Monday, September 14, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
My Top 5 Sushi Restaurants in the US
Having experienced sushi coast-to-coast for many years--I have to say the best are in New York and California. Now that I am living in a small town in Florida, I am a fan of the local place, but realistically, sushi is best and freshest where there are the most people to eat it.
That said, I realize that my list, which would have included Matsuhisa in LA and possibly some others in New York and Washington that at one time were sublime, I had to come up with some criteria for my top 5 outside of my own personal experience. The criteria I decided on is that sushi had to be the main attraction or at least a very strong centerpiece of the restaurant and not just part of a larger omakase experience, the restaurant had to be rated at least 28 in Zagats and getting excellent recent reviews on Zagats and other foodie websites.
My top 5 appear on a side bar. They are in order:
1. Sushi Yasuda, New York, New York
2. Kuruma Zushi, New York, New York
3. Urasawa, Los Angeles, California
4. Sushi Ran, Sausalito, California
5. Sushi Zo, Los Angeles, California
A blog post on each of these is forthcoming.
i
That said, I realize that my list, which would have included Matsuhisa in LA and possibly some others in New York and Washington that at one time were sublime, I had to come up with some criteria for my top 5 outside of my own personal experience. The criteria I decided on is that sushi had to be the main attraction or at least a very strong centerpiece of the restaurant and not just part of a larger omakase experience, the restaurant had to be rated at least 28 in Zagats and getting excellent recent reviews on Zagats and other foodie websites.
My top 5 appear on a side bar. They are in order:
1. Sushi Yasuda, New York, New York
2. Kuruma Zushi, New York, New York
3. Urasawa, Los Angeles, California
4. Sushi Ran, Sausalito, California
5. Sushi Zo, Los Angeles, California
A blog post on each of these is forthcoming.
i
Friday, April 17, 2009
Daruma for Sushi in Naples Florida
We did live in Naples, Florida for quite awhile, and then we typically consumed huge quantities of our favorite fish delicacy at Daruma several times a month. It was by far the best sushi in the area at the time. Rick was the sushi chef, and while he was sometimes a tad touchy, his sushi was delectable and worth the attitude.
After leaving Naples, we haven't gone to Daruma as often, but we recently made a trip there. While Rick is no longer sushi chef , and some of the ambiance of the New Yorkish style eatery is gone...the sushi was still at the top of the game. All the traditionals are served very fresh and thick on well formed, seasoned rice. The service was also pleasanter than we remembered.
Daruma is a full service Japanese restaurant, with a section devoted to Teppanyaki. What I like about Daruma's handling of this divide is that the Teppanyaki section of the restaurant is in a separate room. Sushi is served in a smaller bar/lounge type area of the restaurant keeping it away from the theatrics of the other Japanese dining experience.
Daruma has two locations -- the one in Naples and the other on Fruitville Rd. in Sarasota. One of these days we will have to try this sister in Sarasota as well.
Location: Naples, Florida
After leaving Naples, we haven't gone to Daruma as often, but we recently made a trip there. While Rick is no longer sushi chef , and some of the ambiance of the New Yorkish style eatery is gone...the sushi was still at the top of the game. All the traditionals are served very fresh and thick on well formed, seasoned rice. The service was also pleasanter than we remembered.
Daruma is a full service Japanese restaurant, with a section devoted to Teppanyaki. What I like about Daruma's handling of this divide is that the Teppanyaki section of the restaurant is in a separate room. Sushi is served in a smaller bar/lounge type area of the restaurant keeping it away from the theatrics of the other Japanese dining experience.
Daruma has two locations -- the one in Naples and the other on Fruitville Rd. in Sarasota. One of these days we will have to try this sister in Sarasota as well.
Location: Naples, Florida
Friday, March 20, 2009
Amimoto -- Ending the Sushi Drought
Well it had just been too long. The sushi cravings were too strong--we had to end our drought. So desperate sushi seekers headed for the local place -- Amimoto. With its lantern-adorned sushi bar, neutral walls decorated tastefully with Japanese prints and symbols, a stunning encased kimono and crayon landscapes done by the owner, Amimoto brings you as close to Japan as any place in Punta Gorda Florida can. And then, of courrse, there is the sushi.
Amimoto's sushi is fresh, generously sliced and delicious. It is our favorite Japanese restaurant within a 50-mile circumference of our home town. Daruma in Naples is a close contender --- more on this restaurant in another blurb to come.
The restaurant has about 10 tables and 9 seats at the Sushi bar so in winter month's it is usually hard to get a seat. However, last night there were openings -- an unfortunate sign of the economic times. Nonetheless, there were plenty of hard-core sushi lovers wolfing down the earthly delights.
In addition to a full slate of nigiri, Amimoto also serves the standard and some of their own maki. Plus, it is a full service restaurant with offerings for the sushiphobic. The appetizer list is delightful with offerings such as tuna and beef tataki, katsu, takitori, fried oysters and gyoza. Last night we tried the shiitake which is sauteed mushrooms in a teriyaki type sauce --- it was very flavorful and not rubbery like some mushroom dishes of this sort.
