Category Archives: Sushi Bars

Screaming Tuna

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*** (3 stars)

This is a great setting for a restaurant, where you can watch the endless parade of boats and the drawbridge going up and down. The service is fine, and there is an interesting menu and drink list.

The sushi itself is unremarkable, although on Sunday there are some good specials that make the pricing attractive. A lot of the rolls are extremely spicy, so if you like that, it’s a good place to get some real heat, especially in the wasabi and mustard based ones. But the reason to visit is the view.

Screaming Tuna
106 W Seeboth St
Milwaukee, WI 53204
(414) 763-1637
http://www.yelp.com/biz/screaming-tuna-milwaukee

Usagi Ya

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**** (4 stars)

This stylish sushi bar offers so excellent cooked and raw items.  The Tuna Tower and Hamachi Jalapeno were our favorites. Service (by presumably the owner) was friendly and attentive. You can sit in a cozy booth in the front windows, or have a more private space in the rear.

Usagi Ya
1178 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 292-5885
http://www.yelp.com/biz/usagi-ya-chicago

Roka Akor

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**** (4 stars)

This place offers terrific ambiance, with a stylish, open plan that lets you view the 1900 degree robata grill from anywhere in the restaurant. There is also outside seating.

While several of the sashimi items we tried were excellent, the butterfish tataki was the event, comparable to the best sushi restaurants I’ve been to around the world. The other highlight here are the vegetables off the robata grill, which are all excellent. The Brussels sprouts and the mushrooms are particularly notable.

Roka Akor
4999 Old Orchard Ctr
Skokie, IL 60077
(630) 474-5039
http://www.yelp.com/biz/roka-akor-skokie

California Grill

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*** (3 stars)

It’s difficult to do a fine dining restaurant in a theme park environment, and it’s not entirely the establishment’s fault. You’ve got people dressed as tourists, and their kids are exhausted from spending the day in a theme park. And did I mention the kids? There are lots of them.

Still, it’s possible. Victoria and Alberts is one of the greatest restaurants in the country, but they don’t allow kids. They turn the lights down, have a dress code, and charge enough that the patrons are likely to be foodies.

California Grill doesn’t use these tactics, and so the results are somewhat less spectacular. The setting on top of the Contemporary is dramatic, but bright lighting turns the windows into mirrors. The menu is fairly similar to Seasons 52 (which, let’s face it, stole the whole concept from California Grill), but the prices are obviously higher. The real difference, though, is the theme park production line approach to service, which just doesn’t work in a fine dining restaurant.

There’s really nothing wrong with the California Grill. If you’re staying on the Disney property — especially if you’re staying on the monorail loop — it’s a great choice. And if you time your visit to the nightly fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, there’s no better view.

It’s just that if you’re off-property there are better fine dining choices in Orlando. Or splurge, and go to Victoria and Albert’s.

California Grill
4600 N World Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://www.yelp.com/biz/california-grill-lake-buena-vista

The Izaka-ya By Katsu-ya

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***** (5 stars)

This was a great lunch find in Manhattan Beach. Bustling at lunch time on a Sunday. There are some very creative rolls here, including a cajun one that was our favorite. The team-tag approach to service worked well, keeping our drinks and tea replenished. The lunch specials are a pretty good deal, although we went ala carte, and the price was still reasonable for the exotic feast we assembled.

The Izaka-ya By Katsu-ya
1133 Highland Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 796-1888
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-izaka-ya-by-katsu-ya-manhattan-beach

Yuki Hana

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***** (5 stars)

Another amazing sushi fusion place on the east side of Orlando! We sampled a large portion of the menu at a decadent Saturday lunch, and everything was excellent. Some of the fish is flown in from Japan, and it shows. I particularly liked the lightness of the Vietnamese roll, which contained three types of fish, lettuce, wrapped in rice paper and topped with crushed peanuts. Very creative, fresh and delicious sushi and sashimi.

Yuki Hana
3635 Aloma Avenue
Oviedo, FL 32765
(407) 695-8808
http://www.yelp.com/biz/yuki-hana-oviedo

Satini Sushi & Tioca Bar

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**** (4 stars)

This place mixes a variety of Asian cuisines, although sushi dominates. There’s a bit of Vietnamese, and some Chinese, too. I actually wish they’d go farther with the fusion concept. Also it would be helpful if dishes has their traditional names. For example, they have their own version of Bahn Mi sandwiches, but they are simply called Vietnamese style sandwiches. I think they underestimate their customers.

Anyway, the Vietnamese vermicelli bowl I had was excellent, with a nice crispy spring roll and very tasty fish sauce.

The did a pretty good job of redecorating this place from a sports bar, although it will be better when the smell of paint subsides.

Service is friendly and helpful.

Satini Sushi & Tioca Bar
6700 Conroy Windermere Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 253-7008
http://www.yelp.com/biz/satini-sushi-and-tioca-bar-orlando

Kabooki Sushi

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve had sushi all over the world, from Tokyo to Los Angeles, New York and Nobu in London. But I’ve never had better than here at Kabooki. We had the omakase, where you put yourself in the chef’s hands. He came to the table to assess our tastes, and then repeatedly to check on each dish. Everything was stellar, but the real stunner was the sashimi platter, where the perfection and simplicity of the fish left us in awe. Each was served with a different tiny dot of sauce and sprig of micro green. The accompanying wine pairing was generous and high quality. This will become our weekly pilgrimage. It’s unbelievable to find this quality of sushi in Orlando.

Kabooki Sushi
3122 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-3839
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kabooki-sushi-orlando