Restaurants

Big Tuna is one of many sushi places within 5 miles of my mom’s house. Seriously, there is like 5 or 6 in a 5 mile radius and there really isn’t anything around so they stand out.

My mom and I headed to Big Tuna for dinner after our daily hospital visit. We’re there for 7-9, sometimes more, hours a day. By the time we leave we are starving and searching for the closest place to go.
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Ebisu Sushi Restaurant @ SFO International Terminal

Ebisu Sushi in the Sunset District of San Francisco is one of my favorite places to eat when visiting Golden Gate Park. Trust me, before you step into one of the long lines at the California Academy of Sciences or a special exhibit like the recent King Tut extravaganza at the De Young Museum, a full stomach of delicious food will only enhance the experience, especially for those visiting the park with toddlers.

This delicious restaurant has been family run for more than 30 years. It is therefore a treat to discover that Ebisu has an outpost in the international terminal at SFO. We just flew to Spain for two weeks, and needed to get a healthy meal to hold us over during the ten hour flight. Finding the familiar Ebisu menu and quality of food at the airport, drew us like moths to a flame. Read More »

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Kauai Sheraton's Menehune Magic

Need a vacation? Close your eyes and picture a cool tropical drink in your hand, complete with fresh pineapple and a paper umbrella.

Listen for the gentle waves of the pacific ocean as they break along Kauai’s Poipu Beach.

Sniff in the salt air and taste the fresh, local ahi and kajiki sashimi that is served outside, lit only by the light of the moon and tiki torches.

Bring on the hula dancer and que the Hawaiian music while Chef Ben Takahashi of Naniwa Japanese restaurant at the Sheraton Kauai brings out a platter of Opakapaka, otherwise known as pink snapper, blanketed in local west Kauai rock salt.

Dreaming of Kauai

Chef Ben Takahashi, Naniwa at Sheraton, Kauai with Opakapaka in west Kauai rock salt.

This doesn’t have to be a dream, especially if you happen to live in California. Fans of Hawaiian vacations should be able to find some great hotel and lodging values in Kauai, especially before the Thanksgiving holiday and after winter break.

I recently stayed at the Kauai Sheraton as a guest of the property and the Kauai Visitors Bureau. I hadn’t been to the island since my honeymoon, over 23 years ago. The garden island is as lush and beautiful as a I remembered it to be.

On this island visit, my palate, along with my waistline, has expanded and  is open to new dining experiences such as fresh sashimi and sushi. Chef Takahaski does a good job of utilizing the best in seasonal, local seafood. If, like me, you haven’t been a fan of raw fish, Naniwa at the Sheraton is the place to give it a whirl. Aloha.

Island Fresh Seafood Specialties, Naniwa at Sheraton Kauai

Photos by Nancy D. Brown

Sheraton Kauai Resort 1 (800) 782-9488

2440  Ho’onani Road, Kola, Hawaii 96756

The California Roll at Live Sushi in San Francisco.

We had spent the entire weekend unpacking. My boyfriend David and I just moved into San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood, and we had worked all day Saturday and Sunday emptying boxes, hanging clothes in closets and debating whose frying pans we were going to keep. By Sunday evening we were pooped, but decided to venture out and enjoy a quiet dinner in one of our new neighborhood’s restaurants. Our landlady had recommended Live Sushi, and sushi always sounds good.

We walked in the door at 6:30 p.m., and the place was practically empty. I was worried that maybe the folks in the neighborhood knew something we didn’t; however, by the time we left, the restaurant was starting to fill up.

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We’re moving soon out of state soon and I wanted to meet up with friends one last time. I headed to Burbank for a Tweet-Up, we were supposed to meet at a place called Octopus. Never heard of it, but I knew it was sushi. That was enough to get me excited, because Whit does not like sushi, so I feel like I can’t ever get enough of it.

The parking garage is right behind the restaurant, which I almost missed. It’s on the corner of a little shopping center in Burbank and with all the pedestrians, it’s hard enough to pay attention to the road, without trying to look for a restaurant. After a little creative driving, I parked the car, remembered to take note of where I was parked and headed upstairs to Octopus.

Beautiful

My group was already there, with their beer, edamame and appetizer sushi. Right after I sat down the server was there to get my drink order. Yay! I hate being a joiner, you often get overlooked or missed altogether. I received my Asahi (when in Rome and all that) and took a gander at the menu.

I like when sushi places have pictures in their menus, because to me, it’s so hard to pick put what I want to order without being able to visualize the sushi. I’m a firm believer in “presentation is half the flavor”. I decided on the Tiger Roll, with some chili sauce on the side please, I like it spicy, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was scrumptious.

The restaurant has more than sushi to offer, they have combos of shrimp,chicken,beef and tempura vegetables, if you have a non sushi lover in your group. The service was good, if they forgot something they were quick to bring it out and we had more than just one individual check up on us. Though, they probably tag teamed us because we were so loud. Loud, but fun.

