"One mainstay in our rotating roster of casual sushi places is Okoze, a Russian Hill spot with something for everyone. You can get a bunch of their excellent specialty rolls for the table to share, go with the 9- or 12-piece nigiri omakase, or turn to the robata grill for salmon teriyaki and vegetables. Keep an eye on the chef’s specials section of the menu, which has things like fantastic negi toro gungan (two nigiri filled with chopped toro, sweet unagi sauce, and topped with crispy rice crackers). What we also love are the thoughtful touches, like flower-shaped beets and actual flower petals to dress up the plates. Have this quiet spot in your back pocket for nights when you forgot to make a reservation—it’s easy to walk up and get a table, or, at the very least, a seat at the bar." - julia chen 1, lani conway
