food, beautiful presentation, and nice ambiance makes this a good fine dining experience which is also reflected by the prices.

Tim Ho Wan - Chinese/Dim Sum, Hong Kong

Best: Dim Sum, Hong Kong

2, 2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok, Ph: 2332 2896
G/F, 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Ph: 2788 1226
Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station (Podium Level 1, IFC Mall), Central, Ph: 2332 3078

Last Visited: November 26, 2010

Food: 4 to 5 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 4 stars

Price: $

When I was in Hong Kong a year ago, there were only two Tim Ho Wan's.  The fact that a third location has now opened up shows you that business continues to grow as more people find out about the great tasting food that Tim Ho Wan has to offer.  Although I was only in Hong Kong for a short trip, I managed to get to the Mong Kok location twice, and one of those times was even on a weekend. 

Our first visit was an hour and a half wait.  Our second visit was over a two hour wait, but one should take into account that I arrived before opening time.  With only about 32 seats available in this location, our second visit waited through an entire round of people (completely packed full house) before we were able to be seated.   And there were a ton of people in line after us too.

You'll find the crowd is fairly international.  Known as the least expensive restaurant in the world with a Michelin star, Tim Ho Wan has been featured in a number of guide books and listed as a must-try in many restaurant guides as well.  While I knew I was in for a treat, I had no idea that dim sum could be this fresh and this good.  The owner and chef, Mak Pui Gor, was the former chef of the three star restaurant at the Four Seasons in Hong Kong.  Impressive credentials and I think it's awesome he decided to open a place that is accessible to those on a budget.

The atmosphere is one of hustle and bustle - you get a piece of paper to indicate your order quantity for each item, and your order is plugged into the computer.  Then little dishes and baskets arrive at your table in no particular order.  Unlike other restaurants in Hong Kong, there is something really unique here.  When the food arrives, the restaurant goes almost completely quiet.  Everyone is eating, savoring, taking photos, and just enjoying.  It was one of the quietest restaurants I have ever visited in Hong Kong. 

Another unusual thing is that it's very social.  The interest in food between patrons, both strangers, and those at your table, generates conversation about where you come from and how you learned about the restaurant.  While other restaurants and cafes have similarly close seating arrangements and shared tables, at other places, people tend to focus on their phones and don't talk. I heard that the chef formerly worked at a very large restaurant and decided to open his own place, much to our delight.

Prices for most items range from $1.25 to $5 USD, extremely reasonable for such a delightful variety of food that is high quality too.  Most of the dishes could be model dim sum - the way it should be. 

- Rice Roll with Shrimp - Perfect texture and consistency with soy sauce that is not too salty.  It's hard to find rice rolls that are made so thin.

- Deep Fried Puff with Pork - Another light and delicious item.  The filling quantity is just right, but what is so hard to find is an outer shell that isn't too thick.  As one might expect, they do it just right, and not too greasy either.  Just about all of their fried stuff fits this description - not greasy, wonderfully fresh.

- Braised Chicken Feet - The flavors of the chicken feet are great.  A larger number of restaurants are good at this dish, so it was not quite as outstanding, but still very good. 

- Har Gao - These shrimp dumplings are the size of authentic har gao.  In the US, they often super size the shrimp dumplings which inevitably reduces quality in most of those versions.  This one is a single bite of loveliness.  Thin skinned, you can really taste the shrimp.

- Sweet Pumpkin Dessert - Sweet soups are very popular as a dessert in Asian cuisine.  We enjoyed this smooth pumpkin pureed soup with hints of coconut milk.  So delicious and unique to Tim Ho Wan.

- Steamed Pork Spareribs - I liked how the spareribs had a hint of heat from the red chili pepper to balance the richness of the fermented black beans.  I appreciated that the meat was tender without having a starchy sauce around it.     

- Osmanthus Flower Jello (Kuei Fa Gao) - While you won't find it written in English as Osmanthus flower, you'll see a number of patrons eating this dish - you can ask for it by the Chinese name.  This was probably my favorite item because I was delighted by its super refreshing flavor.  It's so light and sweet with a light, flowery flavor.  It's the perfect way to end a meal.  You can actually see the flower petals in it still.  The light consistency of the jello is offset by sweet goji berries, to give it a little chew.  You've absolutely got to try it!

- Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun - Yes, you read that right.  BBQ pork buns are topped with what makes a pineapple bun a pineapple bun.  The thin sweet topping is super light.  Some people around me ordered this dish once and had to order another two servings because they loved them so much.  While I enjoyed them for their light texture, they were good for me, but not worth another order.  This may be just your thing though.

