dessert dinner restaurants: d.c. ice cream japanese kaiseki sushi
by Lindsey
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Sushi Taro
Okay! I’m going to start posting some of my restaurant pics from 2010 that I never got around to, so do bear with me as I bumble through with my faded memories. A few months ago, I finally got around to trying Sushi Taro in Dupont Circle. I know it’s been a while since they changed over their interior design and menu concept, but I hadn’t actually dined there since the switch. I was really curious to see how they would fare, since I’d heard quite a few mixed reviews. I personally loved the former Sushi Taro, so I was a bit sad that they’d changed, but still hopeful that their new menu would delight.
I walked in and the interior was remarkably different from before. The former homey look with the tatami mats was gone, replaced by a very natural, wooden design with a fresh and modern feel. I liked it, actually! And it was well lit, which isn’t something you can say for a lot of restaurants in DC. (And this is one of my pet peeves…why so dark, DC restaurants? I’d like to see my food too!)
You can order from the menu or ask for the omakase kaiseki-style tasting menu for $80. (You can get it with the wine (sake?) pairing $138). Kaiseki is traditionally a seasonal meal, so this particular menu – from October – reflected what was fresh from the market at the time. If they’re doing it right, you won’t see the same menu now if you stop in for their kaiseki. By the way, if you get the tasting menu on a Tuesday, you get a free bottle of Sushi Taro sake (normally $30), which is what we did!
Pictured above is actually the second course – the “signature dish” of goma (sesame) tofu with uni (sea urchin). I love fresh tofu. I’m used to the grocery store kind, but a homemade tofu is creamy and delicious in ways that you could never imagine tofu could taste like. Apparently my mom used to make tofu fresh, back when I was a kid and you couldn’t just go to the supermarket for a ready-made block of this stuff.
The rest of the meal under the cut!
Kaz Sushi Bistro
Hey everyone! Hope you all survived Hurricane Irene this weekend! I lost power for about three hours early this morning, but other than that, things are pretty much back to normal. I’m quite shocked that the outage didn’t last longer. Pepco is either stepping up at last, or things weren’t as bad as expected around here. I’m accustomed to being out of power for days in such situations, though “accustomed” doesn’t mean it’s any less annoying…
In any case, hello again! I figured it would be quite remiss of me to end August without having blogged once during this month, so here I am. (^__^)/
Today I’m posting about Kaz Sushi Bistro, a place that I actually went to a few years ago and just had a so-so impression of at the time. I’m not sure why that was. Maybe it had something to do with high expectations. I went there shortly after a presentation I’d seen at the Smithsonian on Japanese cuisine, where Chef Kazuhiro Okochi and the illustrious Chef Masaharu Morimoto both did presentations. (This included an awe-inspiring demo of Morimoto breaking down a large fish with masterful knifing skills. It’s not the same watching him on TV vs live-action. I was in the presence of greatness). I am a huge fan of Morimoto, so when I heard that he’d sat down with Kaz at his restaurant and talked shop with him, my expectations just skyrocketed. Perhaps this was somewhat unfair. Regardless, I just never had a chance to try Kaz’s for a second go, so I went back again about a month ago, with optimism.
It probably helped that I was with an equally enthusiastic food-lover (the “Digital Nomad” Drew). I find that when you dine with other food aficionados, the meal just ends up tasting better. Such was the case this time.
Pictured above is the sushi we ordered a la carte. They were all quite fabulous, though my particular favorites were the sweet shrimp and the Walu (Hawaiian white toro). Everything was fresh and tasty. The rolls could have been a little more tightly bound, as some were falling open at the seam, but the flavors were spot on, at least.
The rest after the jump:
Sushi Bistro Shun
Can’t go to Hawaii without checking out a sushi joint, and so we headed to Sushi Bistro Shun in the Moilili neighborhood after it came highly recommended by a friend. We sat at the bar (another recommendation) and I ordered up a bunch of things from the sushi menu a la carte. Of course, I had to try to the chutoro (pictured above), buttery and fresh as it should be.
