Sushi Monster's Profile
Woodchuck BBQ, New in Redwood City
I would *love* a decent BBQ place in the neighborhood. But I have to ask: Does their price structure seem a standard deviation above the norm? A $12 bacon cheeseburger seems on the high side. And $14 for a single beef rib? I suppose if it were the size of a Louisville Slugger ...
Maybe I'm out of line, having not priced BBQ lately. But the Mexican rotisserie chicken specialist at Middlefield and Fifth "point" could feed a family of three or four for the cost of a single dinner at Woodchuck.
Great Casual Omakase??
Sakae, on California Drive in Burlingame (on your way to/from SFO), would be my top choice for a great at-the-bar learning experience. Really reliable quality. I haven't heard from anyone over a span of many years who's reported back that it's overrated. Leave 2-3 hours of time. Look very carefully at the white-board of special fish and ask some questions.
It will not be cheap (particularly if you do a sake tasting flight). But it will be an omakase taste adventure almost up to par with the Los Angeles standard (which in my mind is Sushi Zo, at about $150+ per person.)
http://www.sakaesushi.com/
Enjoy
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushi.html
New in Redwood City - Los Manguitos Neveria Y Paleteria
This is one of the many reasons I will defend RWC to the death. Every elementary school, it seems, has its own paleta man at pickup time. And each has a slightly different selection of wares (although 80 percent get their stuff from a place on Dumbarton off Middlefield). Many years ago when I was a wee lad, the fact the paleta men crossed ECR was notable. Then they cleared Hudson. (Hawes School has TWO paleta carts on most afternoons.) They've now made it to Valota Road and are heading for Upton.
Tip: The pickled pork skins drenched in hot sauce from the cart at the Northstar Academy bridge are the bomb. Gotta be there at 2:50 sharp if you want the deliciousness.
It's these kind of incremental things that only a townie like me would notice. Redwood City's alive. And it's getting more flavorful by the year.
Sushi Monster
Great Sushi near Campbell
I'm still voting for Akane. Unless you're in a group, for the full-on experience you really want to sit at the bar in front of Shin-san and let him do his thing.
And yes, I feel **terrible** I haven't updated the master list for so long. The short reason: After $10,000, I just ran out of money and moved on to Redwood City's amazing taquerias (more per capita than anyplace you can name outside of Mexico). If you find anyone who's offering grants for the continuing study of nigiri in Northern California, please let me know.
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushilist.html
Blowfish Sushi to Die For- Is the Fugu Experience worth it?
The takeaway here:
Eat EVERY meal as if it is your last.
Blowfish Sushi to Die For- Is the Fugu Experience worth it?
"This meal may be your last."
Really? They seem to have a bit of drama queen in them, no?
Let me ask you this: If it really had the potential to be deadly, did they ask you to sign a waiver of subrogation prior to ingesting it, acknowledging that you completely understood the risks involved and agreed to absolve the company of any liability?
Overall, it seems like kind of a silly game.
If you wanted to risk your life and get a thrill in return for a memorable meal, you should have gone into East Palo Alto on a BBQ mission back in the '80s when it was the murder capitol of the United States. That, my friend, was living on the edge. Leave the engine running....
Blowfish Sushi to Die For- Is the Fugu Experience worth it?
KK's right. Shiki.
I've eaten wonderful meals at his bar three times, but never tempted to do the fugu. I mention it because he's probably prepared more fugu than anyone else in the Western United States.
It's like with a surgeon: Do you want the guy who's doing his 10th heart transplant or his 1500th?
With that said, I have no idea whatsoever what the actual situation is with the toxins. If it were my liver that were going to take the hit, I'd go for the no-toxins option, ya know?
Blowfish Sushi to Die For- Is the Fugu Experience worth it?
Throwing money down at a mediocre chain restaurant for a delicacy like that is a recipe for disappointment.
If you REALLY want to do this, do it correctly. Get on a plane and go to Seattle where you'll find the one itamae on the West Coast who knows fugu preparation. You'll want to give him 48 hours notice.
I'm blanking on the name of the sushi ya right now. A simple Googling of fugu, Seattle, Queen Ann (or First Avenue) should do it.
PS: He's a nice cat, too. Always a pleasure to sit at his bar.