- Steamed Beef Ball - These are tender and flavored with a little cilantro. Fairly standard and many places do get this one right, so not that much to say.

- Pan Fried Turnip Cake - These were good and had more grated turnip than you find at other restaurants.  You can actually see the grated pieces when you bite into it and of course, the outside texture was just a touch crispy.  Good stuff.   

- Egg Rolls - These are a must try!  The super crunchy egg roll wrapper is fried to perfection.  The shrimp and sweet fruit inside makes this a scrumptious bite.  Loved it!  If only everyone made an egg roll as good as this.

- Siu Mai (pork dumpling) - Good in its texture and how it stayed together.  At some places, the filling is too dense or too loose - here, it's just right.  The flavor was good too.

- Lotus Leaf Wrapped Chicken and Rice - Super flavorful, the lotus leaf fragrance has infused the rice and the center contains juicy meat with rice. 
- Sweet cloud fungus with herbs - This sweet dessert is really light and very good for soothing your throat because of its sweet rock sugar soup which is almost like a syrup, but not overly sweet.  The cloud fungus has been cooked until tender.  This is great to have as an offset to your fried dishes.  This is another specialty that you won't find at other dim sum houses.

- Brown Sugar Cake - The literal translation from Chinese to English is something along the lines of fluffy cake or light cake.  It's made with real Chinese brown sugar (which is actually translated literally as yellow sugar).  Unlike places in the U.S., the cake has a really strong brown sugar taste - this is a must try if you want to see what authentic cake should taste like.  This steamed cake is super light and fluffy. Again, you won't find it anywhere else - and even the dim sum houses in Hong Kong don't seem to make it as good as this version right here.  Even the color seems to be a richer brown.  

- Chinese Sausage and Spareribs with Rice - While this isn't a real dim sum dish, local tea houses in Hong Kong have turned it into one, so now I think it's just made available because people expect it. A little soy sauce is served with this to moisten the steamed pot of meat and rice. All the meat is tender and good.

- Pan Fried Shrimp Stuffed Tofu Wrapper - Another must try, the combination of a little cilantro and celery with the shrimp and the just crispy tofu skin make this a really delectable treat.  Love this one too. 

- Steamed Buns - A few choices of steamed buns are available - meat and vegetable, BBQ pork, and others. I thought they were good - though you can find them as good as this elsewhere.

While you'll have an advantage if you can read and speak Chinese, if you can't, don't let that deter you.  There is plenty of other diners whom can help you out, or you can just point.  Just be brave and eat what you can.  It's unlikely you'll be disappointed.  For those that are familiar with dim sum menus, Tim Ho Wan offers all of the standards at least as good as what is offered at the best dim sum places.  They have an amazing way of standing out in many of their dishes.  You will definitely leave satisfied and you won't feel like you left a huge dent in your wallet when you're done.

The atmosphere isn't fancy.  You get paper placemats, plastic plates, and somewhat crowded conditions, but it's well worth it.  To avoid the lines, try to go during afternoon tea time (3 to 5pm).  Otherwise, get there early.  Lines can be a bit deceiving as sometimes a person is waiting in line for a party of 20 (someone in front of me did that), but the fact that I returned again during such a short stay should tell you something.  If only they had a place like this in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Tim Ho Wan deserves their Michelin star.  I am definitely going to try to go back during my next Hong Kong visit!

Chee Kei - Chinese, Won Ton Noodles, Hong Kong

Best: Won Ton Noodles

G/F No.37 Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
852 2368 2528
Nearest MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui (Mosque exit)
http://www.cheekeiwonton.com/

Other Locations:
Shop 10, Level 4, Langham Place, 8 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, 852 3514 4000
84 Percival Street, Causeway Bay, 852 2890 8616
Maritime Square, 33 Tsing King Road, Tsing Yi
Shop No.F27, Telford Plaza, 33 Wai Yip Street, Kowloon Bay
52 Russell St.-Causeway Bay, 852 2575 6322
70 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai , 852 2834 7598

Last Visited: November 28, 2010

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

My uncle and aunt brought us to Chee Kei. In Tsim Sha Tsui (TST), if a restaurant or shop isn’t good, it disappears in weeks. It’s not even funny. The high rent of shops in this district require business owners to remain profitable; it’s truly sink or swim.

While Chee Kei never came up on our radar when we were searching the internet for places to eat, we were very glad that my family members were familiar with it. When I saw the Michelin HK and Macau sign at their front entrance, my expectations immediately increased, but I was not disappointed by the food.

