Dan C.
Yelp
Pssst.
I'll let you in on a little secret - there are a plethora of sushi places in the US that are *not* owned/run by Japanese. My parents grew up speaking Japanese under Japan's WWII occupation of Taiwan and we still have family ties to Japan on my dad's side. As a Taiwanese-American raised in the limelight of my parent's Japanese-influenced culture, I grew up in Houston knowing where to go and where not to go for good authentic Japanese food. That being said, two well-known cultures that were historically (and heavily) influenced by Japan were Korea and Taiwan during that time. Why do I bring this up?
Well, one of the best places we used to go to for sushi and sashimi back in Houston was owned by one of our family friends and he was Taiwanese. We always had some of the freshest fish served up to us and the authenticity (at least according to my parents) was spot on. Oiishi reminds me of that place. I can't say for certain, but I suspect the owners are Korean. Why? B/c they serve a small smattering of Korean dishes on their menu. FWIW, I only bring this up b/c it's a good thing in Oiishi's case.
We ventured out here the other day for lunch and I was quite impressed. While we didn't order any rolls, sashimi or nigiri, we stuck to the lunch menu instead since someone had a craving for a brothy soup. Looking over the lunch menu, I was impressed at the authenticity and variety of some unexpected lunch menu items here - In particular, the chirashi (sashimi over a bowl of rice) looked appealing to me. Perusing further, my eyes strayed to the handful of Korean items in the lower right hand corner of the menu. With surgeon-like precision, my eyes immediately honed in on the bibimbop. At $7.95...I *had* to try this out for the sake of Yelp, of course. My wife ordered the large serving of tempura udon for a measly $8.95.
The verdict? While not the absolute best bibimbop, I've ever had...at this price point, it was elevated to legendary status - esp. for the area. Good flavours w/out the MSG and the egg on top was done perfectly (for me that means having the egg yolk runny - perfect for adding that bit of "fat" into the rice and different components of the dish). The beef was seasoned well and the veggies were done equally well with carrots, and sauteed soy sprouts and zucchinis on top. The one complaint was that they didn't serve it with any of the usual pickled dishes. In fact, I had to specifically request kimchee from them (def. out of a jar). The rice was warm and had just the right amount of sweetness in it. I should also note that they do substitutions of tofu instead of beef if you're vegetarian. Overall a great bargain at less than $8 for lunch. As for the tempura udon, the tempura was a bit doughy, but tasted good with the exception of the shrimp which seemed a bit old based on the mealy texture (possibly frozen?). The broth itself was actually quite good, but the noodles seemed to be a bit of the packaged variety. Again, not the best udon I've ever had, but respectable.
I know, I know....what the hell am I doing ordering bibimbop from a sushi restaurant? Well, I guess the moral to this story is context. Knowing the history of Japan and Korea helps understand the close ties between these 2 cultures much like Taiwan and Japan. To that end, it's worth knowing b/c if I hadn't known....I never would've tried that delicious bowl of rice in the first place.
Word to the wise, don't overlook this place if you've got a craving for some cheap Korean food *as well* as Japanese....in Chapel Hill, this is definitely one place not to be missed - esp. when that craving hits. Now, if only I had remembered to see if they served ramen. I guess I'll have to return back for some more helpings!