I'm hoping that Dan and some other Boston sushi activists will weigh
in here. I've moved back to Boston after an absence of a few years
and I have heard that there may in fact be some signs of improvement
in the sushi scene. I live in Brookline now, so I'm interested in
restaurants within 5 miles or so of where I live. My taste is for the
exotic such as live/fresh fish including eel and giant clam, shirako,
fugu, etc., but as a base experience I want properly prepared rice
(not so easy to find) and good oh-toro and uni. Any suggestions?

rufus wrote:
I'm hoping that Dan and some other Boston sushi activists will weigh
in here. I've moved back to Boston after an absence of a few years
and I have heard that there may in fact be some signs of improvement
in the sushi scene. I live in Brookline now, so I'm interested in
restaurants within 5 miles or so of where I live. My taste is for the
exotic such as live/fresh fish including eel and giant clam, shirako,
fugu, etc., but as a base experience I want properly prepared rice
(not so easy to find) and good oh-toro and uni. Any suggestions?

Sure. Coolidge Corner has serveral Japanese restaurants, I've been to
three of them. Tsunami is a medium quality place, but occasionally has
some special items. Good prices, decent sushi.

Fugyaku is the higher end sushi, better quality and higher prices.
They used to have issues with delayed service and forgotten items.
Its been a while since I've eaten there, but the sushi was very good.

I had one meal at Mr. Sushi.

Down the road a bit towards Kenmore Sq. on Beacon St. are two more,
Sushi Express and Ginza. Ginza is the second location of the very
successful restaurant started in Chinatown. I've eaten there once,
and the sushi was very good. They get very busy, so make a resevation
is you can.. but something tells me they don't take `em (can't remember).

Sushi Express is a basement dive of a place, mediocre sushi but dirt cheap.
Get take out.

In Brookline Village is Yokohama. This is a very nice Japanese owned/chef'ed
restaurant. I've been several times, they are always glad to see me come
in. They have a very good selection of quality sushi. They also give you
a daily appetizer on the house, always interesting. The only problem I have
is getting over there and parking. They often have very good uni, and
other specials.

Its been a while since I drove around Brookline looking for new places,
there used to be more, but some have closed. At some point I will get
back to my sushi routine. Let me know if you want to meet up for lunch
sometime. I don't have any coworkers who eat good sushi.

--
Dan

Hi Dan,

I know most of them but I haven't eaten at Yokahama or Mr. Sushi. I
used to consider Ginza to be one of the best places in Boston, and I
knew the chefs there as recently as 2 years ago, but I wouldn't give
it more than a 6 out of 10. Oishi gets great reviews, but I think it
is pretty poor - I'd give it a 4 unless you like 8 ounce pieces of
sushi with mostly tasteless fish, frozen tuna tartar ("tata") and one
of the worst copies of Nobu's miso cod that I have ever tried.

I was hoping that there was a new, Nobu, Yasuda, Masa or Matsuhisa
level restaurant in the area, but I've been dreaming, I know.

Based on this, maybe we can meet in Chinatown at East Ocean City - at
least they have live giant clam, scallop and shrimp.

rufus wrote:
Hi Dan,

I know most of them but I haven't eaten at Yokahama or Mr. Sushi. I
used to consider Ginza to be one of the best places in Boston, and I
knew the chefs there as recently as 2 years ago, but I wouldn't give
it more than a 6 out of 10. Oishi gets great reviews, but I think it
is pretty poor - I'd give it a 4 unless you like 8 ounce pieces of
sushi with mostly tasteless fish, frozen tuna tartar ("tata") and one
of the worst copies of Nobu's miso cod that I have ever tried.

Yokohama is a nice little place, with very friendly hostess and chef.
They don't get alot of lunch business so that's when I go so I can
chat or have a nice quiet meal.

I wouldn't bother with Mr. Sushi, but I thought I mention its existence.
I've also heard a lot about Oiishi, but have never been to either location.

I was hoping that there was a new, Nobu, Yasuda, Masa or Matsuhisa
level restaurant in the area, but I've been dreaming, I know.

Well, if you want to take a drive to Natick, Toru Ogo from Ginza opened
a high end Nobu like place called Oga. I haven't been yet, and it doesn't
really sound like my thing.

Based on this, maybe we can meet in Chinatown at East Ocean City - at
least they have live giant clam, scallop and shrimp.

Are you working Downtown? I have no problem going over to Brookline
for lunch, since its just across the river from me. We were just at
East Ocean City for a dinner two weeks ago. Apollo Grill in Chinatown
used to be pretty good, but its been about 8 years since I was last there.

--
Dan