Restaurants in TST seem to line the streets. Establishments with virtually identical menus frequently neighbor one another. One might be surprised by this when visiting HK from an American’s perspective, but in HK, shops with common items stick together – for example, there is Fa Yuen Street which translates into Flower Garden Street. All of the shops sell products related to flowers and gardening, and everyone goes to those districts to shop. There is a street popularly referred to as Bead (already translated) Street where they sell jewelry beads and components. Seeing stores with similar menus is less typical in the United States, but if you can accept seeing two gas stations at the same intersection of two Starbucks within a shopping center, we in the US aren’t as far from this idea as one may think.

Back to Chee Kei, it’s more like a café in its atmosphere. Tables are cozy with some along the side walls, but almost communally placed in the center where there isn’t much space between tables. The tables are cool in that they have insets for the soy sauce and other condiments. Under the clear tabletops are the menus listing the special combinations and featured items. While everything is in Chinese, an English menu is available upon request. Brightly lit and in pleasant light colors, you can tell their design is more modern than many other restaurants. There is a general hustle and bustle at the restaurant with lots of conversations between patrons and some across the room between staff– it’s definitely casual dining.

Chee Kei is known for its wonton noodles and the crab congee. Prominently displayed in photos, these items have gotten quite a bit of press. My favorite part about Chee Kei is their Happy Hour menu. Happy Hour in HK is known as Afternoon Tea time (there are still signs of the British remaining in the culture); between 2:30 and 6:30pm, they offer a special deal. For $27 HKD (about $4USD), you can get a bowl of wonton noodles in soup with a drink (choice of soymilk, barley drink, or milk tea). Cold drinks cost an additional $2HKD. This is an absolute bargain!

The regular price of the wonton noodles in soup costs about the same as the Afternoon Tea price without the drink, so you can tell the whole menu is very reasonable.

- Wonton Noodles in Soup – It’s a classic and very well-executed dish. The wontons are perfect with their shrimp and pork filling. The wonton skins are super thin. The noodles are al dente and the soup is flavorful. And to top off the dish, they sprinkle a little shrimp essence powder for additional flavor. It’s wonderful! I could eat two bowls without a second thought.

- Barley drink – The barley drink is interesting. There is a taste of ginger it’s a thin drink. While I wouldn’t suggest it to most Americans (since the majority Americans are not accustomed to barley in a sweet drink), I think it’s a nice drink for Asian tastes. It’s a nice addition to the usual milk tea or soy milk offerings.

- Crab congee – As mentioned above, the crab congee is one of the most popular items at Chee Kei. I’m not sure if it’s the cute container, but once one table starts to order, it seems like everyone around starts to order it too. First, the presentation. It’s a cute little oak ‘bucket’ with a metal inset. It comes to the table covered, and the server removes the cover to reveal the congee inside. If that doesn’t catch your attention, the photo of the dish in the featured article on the table top will. You get a whole crab, albeit that the shell is about the size of your palm, but it’s still a whole crab. The crab is cut to assist with eating, but you’ll still need to peel away the shell and get a little messy. The first photo shows how it is initially presented. You can see that the congee, appearing almost golden, has taken on some of the color from the custard inside the crab shell. The congee itself is smooth and cooked to just the right texture – the rice has broken down so that you don’t see whole pieces anymore. The flavor of the congee is rich with crab and hints of green onion from the garnish on top. Then when you lift the crab shell out, crab lovers will find the glorious orange stuff inside which has a custard-like quality. $62HKD with set menu (about $8USD)

- Gai lan – While it’s a small dish when ordered as part of the set, the gai lan is fresh. Cooked with the water from the won ton noodles, the starch in the water give the vegetables a nice sheen that you don’t get when cooked in plain water. $9HKD with set menu (about $1.50 USD)

So why the low service rating you might ask? While the food is outstanding, you often feel like you need to flag down a server. While she is great when she is with you (only women were attending to the front room on both of my visits), the kitchen forgot one of our drink orders and even after a reminder to our server, we had to chase after it again. With the assistance of computer generated orders to the kitchen, it seems that the operations should be more smooth and that the server would take on the burden of running after these requests.

If you’re a tourist, avoid the restroom if at all possible. You need to ask for a key to access the restroom in the back. It’s the type of toilet that is in the floor – enough said.

The TST branch is currently offering a special. For every $50HKD that you spend, you receive a coupon for $8HKD that you can use on your next visit. It’s a great time to go try it and reap the benefits of the promotion too.

