Chandler, Arizona

SW corner of Dobson and Warner

Where Yamakasa used to be.

Best sushi bar between here and Las Vegas. By far. Maybe.

I hadn't been in there since it reopened as Shimogamo last year. But
it's in its stride, and excellent.

Tonight I had E-dako, Ankimo. Shima-aji, Kanpachi, the shrimp tempura
roll, and a special tamago.

The Ankimo was miles better than what I had last week at Sakana.

E-dako, pickled baby whole squid, measuring maybe 2.5 inches long, in a
sesame-peanut sauce, was very interesting and tasty. I'd go with a
little spicy red pepper in it, though. The guy sitting next to me said
they also do it slightly broiled and in the unagi sauce. D'oh! I
forgot to ask if they make their unagi sauce from syrup or by boiling
down eels! Another thing to check next time I'm there.

The Shima-aji and Kanpachi were very similar, and both excellent. As
was the shrimp tempura roll.

The special tamago was shaped like a regular tamago, but had unagi in
the center. Very, very tasty, and since it was special-made, it was
served warm, which made it even tastier.

I also had a split of cold sake, the name of which escapes me now, but
it was one of several premium sakes on the menu.

This place is the real deal. I haven't seen a sushi bar like this in
town yet, after 15 years living here. The best ones still dumb-down
the experience for the big-fish/inside-out-roll crowd, but this place
doesn't seem to have those compromises in the front of its mind.

I'm going to have to go to Shin Bay again soon and see how Shin-san
doing, to see if Shimogamo is really going to take the crown. I'd be
in there more, too, but the 6-seat-maximum rule can put a crimp in the
planning process. Shimogamo is bigger inside than it looks from the
outside, so it's going to be the easy call for the good stuff.

--Blair

Forgot to mention: they had o-Toro on the specials board, too. $18
for a 2-piece nigiri. $25 for sashimi. The good stuff. But I'm no
toro fan, so I let it be.

I discussed Shira-uo and Battera sushi with the sushi-ya, as well.

This is a good place.

--Blair

I agree, one of the best in the Valley. It has been reviewed locally a
couple of times (AZ Republic and Phoenix Magazine, I believe).

Have had unbelievable omakase there (although that sushi chef is in the
process of opening his own restaurant in the North-East Valley).

BTW, Shin Bay has closed (it's even noted on their web site). Was great
sushi, but he wasn't known as the "Sushi Nazi" for nothing...

Greg


Blair P. Houghton wrote:
Chandler, Arizona

SW corner of Dobson and Warner

Where Yamakasa used to be.

Best sushi bar between here and Las Vegas. By far. Maybe.

I hadn't been in there since it reopened as Shimogamo last year. But
it's in its stride, and excellent.

Tonight I had E-dako, Ankimo. Shima-aji, Kanpachi, the shrimp tempura
roll, and a special tamago.

The Ankimo was miles better than what I had last week at Sakana.

E-dako, pickled baby whole squid, measuring maybe 2.5 inches long, in a
sesame-peanut sauce, was very interesting and tasty. I'd go with a
little spicy red pepper in it, though. The guy sitting next to me said
they also do it slightly broiled and in the unagi sauce. D'oh! I
forgot to ask if they make their unagi sauce from syrup or by boiling
down eels! Another thing to check next time I'm there.

The Shima-aji and Kanpachi were very similar, and both excellent. As
was the shrimp tempura roll.

The special tamago was shaped like a regular tamago, but had unagi in
the center. Very, very tasty, and since it was special-made, it was
served warm, which made it even tastier.

I also had a split of cold sake, the name of which escapes me now, but
it was one of several premium sakes on the menu.

This place is the real deal. I haven't seen a sushi bar like this in
town yet, after 15 years living here. The best ones still dumb-down
the experience for the big-fish/inside-out-roll crowd, but this place
doesn't seem to have those compromises in the front of its mind.

I'm going to have to go to Shin Bay again soon and see how Shin-san
doing, to see if Shimogamo is really going to take the crown. I'd be
in there more, too, but the 6-seat-maximum rule can put a crimp in the
planning process. Shimogamo is bigger inside than it looks from the
outside, so it's going to be the easy call for the good stuff.

--Blair

"Blair P. Houghton" wrote in message
oups.com...
Chandler, Arizona

SW corner of Dobson and Warner

Where Yamakasa used to be.

Best sushi bar between here and Las Vegas. By far. Maybe.