The rest:
beverage lunch restaurants: japanese rockville sushi tea
by Lindsey
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Rolls ‘n Rice
I had driven past the Rolls ‘n Rice a number times while en route to the Whole Foods in Rockville and was rather curious about it…so one day, I stopped in there for lunch with my mom. The interior was nice, with wide spaces, high ceilings and warm colors that were welcoming. I liked the wood paneled shelves on the walls, but the large stone fireplace confused me a little, as it seemed more hunting lodge rustic than zen.
The format is the same as the Taipei Tokyo across the street – you order your food at the front, get a number, take a seat. They’ll bring the food to you. I never really know what I’m supposed to do with tipping in such places. I usually leave a couple dollars, since they do bring the food and then bus your table later, but it’s just a little confounding.
Pictured above is the sushi combo A (8 pieces of nigiri with California roll). Price point was pretty good at $12.95. I thought the fish was decent, though maybe the rice could’ve been more tightly molded.
Sticky Rice
I’ve wanted to try the sushi at Sticky Rice for a long time, as I’d heard so many good things about it. So of course, I was thrilled when a few friends of mine treated me to a fabulous birthday dinner there a few days ago. Thanks so much, Awesome Friends! (^____^)/
Sticky Rice is in NE, a part of town I’ve never really been to. It’s rough going at the moment, since they’re tearing up H Street for the new trolley system, but the area will probably be building up after all the infrastructure is put in place. In the meantime, for those who don’t drive, there’s either Metro bus or the free shuttle that stops in Chinatown.
The restaurant is pretty narrow and dark on the inside. When we got there, they told us we would be seated outside – a prospect that we weren’t so sure about at first – but we decided to go ahead with it anyway. They led us upstairs, past the bustling dining room and onto a covered patio deck in the back of the restaurant. The weather was pleasant that day, and the seating was perfect! In retrospect, it was much better out there than inside, where the music was blaring full-blast and you could barely hear a thing over the din.
I actually hadn’t studied the menu ahead of time, oddly enough, so it took me a while to decide what to get. Everyone else *had* done some research though, so we started ordering up a storm after getting settled in. (By the way, they have a pretty decent sake menu, if that’s your sort of thing. I thought a few of them looked interesting, but I just went ahead with green tea, since I can’t imagine having sushi without it. It came lukewarm with a Bigelow teabag in a mug with a handle, so definitely not your usual sushi bar tea).
Pictured above is the Sticky Balls, which apparently had rave reviews at Yelp. It must be pretty popular, because all the tables around us were ordering it too. It’s described on the site as “tuna, crab, siracha rice in an inari packet deep fried, topped with scallions, wasabi dressing and eel sauce.” Inari wrapping is just a tofu wrap that’s used to make (surprise surprise) inari-zushi. This was pretty tasty, even though it seemed to have a whole lot going on in there. I’m not sure what they mean by “eel sauce.” Perhaps they mean the marinade that’s typically used for kabayaki style eel?
The rest:
Current Sushi
I’m still backed up on some restaurant posts, but I’m jumping ahead just to cover a couple places I went to last week, for my birthday. (^___^)v
My friend treated me to a lovely Happy Hour dinner at Current Sushi, which is located between Farragut North and Dupont Circle. The decor is sleek and modern, with a very cool vibe and glowy blue lights. We sat at the bar, and it was surprisingly not too loud or busy that night. They seem to have pretty good happy hour deals (check out their menu here). They also apparently have a more clubby area upstairs that opens up later in the night.
Pictured above is the salmon and avocado roll and yellow tail nigiri sushi. Both were very tasty! I thought the fish was fresh and cut in generous portions.
The rest:
Chirashi zushi
Chirashi zushi is a whole bowl of sushi-fabulosity that’s relatively easy to make at home. Pictured here is my mom’s chirashi, and I gotta tell ya, no one makes it like my mama. XD I suppose I’m just accustomed to this palate, but she’s got a subtle hand that coaxes out the best balance of vinegar, sugar, and salt in the rice. She also makes the best Japanese omelet, which is almost always my favorite topping in her chirashi. ♥
Toppings can be chef’s choice, though obviously raw fish is usually key. This chirashi is topped with tuna, omelet, marinated eel, fake crab meat, and squid. Radish sprouts, shredded seaweed, and shiso leaves to garnish.