Admittedly, I didn’t know what to expect with Chee Kei, but I enjoyed it so much the first time that I went back on my last night in Hong Kong. The afternoon tea time special is a bargain and their won ton noodles are on my all time top ten restaurants for that dish. It’s no wonder they got a Michelin star. Special thanks to my uncle for taking us there. Chee Kei serves exceptional dishes for a terrific value.

Michelin Ratings

The Michelin rating - it's a highly regarded rating system that people recognize world-wide. Just when I started thinking that a meal at a restaurant with a Michelin star was equivalent to forking over my life savings, or somewhere thereabouts, I encountered the least expensive Michelin-rated restaurant - Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong (review coming soon).

Isn't Michelin the company that sells tires? Why yes they do! However, the Michelin guide, first published in France in 1900, to help make travel easier, now covers 23 different countries. Restaurants (and hotels) are anonymously evaluated on unpublished criteria and now there seems to be a cult following amongst foodies to try out restaurants with this acclaimed rating.

Interested in knowing if any restaurants in your own backyard are Michelin-starred?
Michelin 2011 Starred Restaurants, San Francisco Bay Area

And something new to me, but maybe not to you:
Michelin 2011 Bib Gourmand, San Franicsco Bay Area
For $40 or less, you can enjoy two courses and wine or dessert. I don't know if this is really the case as those restaurants listed that I have dined at don't seem to fit the bill - sure you can get out for less than $40, but you're not really ordering much more than an entree and one more dish, at least that's the case in my experience.

Sushi-Ran - Japanese, Sausalito

107 Caledonia St, Sausalito CA 94965
(415) 332-3620
Parking: street parking
Hours: Lunch - Mon to Fri 11:45 am to 2:30pm, Dinner - Mon to Saturday 5:30 to 11pm, Sunday 5pm to 10:30pm
http://www.sushiran.com/

Last Visited: October 4, 2009

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

Sushi Ran has an outstanding reputation in the San Francisco Bay Area.  It received a Michelin star in 2006.  Numerous people have told me to try it - Alison, James, and more have all said great things about it. This Monday evening, we decided to try it out with friends A&S (who were great company because they were very adventurous – as usual).

The Sausalito location is great with one side being the restaurant with sushi bar and the building next door decorated with the same style being the wine bar. I asked the host what the difference between the two locations was and he indicated that some of the specials are not available on the wine bar side, so of course, we selected to sit within the restaurant. We came when it opened and found it to be a fairly relaxed atmosphere. Jazz played on the sound system, and the light colored wood surroundings with simple stoneware on display as well as painted calligraphy gave the restaurant a very authentic Asian feel. One thing I found interesting was the diverse wait staff. There were Japanese people at the sushi bar, a few Japanese waitresses, and of course, the owner, but for the most part, a little bit of every part of the world seemed to be represented by the wait staff.

Sushi Ran owner Yoshi Tome is present in his restaurant – even on a Monday evening. Executive chef Scott Whitman seems to be more behind the scenes, but his artistic and flavorful presentations are apparent on the table. More information about these two are available on the Sushi Ran website. The restaurant has been given multiple distinctions and honors, and the food certainly shows why.

When you arrive, you are promptly shown to your table if you have made reservations. The tables are simply decorated with a small clay teapot for soy sauce that sits on a square dish, a decorative blue and white soy sauce dish, a white cloth napkin, and a pair of chopsticks at each setting enveloped by a green Sushi Ran paper cover. After sitting down with your menus, you receive a warm steamed towel on a bamboo rack. The menu offers chef’s specialties, omikase (similar to a tasting menu of sushi – chef’s choice) platters, cooked items, nigiri sushi, desserts, teas, and more. We picked a selection from each of these areas.

- Miso Soup – Large bowls of flavorful miso soup contain firm tofu and fresh chopped scallions. Good and nice temperature (hot). $3

- Seaweed Salad – Seaweed is seasoned with sesame oil, a light touch of chili oil, and sprinkled with toasted white sesame seeds. It is served in a square decorative bowl next to daikon radish. Daikon radish is cut fine and sprinkled with toasted black sesame. The seaweed salad had a nice flavor throughout and excellent crunch. The daikon acts as a good palate cleanser between bites or between dishes as well as providing a texture contrast. Fresh and delicious. $8