Octopus Japanese Restaurant

(818) 556-6622
227 E Palm Ave
Burbank, CA 91502

Shibuya Sliders @ Umami

Some restaurants in San Francisco are closing their doors and some are getting clever and inventive in order to bring customers inside. In the Marina and Cow Hollow area of San Francisco, I am finding even trendy restaurants with expensive chef’s menus need to drum up business to stay alive.

One such trick that worked on me recently was half price bottles of wine at the upscale Umami in the location that previous housed Yoshida-ya, an old school yakitori restaurant. Today Umami continues with the dark wood theme inside and lots of booths but has changed its offering to reflect the current trends of the city.

Given my brother was with us, we started with appetizers that included meat – Shibuya Sliders to be exact. They were dee.lish.ous. Not exactly what I expected but savory and yummy.

We took advantage of the wine offer but we also enjoyed some of the nigiri sushi that the chef was recommending for the evening. Our waiter stopped by and pointed out everything that we had and I must admit that was a great way to taste the freshness of their daily fish and get familiar with the chef’s style.

Chef's Nigiri Specials

We moved on to some of their standard menu options like Amaebi (sweet prawns), California Roll and their Spider Roll. Though they made them with a slight variation to what we had in the past, still we had no complaints. It was a surprise but we enjoyed everything, even the service. Maybe the price could be a little less, even with the wine incentive we walked out paying more than we wanted to.

We might return. Parking is hard for this part of town unless you have incredible street parking karma, can walk/take bus or get a choice spot to make up for the $10 two hour fee, charged in the garage in the next block.

Spider and California Rolls

2909 Webster St
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 346-3431
www.umamisf.com

Another Fictional Fable with Food … by Sharon the BloggerQueen

Jasmine was in town for a Bikram Yoga conference.  She didn’t go every year, but this time it was to be held in Santa Rosa with close proximity to wine tasting, vineyards, and the ocean.  Being from Phoenix, she was looking forward to some change of scenery. She stayed in the historical Railroad Square in downtown Santa Rosa and, upon asking the concierge for a recommendation, Jasmine was swooned into trying out a new restaurant called Sushi to Dai For.

Jasmine was wearing here yoga pants and a tight sleeveless tank. She felt pretty comfortable walking into the restaurant.  It was clearly casual and progressive.  She opted for the Sushi bar, the perfect landing zone for lonely single from out of town.  Ironically she was placed next to a sign that she’d hoped would work on her.

Dining Alone?

Tuesday is bargain hand-roll night at Sushi to Dai For.  Only $2.50 per roll.  Since she only had $15 in her little yoga pocket she decided on that.  She ordered two Spicy Tuna, one Maguro, and a BBQ Eel.  It did not come with anything but water and edamame beans.  Luckily she was a light eater.

The sushi master was from Japan, a rarity in Phoenix and he spoke to the servers in Japanese but all his customers in English while he playfully teased her about her yoga convention.  “I do yoga six days a week!” she proudly spouted.  Immediately after she told him that she realized she was bragging again. That was something her ex always hated about her.  Embarrassed by her big mouth, she stuffed the Unagi hand-roll in it.  The meat was prepared perfectly and the sauce was light and flavorful, unfortunately the avocado was a little mushy and it squirted out the tail of the seaweed cone.  It was rather unappetizing. 

The next three rolls were fresh and tasty.  The spicy tuna was mixed with enough wasabi to make her sinuses open, but not enough to make her cry.  Good.  Looking around she noticed a very light crowd, but she heard they were packed for lunch.  All in all, it was a nice sushi dinner $15 bucks.

Since the sign did not work, Jasmine returned to her room alone and did the Child’s pose to comfort herself.

Nobu New York (Photo credit: Excalipoor via Flickr)

Considering that Nobu is generally considered to be a best place in the US to have sushi, it gives me a bit of cognitive dissonance to think of it as a chain restaurant. But I’ve been to three Nobu restaurants (two in New York City), and had remarkably consistence experiences at each. I’m not sure this is a good thing.

Sushi at Nobu (Photo credit: Shoko via Flickr.com)

Nobu Fifty Seven on W 57th St, and Nobu New York on Hudson St in New York City, both offer mouth-watering Japanese food in a high-end atmosphere. The Nobu in Malibu is similar, albeit with more of the “California casual” ambience. Nobu New York is Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s flagship restaurant, with a Michelin star rating and a certain amount of prominence in its Tribeca neighborhood. The chef’s modern style and creativity with sushi standards is known throughout the world; I understand that the Nobu London also does fantastic business. I’m of the opinion, though, that a world-class restaurant ought to reflect a sense of place – be it NYC, Southern California, or by Hyde Park in London, England. The similar experiences and consistency of the menu options at the three Nobu restaurants I’ve dined in, suggest a homogeneity that I’d expect at Starbucks – a traveler hoping for that unique New York experience should consider herself warned.

