this post is filed under Cuisine - Japanese, Location - San Francisco
I'm finally back from my spring break. Boy, was it amazing. I spent 3 days sailing in the Whitsundays Islands, where we visited Whitehaven Beach, probably the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. Then we went up to Cape Tribulation, the world's oldest surviving rainforest. After that, I spent a day scuba diving and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. To finish things off, I went whitewater rafting in the Tully River.
After all the fun, I'm back in Sydney now. I had my first day of work today at Filtra Limited. It's a small company that does water filtration technology. It looks like it'll be a good time. My schedule should become pretty regular now, so hopefully I can update a little more consistently. I'm finally done with my France updates, and now I have to get through a big pile of SF and Vancouver meals before I start posting the Sydney stuff..
My first big meal after getting back home was at Ino Sushi. After 10 days of French food, my dad and I were eager to get back into some raw goodness. Ino has become our new favorite spot, and I do not hesitate to say that for straight up no frills sushi, Ino is serving some of the best in the Bay. It doesn't have any of the crazy inventive rolls, but when it comes down to it, I'll take traditional nigiri with a negitoromaki stuck in there over all the new age fancy stuff. Ino isn't cheap, but it's not outrageously expensive either, and I really like the simple, laid-back setting. I forgot to take down the price of this meal, but i'd guess it was a bit less than our last meal there, since we ate a bit less toro (and a bit less overall).
toro
A lot of people say you're supposed to start with lighter fish and build up to toro. My dad and I tend to disagree... I guess we're just gluttons and can't stand to wait. We always seem to get toro first. Ino consistently serves delicious, fatty, buttery stuff, and this time was no exception.
kanpachi
Last time, the kanpachi was a sleeper hit of the meal, so we decided to get it again. Still delicious, but not quite as heavenly as our last specimen. I'd still happily order this every time, but it lacked that extra something that the kanpachi last time had...
aji
Ino had this aji from Japan, and it was wonderful. It had a great texture and bounce to it, with a light fresh flavor.
shishamo maki
We happened to notice shishamo on the menu, something I didn't recognize. It's a whole grilled smelt, and we decided to try it in a hand roll. It had a very smoky flavor with a big crunch - a nice change of pace.
mirugai
Ino also had some fresh mirugai on special, and my dad was keen to get it. I don't normally enjoy clams, but this was great - light, fresh, and not overly rubbery.
ankimo
Ino is famous for his ankimo, and for some reason we didn't try it last time. My dad loves the stuff, but I'm just okay on it. Let me say right now that Ino's ankimo's reputation is absolutely well-deserved, as this ankimo blew any other ankimo I've had out of the water. It seems so cheap to make the simple foie gras comparison, but this stuff really did taste like a beautiful, rich foie gras. I guess you gotta try it to believe it. And at a fraction of the cost, this stuff is a total steal.
uni
I've become an absolute lover of uni, and I pretty much have to get some every time I eat sushi. The picture shows how bright and creamy this stuff is. Delicious.
negitoro maki
We of course had to get a negitoro maki each. I think Ino was pleased with us this meal cuz he cut each of us a nice, thick piece, and actually put a whole slice into the maki rather than the chopped leftover bits that usually go in. The result was a smooth, buttery roll.
My dad and I were really in a bit of a limbo for a while in searching for a favorite sushi bar. In the past year, Ino has cemented its hold on the crown. It's nearby and often not very crowded. The setting is simple and intimate, and the product is absolutely excellent. For those of you that like your sushi the old school way, Ino will not fail you.
I love these Ino reviews.
My girlfriend and I went there on our first trip to SF after reading your first entry. Best sushi I've ever had. We had omokase and I regret now not trying any of his handrolls after reading this.
posted by Billy on October 19, 2005 09:43 PM
Billy, I'm glad to be of service. I'm sure the omakase was great too, though. :)
posted by Arthur on October 23, 2005 09:56 AM
Everything here looks delicious. Have you had the Ahi Tuna Burger at Taylor's in the Ferry Building in SF? I tried it today and I was in love.
posted by John D. on October 28, 2005 10:51 PM