Philly Sushi

[beercancan]

I need an easy reliable Sushi place for sashimi and limited rolls (spicy tuna - no Cali) in the city (not Main Line, Cherry Hill, King of Prussia, etc, not even Germantown or Manyunk - just in the City) for weekly dining or so.

Looks like Genji, Kisso, and Shiroi Hana are my best bets. I will have to try them all to hopefully find my local, but any preliminary advise will be appreciated. Any other recomendations?

Genji?

Kisso?

Shiroi Hana?

I read the Fuji thread. If there is another good Sushi thread please point me there. I'm really just interested in knowing about these 3. I've been to Pod, and that won't work...

Edited September 10, 2004 by beercancan (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I need an easy reliable Sushi place for sashimi and limited rolls (spicy tuna - no Cali) in the city (not Main Line, Cherry Hill, King of Prussia, etc, not even Germantown or Manyunk - just in the City) for weekly dining or so.

Looks like Genji, Kisso, and Shiroi Hana are my best bets. I will have to try them all to hopefully find my local, but any preliminary advise will be appreciated. Any other recomendations?

Genji?

Kisso?

Shiroi Hana?

I read the Fuji thread. If there is another good Sushi thread please point me there. I'm really just interested in knowing about these 3. I've been to Pod, and that won't work...

←

Are you looking for grab-n'-go takeout for lunch back at the office, or a sit down experience for the weekly raw fish fix? Those are kind of two different things.

For the quick lunch I recommend Asahi (?) on the North side of Chestnut between 15th & 16th kind of across from the Staples. Their sushi is quite adequate for to go stuff and their bento box lunches are a bargain. You get miso soup, a salad, a few little sides and your main dish request (I love the Salmon Teryaki) for like $7.

Genji is good for sitting at the bar. I like Kisso probably best of the ones you've mentioned for a real sit down at a table type dinner in Center City. But I'd likeliest be heading over the river to Fuji for that anyway. I don't tend to do much "take out" sushi from the better japanese restaurants because I'd rather eat it fresh, pristine and unrushed at the source.

[beercancan]

Are you looking for grab-n'-go takeout for lunch back at the office, or a sit down experience for the weekly raw fish fix?  Those are kind of two different things.

←

Sit down place. I'll go to Fuji for sure, but not every week. Just some place that is good and easy. I recently moved here from NYC and I took good sushi for granted apparently.

[KatieLoeb]

Sit down place. I'll go to Fuji for sure, but not every week. Just some place that is good and easy. I recently moved here from NYC and I took good sushi for granted apparently.

←

Genji or Kisso should suffice then.

I was at Sushi Samba for a drink last night. Food looked real pretty going by. Is it actually any good, or just the trendy thing to feed the trendy clientele there? Where in NYC did you get your fixes?

Oh - and welcome to Philly! Hope you can come out and play with us soon....

[beercancan]

Genji or Kisso should suffice then.

I was at Sushi Samba for a drink last night.  Food looked real pretty going by.  Is it actually any good, or just the trendy thing to feed the trendy clientele there?  Where in NYC did you get your fixes?

←

Sushi Samba is fine, but not for me. My local was Tomoe. Great sushi, but expect a wait.

Anyone else on Shiroi Hana?

Or Genji?

Or Kisso?

Edited September 10, 2004 by beercancan (log)

[herbacidal]

Anyone else on Shiroi Hana?

Or Genji?

Or Kisso?

←

IIRC, Genji is generally considered best sushi in town, but also significantly overpriced.

Shiroi Hana was my friend's solid go-to choice, and as long as it has been around (10+years??), I've never heard anything bad about it, and that says something.

I've never really heard anything good except for that friend, but that is less of a concern.

Kisso, I've always heard has been good, if not a smidgen overpriced.

I've always thought that Hikaru, on 2nd south of South St. has always been underappreciated.

[herbacidal]

Sit down place. I'll go to Fuji for sure, but not every week. Just some place that is good and easy. I recently moved here from NYC and I took good sushi for granted apparently.

←

I would say Philly has a ways to go to catch NYC as far as sushi.

There aren't enough Japanese in the area, nor are there enough Korean and Chinese that are familar enough with the process of a sushi restaurant and and the willingness to present that high a standard for sushi.

I would speculate that there are few areas on the East Coast other than NYC that do have that resource in significant numbers.

[TarteTatin]

I heard Kisso closed down? Is that the one in Northern Liberties?

[KatieLoeb]

I heard Kisso closed down? Is that the one in Northern Liberties?

←

Kisso is at 4th & Race. It's still open.

Herb is right. Hikaru is pretty good too. Don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. It's my "sushi-in-a-pinch" place since it's practically across the street from my house.

[herbacidal]

I heard Kisso closed down? Is that the one in Northern Liberties?

←

I hadn't heard this yet, but I wouldn't be suprised if you heard that Kissen closed down.

That's the place specializing in tempura in NoLib. Whenever I've wandered past, it's never been busy.

It was/is owned by the owners of Kisso.

Can anyone confirm that it was Kissen and not Kisso? I really liked their furniture. Most interesting furntiure I've seen in a restaurant. Can't say whether it'd be comfortable to sit in or not though.

[Andrew Fenton]

I just called both restaurants. Kissen had an answering machine with their hours; at Kisso, no response. (Though that might mean that Kisso doesn't have a machine, or that a closed Kissen never got around to updating their message.)

We last had dinner at Kisso in late July. It was completely empty (and, I think, on a Friday night). I wouldn't be surprised if they've gone under.

[beercancan]

I've always thought that Hikaru, on 2nd south of South St. has always been underappreciated.

←

THANKS! Is this related to Hikaru at 4348 Main St.? I haven't been to either.

[KatieLoeb]

THANKS! Is this related to Hikaru at 4348 Main St.? I haven't been to either.

←

Yes - same owners.

[SG-]

Had lunch at Kissen once and thought the tempura was quite good, sushi was another story. Hope they haven't closed down.

[beercancan]

OK. Thanks for the advise. I will check into Hikaru, Genji, Kisso and Shiroi Hana. (and Fuji).