3 Stars
This is an entertaining place to get okay sushi. It’s quite fun being able to select your items from the conveyor belt. Even more fun is ordering from the touchscreen and having your dish delivered right to your table on the upper conveyor. Even the drinks are delivered by robot (although they aren’t exactly foolproof, and beer is still delivered by hand).
You’re not going to have the best sushi of your life here, but the prices are reasonable for a tourist area, and it is entertaining.
4 Stars
This is a really nice upscale setting for sushi. The presentation is lovely, and the service was welcoming. There is a very limited assortment of fish: tuna, salmon, whitefish, and octopus, but the quality and preparations are excellent. There are also some creative dishes, such as the Brie Djo: rice wrapped in strips of seared salmon, cream cheese, brie cheese, and fleur de sel.
Creative cocktails and wine are available. Shout-out for the excellent wine glassware.
**** (4 stars)
This is a small restaurant in a strip mall. The sushi is well-prepared, and there were an interesting assortment of specials including kanpachi (amber jack), my favorite. We also tried the tempura, which was nice and light. Service was friendly.Yamato Japanese Restaurant
1741 W Grand AveSte E
Grover Beach, CA
93433
(805) 481-3986
https://www.yelp.com/biz/yamato-japanese-restaurant-grover-beach
**** (4 stars)
This is an excellent choice for a neighborhood sushi restaurant, as evidenced by its popularity. The quality and variety of the fish is excellent. Just be aware that portions are very large, so don’t over-order like we did. For example, an order of salmon sashimi included eight pieces! Service is on a tag team basis, and worked very well.
Tomodachi Restaurant
2779 Agoura Rd
Westlake Village, CA
91361
(805) 777-7578
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tomodachi-restaurant-westlake-village
***** (5 stars)
For years I’ve been saying that Kabooki Sushi on Colonial is the best restaurant in Orlando, even surpassing Disney’s super upscale Victoria and Alberts. With this new location near Sand Lake Road’s restaurant row, Chef Henry Moso has even upped the ante.
We’ve had sushi at Nobus and Morimotos all over the world, and none of them comes close to what is happening at Kabooki Sushi. The complexity of the sashimi preparations and the extreme attention to detail, especially on the omakase are simply unsurpassed.
This new location also lets Chef Henry demonstrate his interior design skills, with a build-out that is beautiful, trendy, upscale and welcoming all at once.
We attended a soft opening and already the service is at peak levels, with everything running like clockwork in a packed restaurant on only its third day.
This place is going to be the biggest hit Orlando has seen in a long time, for both tourists and locals, so make sure you have a reservation, because word has already spread.
Kabooki Sushi
7705 Turkey Lake Rd
Orlando, FL
32819
https://www.yelp.com/biz/kabooki-sushi-orlando-3
Front table
Duck
Interior
**** (4 stars)
Terrific Thai food is served in this charming restaurant that’s been in business for 17 years. It is definitely a family run operation, from the gracious hostess to the chef. The restaurant is named after the owners’s daughter, Ploy, who has grown up with it.
All of the Thai favorites are here. The appetizers, while fried, aren’t to oily, and I’m a particular fan of the Talay.
Ploy Thai
1941 W Brandon Blvd
Brandon, FL
33511
(813) 684-5007
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ploy-thai-brandon
El Topo
Peruvian sea scallops
Kanpachi, yellowtail and yellowtail ceviche
Pumpkin spice old fashioned for Thanksgiving!
Interior
**** (4 stars)
Very good sushi with a slight Peruvian spin, such as the sauces used for the sashimi preparations. Fish quality was good, and service was friendly. Chill vibe.
SUSHISAMBA – Las Vegas
3327 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV
89109
(702) 607-0700
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushisamba-las-vegas-las-vegas
El Topo
Peruvian sea scallops
Kanpachi, yellowtail and yellowtail ceviche
Pumpkin spice old fashioned for Thanksgiving!
Interior
**** (4 stars)
Very good sushi with a slight Peruvian spin, such as the sauces used for the sashimi preparations. Fish quality was good, and service was friendly. Chill vibe.
SUSHISAMBA – Las Vegas
3327 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV
89109
(702) 607-0700
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushisamba-las-vegas-las-vegas
Interior
Salmon Burger
Chef Boo’s Chirashi Bowl
**** (4 stars)
Restaurants near Times Square don’t need to be particularly good to have a steady stream of customers, so I was pleasantly surprised by Blue Fin.
The narrow first floor space is pleasant and airy, and a broad staircase leads up almost two floors to an expansive and lovely upstairs dining room.
The restaurant offers a combination of cooked food and sushi, and we liked everything we tried. The standout was actually the Bang Bang Edamame, which had been tossed in a wonderful kung pao sauce. Chiriashi was also good, with a nice assortment of fish, although definitely Times Square priced at $33.
Service was friendly and profewssional.
Blue Fin
1567 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 918-1400
https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-fin-new-york