- Kobe Beef Carpaccio – This is a must have dish. A white rectangular dish painted with spicy sauce is covered with a single layer of super thin slices of Kobe beef. Shaved slices of marinated onion are placed in the center of the raw meat and topped with arugula leaves and a few daikon sprouts. The onions and arugula are lightly dressed in a savory vinegar/black pepper vinaigrette. Olive oil is lightly drizzled on the plate. The Kobe beef melts in your mouth. The onions and arugula accent the raw meat and the flavors marry nicely. The photo below shows this dish in the background. Absolutely a must have. $13.50

- Grilled Calamari Tentacles – Nine tentacles from a large calamari are grilled and served pointing outward from a body of light orange aioli on a white plate with rounded edges. Think asterisk and you’ll know what it looks like. The aioli is sprinkled with finely chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. The grilled calamari is brown in color and the contrast on the plate makes the presentation stand out. The aioli is very full flavored with hints of mustard and just a little kick. Smooth and flavorful, it would make for an excellent dip for other items as well. A fun presentation and a strong flavor. The people at our table enjoyed trying other items with the aioli – such as the arugula and the daikon radish to soak up the flavor. Good. $4.50

- Tempura Vegetables – Of all the dishes, I found this one to be my second to least favorite. The seven tempura vegetables are served leaning against the dipping sauce bowl. Although the color is lightly golden as it should be, the vegetables were asparagus, carrot, yam, broccoli, shitake mushroom, and lettuce. If you just read the previous sentence and raised an eyebrow, you know exactly what went wrong. Lettuce and broccoli are not authentic tempura vegetables. Several items to note – the other tempura vegetables were very good – crispy not soggy. All of the vegetables were deep-fried well with the exception of the zucchini which was slightly overdone on one end. The lettuce couldn’t be tasted – what was nice about the lettuce was that it remained green without burning and was more of a showpiece than anything else since you really couldn’t taste the lettuce at all. The broccoli – well, it’s still broccoli and not a tempura vegetable, at least not in my mind. Other tempura options are prawns and French beans. $7

- Unajyu (Water Eel) – This is one of the chef’s specialties. Five pieces of eel are placed over picked yellow daikon, pickled green cucumbers, and pickled carrots. All of this is placed over rice that contains teriyaki sauce and the ingredients are contained in a pretty box. The box is brought to the table and the lid is uncovered once it arrives to reveal the goodies inside. I had expected a different type of eel since in the past, I have had excellent water eel that looked completely different. This one looked a lot like unagi – toasted and brown. The overall flavor was nice and the fish was flaky. The vegetables gave the flavor an added zing. The rice is abundant and this dish could easily fill you up by itself. It’s great for sharing. $13

Nigiri Sushi- Maguro – Deep red fresh tuna is placed over rice. Very clean and fresh flavors. Very good. $8

- Sake – Marinated salmon is placed over rice with a bitter green in between. Another very nice, clean, fresh flavor. The fish melts in your mouth and the bitter green adds a distinctness to it that draws out the sake flavor. Very good. $7.50

- Unagi – The unagi pieces were large, and softer than the water eel. The unagi comes out warm and flaky also. You can see that the presentation is exceptional. Very nice. $8

- Spicy Tuna Roll – The spicy tuna roll contains crisp cucumber and fresh pink fish. This tuna is not nearly as red as that for the maguro nigiri sushi. I had cleansed my palate with ginger, but the roll still lacked spiciness. I tried a second piece and found the flavor remained the same. Fair. It had fresh flavor, but lacked spiciness. I also verified with the waiter that it was a spicy tuna roll, and he confirmed. I wouldn’t order this one again despite its freshness. $9

Sandy described the evening’s dishes with one word – “Exquisite.” I would agree that the presentation and flavors are indeed exquisitely done. The dishes are served one by one, although sometimes there’s not enough time between plates, but that’s still okay since many are cold dishes. In general, portions are quite large for sushi. Presentation is a major focus, and each plate is a work of art. They are absolutely delicious and the fish is high quality and very fresh. As the evening continued, the restaurant soon filled up and the music is overshadowed by the buzz of the other patrons. There is also a tendency to feel that the room is a bit crowded since the tables are spaced fairly close together. We were near one especially loud table which required us to raise our voices a bit, but overall, the evening was splendid. Service can be a bit sparse at times, but they did a great job with filling water glasses and removing plates. If you try to ask your server a question as they walk by, you may notice that they aren’t paying attention because they’re scanning the room for something else, but this was a minor offense since the noise level prevents one from hearing well. Also, the other offense was made when I left. When the four of us left the restaurant, the host only said goodbye to the male in our party. I felt he should have acknowledged all of us. There is room for improvement in the area of service and in the spiciness of the spicy tuna roll.