The full menu, which I confess we have never been to -- unfortunately Japanese restaurants with great sushi are a bit like ice cream parlors with great vanilla ice cream, i.e. it's hard to get by the specialty, is extensive. Nonetheless, I've been told by others who have accompanied us here that the cooked food is excellent. Some of the dishes include teriyaki of various sorts--fish, chicken and steak. Grilled fish including grouper, mackerel, and sea bass, soft-shell crab tempura and standard tempura are also on the menu. I saw the later arrive at a neighboring table, and its the real deal not that fake fried stuff and an enormous portion.
All and all Amimoto is worth a visit if you are in or near Punta Gorda.
Location: Punta Gorda, Florida
Amimoto's sushi is fresh, generously sliced and delicious. It is our favorite Japanese restaurant within a 50-mile circumference of our home town. Daruma in Naples is a close contender --- more on this restaurant in another blurb to come.
The restaurant has about 10 tables and 9 seats at the Sushi bar so in winter month's it is usually hard to get a seat. However, last night there were openings -- an unfortunate sign of the economic times. Nonetheless, there were plenty of hard-core sushi lovers wolfing down the earthly delights.
In addition to a full slate of nigiri, Amimoto also serves the standard and some of their own maki. Plus, it is a full service restaurant with offerings for the sushiphobic. The appetizer list is delightful with offerings such as tuna and beef tataki, katsu, takitori, fried oysters and gyoza. Last night we tried the shiitake which is sauteed mushrooms in a teriyaki type sauce --- it was very flavorful and not rubbery like some mushroom dishes of this sort.
The full menu, which I confess we have never been to -- unfortunately Japanese restaurants with great sushi are a bit like ice cream parlors with great vanilla ice cream, i.e. it's hard to get by the specialty, is extensive. Nonetheless, I've been told by others who have accompanied us here that the cooked food is excellent. Some of the dishes include teriyaki of various sorts--fish, chicken and steak. Grilled fish including grouper, mackerel, and sea bass, soft-shell crab tempura and standard tempura are also on the menu. I saw the later arrive at a neighboring table, and its the real deal not that fake fried stuff and an enormous portion.
All and all Amimoto is worth a visit if you are in or near Punta Gorda.
Location: Punta Gorda, Florida
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Rockin' Sushi in Fullerton California
When we were living in California last years one of our favorite sushi haunts was a place called Chomp Rockin' Sushi in Fullerton. Serving luscious sushi at reasonable prices, Chomp gave us an opportunity to enjoy our favorite food more than once a week. In fact they had an all-you-can-eat special that was hard to beat -- at that time it was $20 now I see they have raised the price to $30. In any case, this event is every Thursday between 8:30-11:00. They also have a deal during the cocktail hour daily where sushi nigiri is $2 a piece, hand rolls are $4, and cut rolls are $6. Their speciality rolls are amazing---see a complete list at Sushi List. Good sushi at good prices.
Website: http://www.chompfullerton.com/
Location: Fullerton, California
Seeking Sushi in My Home Town Finding a Sushi Buffet
My husband is a sushi zealot and I am at least an enthusiast. As such, we have ventured to several of the sushi restaurants in our immediate home town and beyond -- one, in Towles Plaza in Punta Gorda, is very good and probably the best closest to us -- Amimoto. More on Amimoto soon. -- a smallish place with a few tables and a bar that seats about 8-10, Amimoto serves up large and luscious swatches of fish on tasty rice morsels, the rolls are good too. Amimoto has excellent cooked food as well.
We have also been to a very good restaurant and the favorite of sushi connoisseurs living in or closer to upper Port Charlotte -- Asuka. Again large pieces of fish, interesting rolls, and fish which has always been fresh. They also specialize in teppanyaki with its knife throwers and circus-style food entertaining. We took kids here and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
But last night we braved where few sushi-lovers dare to tread -- the sushi buffet. Two reasons sushi buffs avoid such places. One, they are seldom any good. Two, even if they are not, sushi nuts will still pig out and regret it later. So it was with great trepidation that we entered the halls of the Sakura Buffet on Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte. Face it, times are tough!
And for $15.95 for all-you-can-eat sushi plus a full Asian Buffet, it was hard to be a snob. Plus, they took an extra 10% off that night for a reason we know not. And it was decent sushi. Was it the sushi like the top restaurants in New York that we have left $200 or more poorer -- no. But it was good, on the smallish side, but good. And the variety was impressive -- all the standard nigiri and hand rolls plus they even had a Philadelphia roll. They also offered a wide assortment of special rolls, some familiar like dragon rolls and rainbow rolls, others I hadn't experienced before, but liked -- the dancing crab meat, the flying crab and one with mango. One other speciality that was interesting was fried sushi -- all of our company went back for seconds on that one.
The non- sushi bar area of Sakura includes some delicious tidbits as well that our non-sushi loving friends enjoyed --- including chicken yakatori, egg rolls, several chinese-style dishes, and more.
Location: Port Charlotte, FL
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