Food, Food, and More Food Thread

Sengo wrote:

LOL! I remember you mentioned in a previous post that their gyoza was exceptional so I'll be sure to order it too!!

Yeah I think you'll enjoy it. :) Nice, crispy thin skin with a juicy filling.

I hate to be disappointed when it comes to eating out... :shakehead:

Agreed. I just ate at the newest Sugarfish location, in Downtown, this weekend. It's a sushi bar by famed LA sushi chef Nozawa. I've been to two of his restaurants now. Thumbs down. His establishments get the boot. :boot:

Tu_triky wrote:

Agreed. I just ate at the newest Sugarfish location, in Downtown, this weekend. It's a sushi bar by famed LA sushi chef Nozawa. I've been to two of his restaurants now. Thumbs down. His establishments get the boot. :boot:

Why was it so bad?

Sengo wrote:

Why was it so bad?

The whole concept of the restaurant is to serve a more "authentic style" of sushi without any of the fusion mess that many restaurants indulge in...in doing so they serve their sushi with warm rice, which is supposed to complement the cool, raw fish. That's all well in good but your execution has to be solid. I will admit their fish was pretty fresh but I often found the rice did not seem to hold up well, in that it wasn't sticky enough...so the nigiri sushi would fall apart when you picked it up with the chopsticks. That, coupled with the fact, that for a similar amount of food at another place I usually frequent, Sushi Gen in Little Tokyo, Sugarfish costs 3 times as much. 45 dollars for lunch (and I did not order any alcohol or beverages)...it better be spot on perfect. It wasn't.

The food isn't bad per se....just not worth the price.

At my go to spot Sushi Gen you can get the sashimi lunch special I photographed below for 15 dollars, and it includes miso soup, a tofu dish (pictured below), and rice! And the freshness is impeccable.


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^ $45. :sweat:

Yeah, it better be nonpareil... Or that's $45 down the hole.

Or in keeping with Election Day, "Pulling a Whitman." :hehe:

bmwracer wrote:^ $45. :sweat:

Yeah, it better be nonpareil... Or that's $45 down the hole.

Or in keeping with Election Day, "Pulling a Whitman." :hehe:

Yeah, I have no problem admitting it wasn't worth it. Interestingly enough they automatically add a 16 percent gratuity to your bill regardless if there is one person at the table or 10...I don't know if I like that...the server was very cool but let's say you have shitty service and the server automatically gets the 16% tip. WTF?

You can refuse the gratuity if you feel it's not warranted. I think they slap it on because most people won't argue it, assuming it's part of the cost, and it helps with the math. If you refuse it, I don't think they have any legal recourse to make you pay it other than banning you for life. And you're so right about cost and return. If a restaurant wants to charge premium prices, they better deliver a premium product. And sushi, despite how we rave about the freshness of the fish, is all about the rice.

Kijinnmaru wrote:You can refuse the gratuity if you feel it's not warranted. I think they slap it on because most people won't argue it, assuming it's part of the cost, and it helps with the math. If you refuse it, I don't think they have any legal recourse to make you pay it other than banning you for life. And you're so right about cost and return. If a restaurant wants to charge premium prices, they better deliver a premium product. And sushi, despite how we rave about the freshness of the fish, is all about the rice.

I agree. I just think it's tacky...the whole concept that the gratuity is slapped on your bill in a pre-determined fashion.

Yeah the shari is key. I personally prefer sashimi, or even hand rolls, over nigiri sushi, and that's what I usually order for lunch if the raw fish cravings come calling. I'm sure all sushi restaurants use koshihikari rice but in preparing the shari, using vinegar and other ingredients competently are what helps set the sushi rice apart I guess.

Tu_triky wrote:Yeah, I have no problem admitting it wasn't worth it. Interestingly enough they automatically add a 16 percent gratuity to your bill regardless if there is one person at the table or 10...I don't know if I like that...the server was very cool but let's say you have shitty service and the server automatically gets the 16% tip. WTF?

That's totally lame for a supposedly first-class restaurant to automatically tack on the tip regardless of the number of diners. :shakehead:

bmwracer wrote:
That's totally lame for a supposedly first-class restaurant to automatically tack on the tip regardless of the number of diners. :shakehead:

Totally agree. Lame to the max. Quite frankly it's the first time I've ever seen it in L.A.

bmwracer wrote:
That's totally lame for a supposedly first-class restaurant to automatically tack on the tip regardless of the number of diners. :shakehead:

I do understand for large groups so th ewaiter doesnt get shafted. But for lass than 8 or 10 no way.
When I lived in London they always had service included and it was the WORST! :grumble:
After growing up in NYC it really ticked me off.

Eve wrote:

I do understand for large groups so the waiter doesn't get shafted. But for less than 8 or 10 no way.
When I lived in London they always had service included and it was the WORST! :grumble:
After growing up in NYC it really ticked me off.

Yeah I know from my travels abroad, in some countries they do include the service charge with the bill...not exactly thrilling if the service is lacking.

LA Times story: http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-miso-20101104,0,3859540.story

The soul of miso

Japanese koji-ya Kenji Tsukamoto is one of the few traditional artisans who grow the mold that is an ingredient in the seasoning staple.

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Tu_triky wrote:

The whole concept of the restaurant is to serve a more "authentic style" of sushi without any of the fusion mess that many restaurants indulge in...in doing so they serve their sushi with warm rice, which is supposed to complement the cool, raw fish. That's all well in good but your execution has to be solid. I will admit their fish was pretty fresh but I often found the rice did not seem to hold up well, in that it wasn't sticky enough...so the nigiri sushi would fall apart when you picked it up with the chopsticks. That, coupled with the fact, that for a similar amount of food at another place I usually frequent, Sushi Gen in Little Tokyo, Sugarfish costs 3 times as much. 45 dollars for lunch (and I did not order any alcohol or beverages)...it better be spot on perfect. It wasn't.

The food isn't bad per se....just not worth the price.

At my go to spot Sushi Gen you can get the sashimi lunch special I photographed below for 15 dollars, and it includes miso soup, a tofu dish (pictured below), and rice! And the freshness is impeccable.


[image]
[image]

What a huge disappointment! Warm rice with sashimi (nigirizushi) just doesn't sound good to me.... though I do enjoy eating sliced sashimi/wasabi with hot rice. I've eaten sushi at Sushi Gen's many years ago and it was delicious. :D

From HuffPo:

San Francisco Bans The Happy Meal

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San Francisco has banned the Happy Meal, on the day of the return of the McRib no less. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors earlier today passed an ordinance requiring meals that included toys with their purchase to meet specific nutritional guidelines. The vote, achieved with a Gavin Newsom veto-proof majority of 8-3, effectively bans the Happy Meal.

Tokyo Ramen Show!

http://www.ramenshow.com/

Takoyama wrote:Tokyo Ramen Show!

http://www.ramenshow.com/

Wow...! :thumbsup:

Off topic: I always found it odd that Japanese sites have English interspersed through them.... :headscratch:

bmwracer wrote:
Wow...! :thumbsup:

Wow indeed! 27 booths of ramen! Doushiyo kana...

Takoyama wrote:Wow indeed! 27 booths of ramen! Doushiyo kana...

Pace yourself: it's five days. :mrgreen:

Takoyama wrote:

Wow indeed! 27 booths of ramen! Doushiyo kana...

I'd drown in a bowl of ramen before the show was over. Sounds like the place to be for noodles.

Tu_triky wrote:I'd drown in a bowl of ramen before the show was over. Sounds like the place to be for noodles.

Yup... One stop... No need to drive all over town. :mrgreen: