San Francisco Restaurant Tips by nomadig

Restaurant Name: Taraval Okazu Ya

Taraval Okazu Ya is a smallish Japanese restaurant with even smaller sushi bar. There are two dining rooms, one facing the street and other on the back of the restaurant. The sushi bar sits roughly ten people and it is a good choice for watching the chefs making sushi.

The food is good and the price is decent. The sushi list is really extensive, there are both traditional Japanese sushi and then more eclectic portions available. You can also order custom rolls. There are also a whole range of other Japanese food available with inexpensive prices.

The service is fast, but we had to wait for some of the sushi for too long. The restaurant was not that crowded, but maybe some of the chefs are just slow.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Japanese/Sushi
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +1 415 759 6850
Address: 1735 Taraval Street

Restaurant Name: Mikaku

The latest trend in Californian sushi restaurants seems to unfortunately be fusion kitchen: adding all kinds of ingredients that are not part of Japanese sushi experience. Fortunately, there are still restaurants that provide normal basic sushi meals.

Mikaku is a midsized Japanese restaurant near the Chinatown gate on Grant Avenue -- a few blocks from Union Square to northwest. They have a full selection of Japanese meals, including also sashimi.

If you are eating alone, try to get a seat at the desk -- the chef is really fast preparing the sushi and it is a joy to see such controlled minimalistic movements. If you can speak Japanese, you can have also a chat with him.

The sushi is good, albeit nigiri sushi would benefit a bit more rice. The taste is excellent and the smoked eel and avocado roll is just absolute bliss to tastebuds.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Japanese/Sushi
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +1 415 781 6730
Address: 323 Grant Avenue

Restaurant Name: Sushi Rika

I have learned during a few last months that the sushi portions in Japanese restaurants in the USA are quite small; the difference to the normal situation is huge, as most portions are simply too much for the uninitiated.

Sushi Rika is an exception to this rule. Both nigiris and rolls have good amount of rice and the nigiri toppings are not small either. Unfortunately, the rice does not taste much anything, so you may experience some hardships getting everything swallowed.

The service is fast and courteous. I asked a seat on the bar, and the sushi chefs chatted briefly with me and offered an extra nigiri for free.


Leave a Comment

Theme: Japanese/Sushi
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: +1 415 923 1141
Address: 900 Bush Street

Restaurant Name: La Boulange de Hayes

La Boulange de Hayes is a cozy French styled boulangerie (café and bakery) on Hayes street. It offers excellent breakfast with quite ok European atmosphere. The price quality ratio is excellent.

Compared to real French boulangeries, the baked goods are bigger and do not taste as good as in French. This might be a matter of taste, as American bakeries produce too sweet and artificial tasting goods for my taste. They are still good, but definitely not French.

The service is efficient, but not that friendly as you would expect in San Francisco -- maybe this is also due to French influence, as service sucks in general in that country.


Leave a Comment

Theme: French
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +1 415 863 3376
Address: 500 Hayes Street
Website: www.baybread.com