A few more pics:
Sushi Oishii
Sushi Oishii is a bit out of the way, near the northern border of Rockville, but it’s pretty good sushi at a reasonable price. ♥ The name means “delicious sushi,” which is kind of funny sounding, but cute. (Though perhaps not as cute as “I Love Mr. Sushi” in St. Louis). I popped in last week with my mom for a nice weekend lunch. The sushi places around here tend to close up by 2 for lunch, but Sushi Oishii stays open until 3, which is convenient for late starters.
Pictured about is their ootoro, or ultra fatty tuna, sashimi style. I’d initially asked for the chuutoro (medium fatty tuna), but they were out of it at the time. Obviously the fattier the tuna, the more expensive. This little number set us back about $14. I *think* the sushi version was the same price, and if that’s the case, why would anyone get the sushi version, when you can get so much more tuna for the same price in the sashimi? XD Anyway, you can see the lovely pale pink color and lines of fat that gives it that rich and gorgeous flavor. I wished they’d served their sashimi with shiso leaf instead, though.
beverage lunch restaurants: asian fusion d.c. latin fusion sushi
by Lindsey
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Zengo: Part II
Second post for Zengo of Latin-Asian flava in D.C.’s Chinatown. This time, some friends and I popped over for a lunch special. The management got a little testy when we tried to figure out how to apply two coupons for one party…but ultimately they accommodated us, and everything went smoothly.
The wait service, as before, was excellent (barring one moment where the guy taking the plates away spilled an entire glass of mojito on the table…)
Pictured above is the Zengo fried rice bowl. At first, I wondered whether the menu offered a choice of topping: “duck / shrimp / pork.” It turned out that it actually came with all of the above! One of my friends thought that there was too much going on, but I rather liked it. (^__^) It’s definitely a very hardy fried rice dish!
dessert dinner restaurants: chinese d.c. japanese pastries sushi
by Lindsey
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Zentan
I’m pretty sure I read about Zentan when they opened back in June, but it had somehow dropped off my radar up until now. How this happened, I’m not sure, since they are a sushi place, and I am always eager to try a new sushi joint!
Zentan is the restaurant connected to the Donovan House, a sleek, James Bond-esque hotel in Thomas Circle. First impression was very good. Loved the decor of the place, especially the rustic family style tables in the middle of the room. (Though the chairs for those tables have no backs! I’d be a little uncomfortable, unless I was just there for a happy hour).
I made my way over there last week to meet up with a friend who lives within walking distance to the restaurant. It’s also just a short distance from my place of work, so naturally we both wanted to really love this place. Unfortunately…I didn’t.
The evening started off strong, however, with the above dish: salmon crudo with cilantro, chives, sea salt, shiso & lime ponzu juice. Each slice came topped with a tiny sliver of lime. Loved the tartness of this dish! Ponzu (soy sauce and citrus) is a pretty classic flavor profile, and it was really well done here.
The rest of the meal:
Sushi Damo: Part II
Last weekend, I sauntered in to the Rockville branch of Sushi Damo for lunch. (They also have a New York restaurant, apparently). I’ve blogged about this place before, but I thought I’d revisit it here because I tried a few things I don’t usually see on the menu of a Japanese restaurant.
I actually started with dessert. And why not?? A fresh, zingy little sorbet is great for refreshing the palate. In any case, I so rarely have dessert on an empty stomach, when I can appreciate the flavor of it best. This is the lychee sake sorbet, topped with what I believe is a jelly made from pomegranate. It was actually quite good indeed, and very refreshing. A bit reminiscent of a lychee martini.
Sushi Damo
Went to Sushi Damo in Rockville this weekend for lunch. I’m almost always in the mood for sushi, and this is a pretty good place to have some! (^O^)/ Although…I think it’s a little on the pricey side. It’s located across the street from the Rockville courthouse in a newish row of shops and restaurants. It’s pretty cute, the whole area there.
Here’s the sushi entree, which also came with a choice of tuna or California roll, for $23. Pretty good overall, aside from the mackerel, which I don’t eat.