Dungeness crab prices for '11
As of Jan 12, the price for live dungeness at Cupertino Ranch 99 was back up -- way up, to 6.99/lb.
I think I'll wait until the North Coast fishery kicks in next week.
Redwood City and surrounds
You got me. I'm supposed to be a no-pork guy. If my rabbi is lurking on this thread, there's going to be an uncomfortable discussion. Seriously: If I had to go through the rest of my life without dim sum or spaghetti carbonara ... it'd be a bleak existence indeed.
Redwood City and surrounds
I adore both of those Casita Chilangas (and they're not the only outlets, either). But I'm just on ECR more than I am on Middlefield these days. Two benefits to the ECR location: Decent sit-down, dine-in option. And lamb tacos on the weekends most of the time (a very DF specialty I haven't seen at any other RWC taquerias).
And hell yeah -- I've pretty much stopped buying meat at Safeway now that I'm in the vicinity of Mi Rancho most days. Handmade fresh chorizo!
Redwood City and surrounds
Street parking around back of the Mo, etc.
That block anchored by the Mercado on the ECR side and Mi Rancho in back is so hot. Always something interesting to see. The other block that's so visually arresting that you don't even notice the congestion is ECR between Broadway and Brewster, with Casita Chilanga No. 2, etc. The city planners hate 'em both. But it's the marginal retail that's the most fascinating. The city sees "seedy" and I see a block that's alive w/entrepreneurs. Gotta love the shop that sells gold bullion and quinceanera gowns.
Redwood City and surrounds
As of 1/3/12, note that Los Gemelos is setting to open a second location in the old vacuum and sewing machine shop 50 feet north of ECR and Roosevelt. The block to the south is particularly hot for foot traffic, with Mi Rancho, Mercadito Latino, Chela's, et al. Should be a nice addition to the neighborhood. Didn't note an ETA on the opening.
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushilist.html
Redwood City and surrounds
It is true that Redwood City has more taquerias per capita than anywhere else. Here is the link to the master list, with google map and several sidebars
http://www.emeraldlake.com/tacos/index.html
Does anyone know were to buy fresh beef tongue?
Any decent Mexican market should have a full-service carniceria in back. You can't miss with any of the Mi Ranchos or Chavez markets in Redwood City. Excellent butchers.
Sushi Monster
Dungeness crab prices for '11
Cupertino R99 -- $5.99/lb. as of Thursday 12/1. At 5 pm only four crabs left in the tank.
2011 Dungeness Crab
That may well be, Robert. As I said, I'm just speculating.
With finite cold-store or well space onboard, would that not severely limit their capacity? It seems a stretch that any crabber would cruise 400 nautical miles for one or two days load, then turn around and go home ...
The shorter the window they have down here the less attractive the trek is as a pure economic proposition.
2011 Dungeness Crab
1) The big out-of-state boats need to count on a local wholesale market for the short time they're down here. If there is no wholesale market, there is no reason to come down.
2) The shorter the window for them to work our fishery before their own opens, the less attractive it is to make the multi-day shlep down and back. They have fixed prices for fuel, etc and won't come down here for a very short time unless it's profitable to make the trip.
Those are my ideas. I may be completely out of my depth on this.
Sushi Monster
2011 Dungeness Crab
As of Monday (11/21) at noon, it looks as if the crabbers aren't going out until after Thanksgiving. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think this may have something to do with more than just a slight disagreement in the wholesale price.
The northern Dungeness season from Pt. Arena to the Canadian border has been pushed back to 12/15. That is leaving a lot of the big boats out of Coos Bay or Portland pretty peeved. Traditionally, they've come down into our fishery for the first two weeks of the season and grabbed all the (mixing metaphors here) lowhanging fruit before heading back north for the start of their own season.
I'm unclear what the net effect will be of delaying the season. But I'll bet it has something to do with the longstanding friction between the big boats from the north and our local fleet.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
Sushi Monster
Sushi Chef + Catering
You may wish to do an Internet search for Alan Hirahara. He is an experienced itamae who now concentrates on catering private events and doing culinary education at places such as Draeger's. He may be on the Peninsula. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushilist.html
Holiday challah
As per usual, Molly Stone's in Palo Alto has a very large stand-alone display of challah from Grand Bakery in Oakland. Poppy seed, plain, raisin. Two sizes. The smalls are $6 -- and excellent. Shana tova to all you Hounds.
