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eatingistheway
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I am a food lover. I travel to many places and always get serious to try either restaurants recommended or to search for a new advanture. I have a way of visually exam and tell which restaurant I should try or avoid. Of course when I find a good restaurant I almost always like to comment on the dishes and prices and services.
I do honest reviews and like to even review dishes that I did not order. Because I can see the presentation and almost can taste the dishes without actually tasting it. Yes I am that good!
Favorite Foods:
Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese foods.
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Favorite Drinks:
I like mostly sweet after dinner wines
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Picky About:
Good Chinese dishes and American dishes if the price is high.
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Dish reviews
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Restaurant
reviews
Wasabi House
Wasabi has been here for a while but they tried hard to do the Japanese food
on 8/5/2010
Overall: 3
Service:
2
Decor:
3
Clean:
3
Price:
$$$$
Review:
If you eat the tempura here, it is deep fried, It is not the real Japanese style with fluffy batter. If you try the Chirashi or sushi (read my review), their cuts are bigger than most restaurant but the presentation is not appealing. Wait until you bite into the sushi rice. Sometimes you may think that is just plain rice because the flavor of vinegar and sugar is not strong or not there at all. One time the rice is still warm and was layed under fresh raw fish. How long do you think the fish will turn warm as well. Yuk is the right expression! When you walk in the place it is friendly but it is not real Japanese feeling probably because of the way the place is managed and cleaned and arranged. So what is the Japanese feeling? It is strict kitchen management and it is strict cleaning of the place inside and out. One time I did notice the kitchen brought out a big dish of Chinese food and that gave the suspecion that this place is managed by Chinese management. Nothing wrong with that except most of us don't know that is representative by the Chinese buffet restaurant management. So what? Chinese people can prepare great Japanese food. If you have been to Taiwan, the Taiwan style of Japanese food is just as great. But the suspecion comes from my experience in California. When sushi became popular in the 1990's, the Vietnamese, Korean and the Chinese owners all wanted to have a market share. So you see an emergence of Chinese buffet places advertising all you can eat sushi. In Sacramento area, you have Samurai Sushi on Hazel Ave. run by the Korean style of management. If you go to one buffet place and my advice is that you don't try the sushi because they don't taste good or fresh. If you think they will have the fresh tuna like Mikuni restaurants would offer in Sacramento, you can forget it. It will never happen. Lets focus on Wasabi, I think this restaurant is run by Chinese (nothing againt the owner of the place) sytle of management. You can feel it. For example some Chinese places do not clean the carpet even when it is dirty. That is usually not the case with real Japanese restaurant. Yes, you can tell from the food. See my review of Chirashi and sashimi. You should not be fooled with just the name of the place. The name could be misleading anyway. You must be there and taste the food and then you can be the judge. Of course you should always check out the restroom. This is a secret that I am giving away when I want to see how clean a restaurant is I check out the restroom. Overall I give Wasabi a C for tryng to cook Japanese food. If you are hungry for Asian food Japanese flavor, this place is okay only for lunch. If you are really picky about the freshness and taste, go to Shige sushi for lunch and Mikuni for lunch boxes. Shige Sushi on Madison Ave. has the best Chirashi in town.
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Shige Sushi
Great Food but Service can be improved much more
on 8/4/2010
Overall: 4
Service:
3
Decor:
3
Clean:
4
Price:
$$$$
Review:
This is a Restaurant by Mr. Shige who left the previous location on Howe Ave. He is the owner and you will see him wearing glasses working at the sushi bar as you walk in the place. The restaurant reminds you of a small Japanese eatery in the countryside with nothing fancy and only simple decors. Mr. Shige is friendly and makes his own sushi dishes and there is another young fellow who works along side Mr. Shige. The waitress is friendly most the time but when it is busy you will not find her smile at all. Plus you may find yourself being ignored if you are sensative to services and attentions. Well, you come here for good food. Outside of Mikuni, this is the Japanese restaurant I would come to because I trust the cleanliness and kithcen management. I have introduced friends to this place and they were turned off by the waitress so I am putting this comment here to tell the waitress if she can improve her manner of service, Shige Sushi will be the place second to Mikuni (see my review).
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Mikuni Japanese Restaurant
Mikuni is cool but Mikuni in the 80's and 90's was even better.
on 7/29/2010
Overall: 3
Service:
3
Decor:
3
Clean:
3
Price:
$$$
Review:
Mikuni came a long way since 1980's when it was a regular restaurant on Hazel Ave. in Sacramento. It has expanded in space and created many interesting sushi rolls and dishes. I missed the all-you-can-eat salard bar and the owner decided to get rid of the salad bar for whatever reasons!!! I missed it. This is why I said that Mikuni was even better in the 80's or 90's. Each dish had more on the plate. To be fair to Mikuni, the quantity is acceptable (just not great like before) when you compare what you get from other Japanese restaurants. No question about the quality: they are always fresh and I feel safe to eat here. I would not just go and eat at a so called Japanes restaurant with a Japanese name. Yes, you do need to watch out for that. A Japanese restaurant run by Japanese style management is clean and strict to food safety (I believe). Unlike some places (not to name them here), they have much more to be desired in the cleanliness. For example, the knife used to cut raw meat (other than fish) should not be used to cut raw fish. This place has a bar as you enter and a beautiful salt water fish tank to see and feel relaxed. The place is up beat and lots of business people attend as well as families. I prefer lunch menus for the bento boxes because they are better for the value. You do feel welcomed as you enter with the greetings. The wheel to turn for birthday persons should be adding more real gifts not just cheap cups, bag of rice or T shirt. Afterall, this is your birthday and you already spent lots of money inviting friends to eat here. How about that, Mikuni management?
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