For my second visit, I sat at the sushi bar. It’s important that when you make reservations, you clearly state that you want to sit at the sushi bar in order to get a spot. What’s nice about sitting at the sushi bar is that you find out right away what is and isn’t available. If you’re eating on a budget, one of the pitfalls of this is that they make the dish and then tell you that it’s a different version of the fish you requested – for example, I ordered regular maguro and was given hon-maguro. This version was also very tasty and still tuna, but also more expensive, so be wary of this. Service at the sushi bar is not as social as I would have liked it to be, but it’s still courteous. They’re much more chatty with the regulars.

Nigiri Sushi
- Hon-Maguro (Blue Fin Tuna) – Two very red and fresh tasting pieces of hon-maguro are placed on top of rice. It’s brushed with the chef’s soy sauce. Very good. $9.50

- Hamaichi – The regular hamaichi was also very fresh, but not as tender as the wild one. $8.50

- Wild hamaichi – The wild hamaichi is darker than the regular and also brushed in the chef’s soy sauce. It’s much more tender than the regular version and has a clean flavor. Very good. Market price.

- Sake - Wild salmon – The wild salmon is a little more orange than regular and is also a bit more tender than regular. Very good. $9.50

- Toro (fatty tuna) – Although the toro was still tender, I would opt for the hon-maguro or perhaps another fish. The part of the fat was not so tender because I ended up having a more difficult time chewing it. In relative terms, for the price you pay, you’re better off trying the hon-maguro instead. Okay. $15.50

- Japanese Barracuda – Though I didn’t try it, my friend likened it to ambrosia. It’s on my must try list for next time.

- Umi Masu (Tasmanian ocean trout) - This isn't something I see often on sushi menus, but it turned out to be very good. $8.50

- Mirugai (long neck clam) - I've really come to enjoy ordering this every time I get sushi - if fresh, it's slightly crisp in texture which can be very lovely. Great. $8.50

I again ordered the Kobe Beef Carpaccio and it was still very delicious. It wasn’t as novel as the first time, but still wonderful.

- Omakase sashimi – I didn’t have this dish, but my friend did. The plating is gorgeous and the fish is very good. Although, the aji was chopped into very tiny pieces and served in a mound which was unusual. $33

- Miso Glazed Black Cod - Small pieces of melt in your mouth cod is served over bloomsdale spinach. While it's currently moved to the entree section and is now served over noodles, when I had it, it was just cod over spinach. The pieces were super delicious and flavorful - the glaze complemented the fish so well. However, the portion was tiny - I could probably eat three of these and still have room for other food. If you have the mindset that you're getting a tasting and not an entree, you'll feel better about the portion and price. This is one of those dishes you would love to be able to make at home and have all of the time. $20.50

- Trio of Custards – Coconut Caramelized Banana, Espresso, Orange Ginger – The trio of custards is good, but not what I expected. For the coconut caramelized banana, the custard could have passed for vanilla. The two banana slices on top were indeed caramelized, but they overpower the coconut flavor which is so light in the first place. The espresso custard is not as soft as the first, but still very creamy. It has a full flavor and I would recommend eating the custards in the order listed above, otherwise it’s very overpowering compared to the first. I liked the flavor intensity of the espresso custard. The orange ginger had the best texture in that the creaminess was not overpowering, but it had little orange flavor and was topped with what seemed to be a chocolate custard. The ginger flavor is present but not strong. Good. $6

- Chocolate Bombe - (which isn’t available every night as I have personally experienced) is one of the best desserts – highly recommended by the sushi chef who was also disappointed to hear that it wasn’t available. It's rich creamy chocolate ice cream covered in a chocolate shell. Delicious.

Service at the sushi bar is very fast in terms of refilling tea and clearing plates, but as the evening continues, it’s difficult to get the servers’ attention. They’re incredibly busy and aren’t as available.

Note that the sushi bar side has a much wider menu selection, including a wider sushi selection. The wine bar side is open half an hour earlier, so if you’re hungry, you can start there and move to the other side later.

Sushi Ran offers a wonderful eye catching and delicious experience for dinner. I would strongly suggest making reservations. Very good food in a nice setting, with the specialty being fresh fish and creative dishes. Prices have jumped up by anywhere from $1.50 to $4 in the last three years - in some cases, this is reasonable, but in general, it's a very expensive meal. I would love to come more often, but the cost is a bit prohibitive even though the quality is excellent. It's still worth it for a special occasion. I will definitely return.