Doug C.
Yelp
One of the best sushi restaurants in the BA. Various price points with the highest quality fish ever experienced. Sushi Restaurants need high volume to keep the prices down. The distinguishing factor is the quality of the fish and the lower price points because of the volume.
Can compose a menu from $50-$100/person to higher depending on what you order. Split a $165 sushi combo for 2 people. They can convert this into a chirashi for 2.
Jidori TATSUTA AGE, batter not thick like a kaarage. Not panko. maybe potato starch like popcorn chicken. Maybe the finely ground PS not the chunky type they use for popcorn chicken. Better exceptionally thin. Excellent technique. Maybe fried at too low a temp. Little oily.
Sushi combo $165.00 a regular menu item. Not online. Chef picks what is fresh. That was the best blue mackerel I have ever had. Usually oily and hard to do right. No oily sensation at all. Deeper fresh flavor lingering in the mouth for longer because of the oil. Best I have had in US. 2 types of toro, can see the different fat content, pinkish vs more white than pink. Melt in mouth, no chewing necessary. When the high content fatty tuna hits mouth, the heat melts the fish. None of the standard hamachi, sake, unagi, cuts. Hiramasa may have been farmed, asking for more sustainable cuts the next time; maybe those contain less heavy metal toxins than the wild versions from the longer lived species. 2 types of tea, a green tea before and during sushi and the brown tea for after. Very subtle.
Added hot sake and asahi draft. The hot sake is served in a bigger carafe than the standard narrow 16oz or smaller container. Better value. Don't need to order hot sake multiple times during a meal.
The $10 add on crab chawan mushi was the best I have ever had. Very tasty complex broth with deep flavors. Impossible to replicate at home. Not just dashi with seaweed, dried shiitake broth, bonito flakes. Very savory. Texture of cold crab vs warm egg and broth was stunning on first couple bites. Steamed egg very different than chinese version of steamed egg. Small pieces of shrimp/crab/mushroom for texture contrast vs. soft melt in mouth egg custard texture.
The rolls other restaurants use with lower quality fish and less technical technique aren't popular here. Can order them as some do. Is possible to find lower cost sushi and with their technique don't need to fill up on cheaper rolls.
The low star reviews talking about beef asparagus rolls or iced tea aren't accurate. Not a popular item. The whiteboard specials and menu items have remained unchanged for decades. The long lasting items have specific techniques to perfect the texture and presentation which aren't replicated at other restaurants, regardless of price. The sushi roll restaurants are the same price. They aren't any cheaper.