I have many Tokyo food stories but one of my memorable ones is in Sogo food hall, Shibuya. We were captivated by this fishmonger carving out a huge tuna head. (Some of the best cuts of sashimi comes from the head). We ordered the sashimi and the fishmonger was really nice, he gave us a complimentary 'butcher's cut' slice of fish that he usually consumes for himself. I am struck by the generosity and perfectionist culture in Japan.
What's your Tokyo food story? Leave me a comment! I'd love to hear from you...
So I have been delaying this but here is my list of Japanese restaurants in the Peninsula SF.
Sushi Kuni (Sushi)
10211 S De Anza Boulevard, open tues-sat, 11:30-2pm, 5-9:30pm
The chefs at sushi kuni are serious about their craft and that's why I am a fan. You can tell that they source their ingredients carefully (their latest offering is an octopus sourced from Tsukiji market, Tokyo). Be sure to sit at the bar and watch the sushi master Kunio put together the sushi. And I would recommend the Omakase (your dishes will be selected by the chef). It's worth it.
Sushi Tomi (Sushi)
635 W Dana St, Mountain View, open daily, 11:30-2pm, 5-9pm
This is my go to Japanese restaurant off Castro Street. It is very popular but the tables turn-around fast. They have all the standard favorites and they do it well.
Sumika Grill (Yakitori)
236 Central Plaza, Los Altos, open daily except monday
This is hands down my favorite Japanese yakitori in the bay area. It's perfect for a casual date or a girl's night out. Tucked away in a car park in Los Altos central, it reminds me so much of the small hole in the wall restaurants in Japan that I love so much. The most popular dish seems to be the pork belly yakitori. Don't forget to check out the seasonal menu, filled with inventive dishes - melt-in-the-mouth eggplant tofu and deep fried octopus are clear winners. Just pick a few dishes to go with you sake and you're in for a great night out.
Ramen Dojo (Ramen)
805 South B Street San Mateo, Open daily except tuesday, 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Ramen Dojo is the smaller sister restaurant of Santa Ramen. It was clear from the concise menu that the focus of the dining place was ramen - spicy ramen, to be precise. The restaurant opens at 11:30am and there will be a queue of at least 25 people waiting to get in. Not to worry, tables move quickly. It is known for its spicy ramen. I ordered the garlic pork ramen (tonkatsu soup broth) It is topped with a delicious roasted black garlic sauce. At $8.95 for a basic bowl, it was worth the wait.
Taka Ramen (Ramen)
2219 The Aladmeda Santa Clara
Their thin taka ramen features thin ramen noodles (which I prefer) and their broth is not overly salty. Looking forward to trying the Tsukamen (dipping ramen) They are family friendly, automatically dishing out cute dishes cutlery cups and even a little scissors for the kids to cut their ramen. But get there early. Like all good ramen restaurants, there's a strong following and it's popular.
Shabuway (Shabu Shabu)
Various stores in San Francisco, San Mateo, Mountain View and San Jose http://www.shabuway.com/
Shabu Shabu is a Japanese hotpot of thinly sliced meat and vegetables. It's interesting to note that Wikipedia mentions that Shabu Shabu is an onomatopoeia, referring to the sound emitted when ingredients are stirred in the cooking pot. Shabuway uses good quality meat (like prime angus beef from Meyer ranch, premium lamb from Niman ranch) and the broth is MSG free.
Watch this space as my list grows.
Remember, not all restaurants with queues guarantee good food. Sometimes, it is just hype.
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