Chiso's Japanese Restaurant

[elswinger]

I went to Chiso Japanese Restaurant http://www.chisoseattle.com/ in Fremont for lunch today and it was very good. Not quite “Saito” good, but as good, if not better than “Chinoise in Wallingford” good. Since Chiso does not offer a Rainbow Roll, I wound up getting an order of Maguro ($4); Kani ($5); a Salmon-Skin Roll ($5); a Rosanna Roll ($6) which was made with scallops, snow crab, carrots, sprouts, tobiko, and mayo; an order of Shrimp Tempura ($4.75 for 3 pieces); a side salad ($3) which consisted of Salad Greens, Miso dressing, and Sesame Seeds; and a Pepsi ($1.50) which refills were provided in a carafe.

The sushi bar was full so I sat at a table. More people soon arrived so the place was pretty full within a matter of minutes (they probably all work for Adobe). The service at Chiso was very good, except that when I got to work, I noticed I was given the wrong bill and overpaid by $18 (including 20% tip), so I wound up paying $55 instead of the $37 I should have. Since I spent $50 by myself at Saito’s the last time I was there, I didn’t think twice about the price. I called a few minutes ago and the manager remembered me and said she would put my balance in an envelope for me (I paid cash). Had I paid by credit card she would have just credited my account. Since I won’t be in the neighborhood this weekend, and the next weekday they are open for lunch is next Wednesday, I will pick it up then and probably wind up eating there again, or maybe I’ll just take the money across the street and give Blue C Sushi a try.

Below are pictures (sorry the tempura shot is a bit blurry).

[elswinger]

[elswinger]

[elswinger]

[elswinger]

[elswinger]

There has got to be a better way than the way eGullet has a post figures.

[Adiabatic]

The food there looks a lot like red x's.

I kid! I kid!

[seacrotty]

We've eaten at Chiso a number of times and enjoyed fresh, plentiful sushi on every occasion. Haven't tried Blue C.

Side note on Chinoise: try the Madison Valley location when exec chef Jae Ahrens is working -- great sushi and sashimi. We've never been impressed with the non-sushi-bar fare there, tho.

c

[ScorchedPalate]

Have heard many not-so-good things about Blue C.

I am a huge stickler for freshness, and Chiso is one of the two places in Seattle where I will eat sushi; Chinoise on Madison is the other, but only when Jae is there.

I agree with Cam that the non-sushi-bar items (at both places, actually) are vastly inferior to the sushi, and that service (again, both Chinoise and Chiso) is dramatically better at the bar.

~A

Edited December 13, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[elswinger]

If you haven't tried it Anita, I would recommend Saito's in Belltown. It hink it has the edge against Chiso's. I still want to try Toyoda, Ototo, Mashiko, Ohana, Kisaku, Rain, Nijo, Shiki, Hiroshi, Dragonfish, and the Chinoise on Madison (not to mention any new places that open up) in the next year (I think I've been everywhere else North of Uwajimaya and south of Northgate in Seattle.

[seacrotty]

If you haven't tried it Anita, I would recommend Saito's in Belltown.  It hink it has the edge against Chiso's.  I still want to try Toyoda, Ototo, Mashiko, Ohana, Kisaku, Rain, Nijo, Shiki, Hiroshi, Dragonfish, and the Chinoise on Madison (not to mention any new places that open up) in the next year (I think I've been everywhere else North of Uwajimaya and south of Northgate in Seattle.

←

My $.02:

Ototo -- Decent fish but nothing special, and *very* expensive.

Dragonfish -- Imagine the Cheescake Factory as a pan-Asian restaurant.

Kisaku -- Okay, but not worth driving across town for.

[elswinger]

The only reason I want to go to Ototo for is the Lobster Roll.

[little ms foodie]

Blue C is very fun but the selections are only ok. It's fresh it's just not that great of fish.

Ohana is inexpensive but I've had a few things that were far from fresh, I just think there are better places

I like Ototo and haven't found it to be very expensive. I'm not ordering the right things obviously!!

[seacrotty]

I like Ototo and haven't found it to be very expensive. I'm not ordering the right things obviously!!

←

Or maybe I was ordering the wrong things...

c