Sushi Monster
AYCE Crab , MP/PA news
Thanks for the uncommonly news-rich neighborhood report. Excellent.
Three yogurt shoppes on University. That's just too twee ... I guessed 30 years ago, when Roxy Rapp went on his building spree, that University would eventually end up as a giant open-air mall food court. Too bad even the vaunted City of Palo Alto Process couldn't hold off the likes of the chains...
And in other news:
"Cafe del Doge turned into Cafe Venetzia. We grilled the guy behind the counter last night ..."
Ouch. How unpleasant. Was he a rotisserie item, al pastor-style or ??
Help! Need to find best South Bay sushi restaurant!
I'm glad this worked out for you! Akane never fails.
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Akane
250 3rd St, Los Altos, CA 94022
Help! Need to find best South Bay sushi restaurant!
Akane reservations are recommended for a Saturday night. Asking Shin-san for a special "omakase" (chef's choice) set of nigiri would certainly be a spectacular choice for a special night. (You may be able fo find KK's omakase write-up by using the search function.)
You won't go wrong at Fuki, but piece-for-piece, dollar-for-dollar, advantage Akane.
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushilist.html
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Akane
250 3rd St, Los Altos, CA 94022
Help! Need to find best South Bay sushi restaurant!
Please consider Akane in Los Altos. Over many dozens of meals, I've found it to be exemplary. You will find some previous reviews by searching here and Y***.
Good luck. And congratulations to your son.
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushilist.html
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Akane
250 3rd St, Los Altos, CA 94022
Barbacoa de Borrego
Same situation with the Casita Chilanga branch on El Camino Real: The lamb tacos are weekends only. While you're there, don't miss the relatively rare beef rib meat tacos -- alternately referred to as suaperro or suaderro. It's a drier taco, that takes well to sauce. If you like the crunchy, crusty bits of pastor, this is worth trying ...
Trying to find pub around Palo Alto that show early morning soccer matches
Traditionally, the Brittania Arms has filled this need. From the Web page:
"Britannia Arms carries the Setanta Sports Channel, bringing you unrivalled access to the best live and delayed European soccer, international rugby and other global sports, as well as the Fox Soccer Channel, giving our patrons access to everything soccer."
You might give them a call before driving down to Cupertino.
Sushi Monster
www.emeraldlake.com/sushilist.html
Quick request for tacos in Mission for Vancouver visitor
The RWC chauvinist/born-n-bred townie in me says go ahead and bring her to Redwood City. If anything, the red hot epicenter at Fifth and Middlefield and the radius delicious within two blocks are more intense than ever.
lox, for god's sake!
Er, wait a second ... This kerfluffle was all set off by one person responding to a FIVE-YEAR-OLD post?
Feh.
Give me a pound of Trader Joe's smoked Alaskan sockeye any day. The true, bold taste of the Pacific Rim. One bite and it'll make you want to throw rocks at that weak, pale stuff from the east. On New Year's Eve we'll be having it with blintzes, some ikura and kazunoko (that's caviar in Japanese, pilgrim) ... and a bottle of Gloria Ferrer brut.
My best wishes to all hounds for a happy and healthy 2011.
Sushi Monster
looking for a Peninsula Hong Kong seafood place for Saturday night
Heya K. Long time no lunch!
We ended up at ABC Seafood in Foster City, which was roaring busy in the front room. We were bumped to the back banquet room, which was empty and rather glum. Salt-and-pepper crab was a fine thing. The $12 abalone medallions were scored properly but still rubbery tough. Favorite dish of a half-dozen was actually dim sum at night: the scallop-and-shrimp dumplings. Yeah, I'm a Philistine who demands dim sum at any hour, not just 11:30 am on a Saturday.
Next time, next 12/25, R&G Seafood in Palo Alto for sure. Or one of the Millbrae HK powerhouses. This was a "just OK" meal at a $90 tab for two adults and a hungry 7-year-old.
My best to you and yours for a happy healthy 2011! We're overdue for some Akane time, brother.
Sushi Monster.
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Akane
250 3rd St, Los Altos, CA 94022