I hadn't been in there since it reopened as Shimogamo last year. But
it's in its stride, and excellent.

Tonight I had E-dako, Ankimo. Shima-aji, Kanpachi, the shrimp tempura
roll, and a special tamago.

The Ankimo was miles better than what I had last week at Sakana.

E-dako, pickled baby whole squid, measuring maybe 2.5 inches long, in a
sesame-peanut sauce, was very interesting and tasty. I'd go with a
little spicy red pepper in it, though. The guy sitting next to me said
they also do it slightly broiled and in the unagi sauce.

Blair;

Ii-Dako is actually small octopus. Did you misidentify them or did the place
use
small squid which may have been easier to obtain in your region.
M

Musashi wrote:
"Blair P. Houghton" wrote:
E-dako, pickled baby whole squid,

Ii-Dako is actually small octopus. Did you misidentify them or did the place
use
small squid which may have been easier to obtain in your region.

No, it was me. I typed squid when I was thinking octopus, for some
reason.

They were surprisingly crunchy. I've held live baby octopi, and they
feel completely limp.

--Blair

Blair P. Houghton wrote:
Chandler, Arizona

SW corner of Dobson and Warner




I'll be down that way in a few days. I'll try it. It's next to C-Fu
then? Only six seats? Do they serve chrashi? Fresh wasabi?

I know a couple of good Viet. restaurants around there, and a pretty
good Korean place - though not quite as good as it was before it was
sold - and not in the same league as my California favorites.




ww

wrote:
Blair P. Houghton wrote:
Chandler, Arizona

SW corner of Dobson and Warner

I'll be down that way in a few days. I'll try it. It's next to C-Fu
then? Only six seats? Do they serve chrashi? Fresh wasabi?

Mmm...things got confused maybe.

The "6 seat" sushi bar was Shin Bay, but as noted above,
it's closed now.

Shimogamo is technically _in_ C-Fu, and sometimes your order
is backed-up behind a table order from the main store.
Shimogamo's bar is probably ten seats, and there are 20-30
more at booths.

Shimogamo does have Chirashi on the menu, but
don't ignore the specials board; this is one place
where the word "special" is not a euphemism.

I know a couple of good Viet. restaurants around there, and a pretty
good Korean place - though not quite as good as it was before it was
sold - and not in the same league as my California favorites.

Cyclo is nearby; best VN food in town, though there's a
dumpy little place at Roosevelt and Hayden that popped my
eyes a couple of weeks ago.

The best Korean is (forget the name) at Ray and Kyrene, on
the SE corner, right near the Performance Bike shop.
Gomo's? I think so. Not in the same league as my HaSanGo-ri
favorite, but it does well.

And now you've got me thinking of it, that's lunch.

--Blair

The "6 seat" sushi bar was Shin Bay, but as noted above,
it's closed now.

Shimogamo is technically _in_ C-Fu, and sometimes your order
is backed-up behind a table order from the main store.
Shimogamo's bar is probably ten seats, and there are 20-30
more at booths.




How does that work? Do you go in to C-Fu - and then what? Sometimes
there's a long wait to get in C-Fu, like on weekends, I think. Once I
had ostrich at C-Fu. It tasted like beef.






Shimogamo does have Chirashi on the menu, but
don't ignore the specials board; this is one place
where the word "special" is not a euphemism.

I know a couple of good Viet. restaurants around there, and a pretty
good Korean place - though not quite as good as it was before it was
sold - and not in the same league as my California favorites.

Cyclo is nearby; best VN food in town,




I'll try it. What's their specialty? I looked it up, it's at 1919 W
Chandler.

My places are Saigon something on Knox just east of Chandler, and a low
key little place, N'hat, on Southern accross the street from the
College (try the roasted shrimp).




.. though there's a
dumpy little place at Roosevelt and Hayden that popped my
eyes a couple of weeks ago.

I

The best Korean is (forget the name) at Ray and Kyrene, on
the SE corner, right near the Performance Bike shop.