Don’t get me wrong; the sushi and Japanese entrees really are delicious. The signature Black Cod with Miso is succulent and sweet, and Nobu’s Yellowtail Tuna with Jalapeno is mouth watering and savory (it packs a spicy punch, too). As with all top-notch Japanese restaurants, the appetizers and entrees at Nobu are beautifully presented. In fact, the soft shell crab rolls, tuna tartare and salmon skin salad are presented the exact same way in each restaurant I’ve been to. I can’t speak for all the dishes of course, but this is telling, regardless. Fantastic Japanese entrees and sushi meets a sense of sameness from one Nobu to the next. The flagship Tribeca restaurant also feels a little sterile.

The sake list is impressive, and the waitstaff at each Nobu seems to have favorites to recommend. However, a restaurant – no matter how stellar the quality – that risks uniformity for the chance of ubiquity, risks a great deal indeed.

Sensei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Waikoloa Beach (Jennifer Miner)

Travelers spending their precious vacation time on the Big Island are wise to learn about recommended restaurants. Even small local chains are often more fun dining experiences than are the massive, pricey resort restaurants – and at the very least they’ll help budget-conscious travelers with their food budget. Hawaii has one such small, local chain that’s popular for good reason (as compared to, say, KFC or McDonald’s). Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar has a great Japanese and pan-Asian menu, with a fun, festive atmosphere that is downright contagious. If you don’t have a fun experience at Sansei’s, you’re really not letting yourself be part of the mood of the place.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is in the Queen’s Marketplace area of Waikoloa Beach. This popular resort area has several off-resort restaurants, including Charley’s Thai Cuisine, that are both less expenisive and more interesting than the standard hotel fare. There are also Sansei restaurants on Maui and Oahu, so this relatively new (winter 2008) Waikoloa Beach restaurant was able to start off up and running, without the usual trial-and-error effects of grand openings.

The sushi is fantastic. There are, of course, the usual California rolls and spicy tuna rolls, but there are

Delicious Seared Tuna at Sensei Restaurant, Big Island (Nathan Kam)

alsomany, many creative option using locally caught ahi, ono, and other fish native to the Pacific. Hawaii aquaculturalists and farmers on the Big Island both benefit from the “buy locally” philosophy, and eager, happy tourists benefit from the great entrees as well. The seafood is fresh and delicious, and early bird specials make meals here even more affordable. Diners who don’t like sushi or seafood, have no fear (although why are you vacationing in Hawaii, then?) – the beef teriyaki, macadamia nut crusted pork, and tempura vegetables are all quite good.

Now, Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is no secret little hole-in-the-wall. It’s recommended by most Big Island Waikoloa Beach Resort concierges, and locals love it too: Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly during peak travel seasons. We had an hour wait when, foolhardy as we are, we tried to stroll right in. Learn from our mistakes: Make reservations, and try to get there for happy hour, when most sushi is as much as 50% off. Amazing deal, amazing sushi. That, plus the fun atmosphere, really add up to an amazing night out in Hawaii.

There are two Ruby Foo’s in New York City. They both have glossy, bold decor – what could be considered kitschy Asian – that comes across as either glamorous or a little tacky, depending on your personal taste. Both Ruby Foo’s have all the big hitters of Pan-Asian menu items, such as spare ribs, Pad Thai and sushi. Diners seeking a traditional, Americanized version of Chinese food will not be disappointed (nor their palates challenged).

The one in Times Square caters somewhat to the post-theater crowd; this is the epicenter of Broadway, after all, and tourists sure love their big musical productions. Ruby Foo’s in Times Square of New York City helps carry on the big, festive mood of a Broadway show, with red and gold decor, loud crowds (especially during peak travel seasons) and free-flowing drinks. While this restaurant is touristy (due to its location), it is definitely not the most tourist-laden restaurant in midtown.

The Ruby Foo’s Uptown is at Broadway and 77th street, around a half-mile up from Lincoln Center. This Ruby Foo’s gets a lot of families during the day, whereas at night it turns into a popular place for the “Sex and the City,” single New Yorkers type of crowd. Somewhat less crowded than the midtown Ruby Foo’s, this restaurant still does very, very well. Indeed, during lunch and early dinner, it’s one of the more family-filled restaurants in the area.

The same restaurant in two different NYC locations, make for two very different dining experiences. In Times Square, post- theater crowds are to be expected, and the Upper West Side these days is full of a mix of young singles, and families with children. The two Ruby Foo’s reflect their locations. They have the same menus, though; try the Dim Sum Sampler to start, as it’s quite generous and can be a group appetizer. Both restaurants also have one of my favorite shareable desserts: The Bento Box Dessert Sampler. This twist on the Japanese Bento (usually the compartments have sashimi and other traditional Japanese menu items) has different selections of Ruby Foo’s desserts, easy to share with the rest of your dining party. Ruby Foo’s serves a wide selection of Americanized Pan-Asian foods: No surprises here. The entrees serve as nice background to for a family or group get-together, rather than the focus of the meal.