oh toro

i just talked to sushifoods (a supplier in sd) and they mention with the current storms and rough water, there will be no uni until after the new year. so that means i'll probably forego my plans for sushi while in sd. for those who do live in sd, check out sushifoods for your supplies (here's the uni page for ya!): SushiFoods ps. i was thinking of purchasing a couple of trays of uni and just going to town on em. yes, i am hardcore

I'm searching for a sushi bar or restaurant in the San Diego area where omikase is the preferred method amongst those in the know. My palate is attuned to the likes of Urawasa (LA), Murasaki (SF) and Kabuto (SF). So far I haven't been able to pinpoint any particular establishment. I'll be staying both in SD and La Jolla, although I'm willing to drive if necessary. What I have heard is that the uni from La Jolla is unreal. TIA.

Considering the time and location, your best bet is Sushiman on Bush at Powell. It's a very short walk from Union Square. They are usually open past midnight on weekends. The fish selection is smaller than Kabuto, however, the fish is equally as fresh. I always have omikase at Sushiman (usually once or twice a month) and prefer it over Kabuto. Service is definitely much better than at Kabuto, which is spotty at best especially when it's busy.

Come on, folks... travelling out of the city is a bit obsessive and excessive especially if you're going to weather the traffic all the way down to SJ and back. You may as well take a flight to Vietnam. That said, there are plenty of authentic Vietnamese restaurants in the Tenderloin District that you can *walk* to from downtown SF.

sorry, but i haven't lived in tucson for a few years so i may not know what is "new" these days, although i was there a couple months ago. what i do know is that many restaurants come and go. that said, check out these threads on chowhound: http://www.chowhound.com/southwest/boards/...sages/8227.html http://www.chowhound.com/southwest/boards/...sages/8323.html also, i forgot to mention hacienda del sol. the dish is (or was) considered one of the better places. i don't recommend cafe terracotta - overpriced half-assed californian cuisine (it may be different now, but cynical me doesn't think so.) http://www.haciendadelsol.com http://www.janos.com/index3.html

cafe poca cosa is moderately priced, but considered to be amongst one of the best restaurants in tucson. i recommend them for lunch, but dinner would be fine also. imo, the atmosphere is better suited for a casual lunch. janos would probably be considered "high end" in tucson. they're definitely worth a visit. j-bar at westin is a janos creation with a more casual feel. i'd like to clarify that there are several restos that try to classify themselves as "high end", but their food is really lacking and, imo, they're just trying to recreate california menus but at a higher price. in other words, when you veer away from regional cuisine in tucson, you're pretty much chasing cuisines that are better and cheaper in california (and other states.)

there's a 24hour chinese resto on washington between kearny and grant. it's ok for afterhours eating since i don't think there are any others open at 5am. there are better places to go during regular hours.

opt for regional cuisine which means mexican-influenced dishes, since tucson isn't a mecca for attracting culinary talent. j-bar at the westin janos cafe poco cosa tucson is very laid back, so don't expect anything special in terms of ambience, atmosphere, etc. the demographic is largely students (u of a), air force base and retirees. if the skyline country club serves brunch, you may want to check them out - they have a spectacular view of the city.

for some reason unknown to me, i've never found top-notch sushi in japantown. however, i have found what i consider to be the best sushi/sashimi joint in the bay area... go to sushiman. it's on bush just west of kearny. the experience there is much better than kabuto while the fish is equally as fresh. i've consistently gotten more rare cuts (all the fattiest cuts - hamachi, oh toro, salmon, etc.) at sushiman. it's important that the sushi master gets to know what your tastes are and how refined your palate is otherwise you'll be serve regular cuts. my advice for those looking for the freshest and rarest cuts: sit at the bar and begin the meal with some oh toro sashimi at any new place. it's important to set the bar at a high level from the beginning. "McSushi" joints such as ace wasabi, we be sushi, etc. will mostly likely never have the rarest cuts simply because their clientele does not look for such cuts and are not willing to pay for them either. basically, a sushi restaurant will only stock what they can move. btw, sushiman's cooked dishes are above average as well. i find kabuto less personal (more commercial) than sushiman. for me, dinner at sushiman (they're only open for dinner) usually takes 2-3 hours (omikase). they're not an assembly-line operation. unlike kabuto (which is very good too), there is only one guy behind the bar, ryo. he prefers to serve fewer customers rather than having to work at a fast pace and serve dozens.