Must be this: Gomo's, 5965 W Ray. Mine is Hodori in the mini-mall by
the Hong Kong Noodle House or whatever it's called these days. (HKNH is
quite good, tho I haven't stopped in in a long time. I sort of know the
owner, a colorful character,who sold it and now owns the Tao Garden on
Warner and Alma School). Before Hodori became the very popular Hodori,
it was a Viet. restaurant which was festooned with my artwork, which is
probably what helped put it out of business - or maybe they didn't put
up enough of it! Hodori was recently sold, though, and while the chef
seems to have remained, I think it's gone downhill a little bit, like
the side dishes, and understaffing. It's still jammed with Koreans,
though, and the barbecue meat is better than any I had in Koreatown in
Orange Cty. CA!



ww

wrote:

The "6 seat" sushi bar was Shin Bay, but as noted above,
it's closed now.

Shimogamo is technically _in_ C-Fu, and sometimes your order
is backed-up behind a table order from the main store.
Shimogamo's bar is probably ten seats, and there are 20-30
more at booths.

How does that work? Do you go in to C-Fu - and then what? Sometimes
there's a long wait to get in C-Fu, like on weekends, I think. Once I
had ostrich at C-Fu. It tasted like beef.

Yes, ostrich is a red meat that tastes just like beef. Its low in fat
so its best to cook rare. Its also high in iron and protien while low
in cholesterol. It would completely replace beef in my diet if it wasn't
so expensive compared to beef.

So how was it prepared at C-Fu?

--
Dan

Stir-fried with some vegetables, same as beef. Nothing special.

wrote:
The "6 seat" sushi bar was Shin Bay, but as noted above,
it's closed now.

Shimogamo is technically _in_ C-Fu, and sometimes your order
is backed-up behind a table order from the main store.
Shimogamo's bar is probably ten seats, and there are 20-30
more at booths.

How does that work? Do you go in to C-Fu - and then what? Sometimes
there's a long wait to get in C-Fu, like on weekends, I think. Once I
had ostrich at C-Fu. It tasted like beef.

Ostrich is kinda beefy, and it's grown locally.

Shimogamo has its own entrance, but you can also get into
it by going into C-Fu first.

Cyclo is nearby; best VN food in town,

I'll try it. What's their specialty? I looked it up, it's at 1919 W
Chandler.

I don't know what their specialty is. I'm not sure they have one.

My places are Saigon something on Knox just east of Chandler, and a low
key little place, N'hat, on Southern accross the street from the
College (try the roasted shrimp).

You mean MCC up at Southern and Dobson?

The best Korean is (forget the name) at Ray and Kyrene, on
the SE corner, right near the Performance Bike shop.

Must be this: Gomo's, 5965 W Ray. Mine is Hodori in the mini-mall by

Yup. Gomo's. Good stuff.

--Blair

You mean MCC up at Southern and Dobson?




Nah. What's MCC - the little Viet. rest. nestled between Hodori and
Hong Kong Noodle? I don't know what that place is all about. It
usually has about zero customers. I tried it once and i can understand
why. N'Hat is a little east, on the north side of Southern, a bit hard
to see, right next to a chocolate store. It's just east of what used
to be my favorite place up there, and I still miss it, the
Chinese-Korean place - forget the name at the moment - it had a big
yellow sign - it's now a Chinese buffet. It closed following a vicious
robbery by a Chinese gang.

N'hat is just like a little two man operation. The Saigon place I
mentioned is MUCH more popular.




ww

You mean MCC up at Southern and Dobson?


Nah. What's MCC - the little Viet. rest. nestled between Hodori and
Hong Kong Noodle? I don't know what that place is all about. It
usually has about zero customers. I tried it once and i can understand

why. N'Hat is a little east, on the north side of Southern, a bit hard

to see, right next to a chocolate store. It's just east of what used
to be my favorite place up there, and I still miss it, the
Chinese-Korean place - forget the name at the moment - it had a big
yellow sign - it's now a Chinese buffet. It closed following a vicious

robbery by a Chinese gang.


N'hat is just like a little two man operation. The Saigon place I
mentioned is MUCH more popular.


ww

Tried Gomo's. Yep, very good place. My only complaint was the salad
appetizer, 100% iceberg lettuce. But it's now my current favorite AZ
Korean restaurant. It says "Grand opening" outside, so i guess it's
pretty new.

I also tried to find a Korean place called Arang that i saw advertised
in an Asian newspaper, but I went to the address and didn't see it.

By the way, some Asian newspapers have coupons for Lee's Sandwiches
(Dobson and Warner), free coffee, etc.

wrote:
You mean MCC up at Southern and Dobson?


Nah. What's MCC -

Mesa Community College.

Where is this place you're talking about? Southern's a long road.
What's the major corner near it?

--Blair