Category Archives: Peninsula & South Bay

Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi

Posted in Peninsula & South Bay by

While Old Town Sushi is all the rage in San Mateo, I discovered Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi last year. It surely didn’t disappoint. I recently went again and fell in love all over again. The shop is inconspicuously located in the alley of downtown San Mateo next to the movie theater. There’s not much of a wait but reservations are recommended for dinner.

We started with the baked baby scallop with uni. This dish was amazing! The creaminess from the uni was well balance with the scallop and roe.
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Gott’s Roadside

Posted in Napa Valley, Peninsula & South Bay, San Francisco by

Now that summer is in full swing, I love spending my weekends wine tasting in Napa. My first stop before drinking commences is fueling up at Gott’s Roadside. The original is located off of the 29 in Saint Helena on the way to the wineries. However, they also have one in the heart of Napa, at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and Palo Alto.IMG_2066
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KoJa Kitchen

Move out of the way ramen burger, rice patty burgers are in town. Koja Kitchen features a fusion of Korean and Japanese rice patty burgers. My favorites are the marinated kalbi (short rib), which is pictured above, or bulgolgi (brisket) sandwiches. The rice patties keep you full, and it keeps its shape throughout your enjoyment.

Normally sold in a food truck parked at the Truck Stop in the alley between Mission and First, they now have a brick and mortar shop in Berkeley. You can also pre order online for the Berkeley location. Below is a map of all their locations.

Amami

10 piece omakase for $33. Mine came with (front to back, left to right): kanpachi, red snapper, black snapper, wild salmon toro, shima aji, ocean trout, tuna, wild hamachi, baby lobster, chu-toro, and freshly grated wasabi.

I started with the black snapper. It was delectably sweet, which I didn’t expect. I had the red snapper next and didn’t find anything spectacular about it. The ocean trout was smooth and tasty. I was excited to taste the baby lobster but found it to be chewy. The chu-toro was also nothing spectacular. My favorite was the wild salmon toro. It was buttery and smooth. Overall, the fish was fresh but not all of them were amazing. There were some delicious ones but when I eat omakase, I expect all fish to be highlighted to its true potential. Next time, I would get the chirashi bowl ($18) or 20 piece sashimi ($35) instead. Those had HUGE slices of fish, so it’s definitely worth the price.

(1789 El Camino Real, San Bruno, CA 94066)