O Ya, Boston MA

Save for the newly appointed Restaurant at Meadowood the only stateside Michelin 3-Star I’ve not yet been is MASA and considering how frequently I visit New York this is admittedly no accident. Call me crazy or call me unrefined but when you grow up in the Midwest the difference between fish here and the fish at almost any costal location is so profound that I just can not fathom spending nearly $500 (and not being allowed to take pictures) on “amazing” sushi when I could be nearly (or just as) impressed by a meal one quarter the price at a “good-to-great” costal sushi spot. With all that said, however, my interest was peaked when review after review and friend after friend told me Boston had something different–that there was a place doing “sushi” in a way that not only featured the freshest fish and designer ingredients but also found a way to make the food and experience something totally different and entirely unlike anything else out there; that place was O Ya.

A frequent reader of Food and Wine plus many blogs and newspaper articles I’d obviously heard of O Ya – it was hard to miss given the fact that the small location in Boston’s leather district had once been named The Best New Restaurant in America by Bruni and owner/chef Tim Cushman had nabbed Food & Wine’s Best New Chef award the same year. With the restaurant seating a mere three-dozen my reservations were made far in advance and even despite my late hour of arrival the place was packed throughout my visit –some folks drinking a bit of sake and eating a couple plates while others opted to indulge in the $250 long-style tasting menu and any combination in between. Having requested a seat at the sixteen stool bar I arrived slightly early for my reservation and greeted by Nancy Cushman and a pair of hostesses my bag was taken and I was led quickly to the seat I would inhabit for the next 160 blissful minutes.

With my seat directly before one of the three sushi chefs and my water filled by an astute young man who would keep me filled to the brim throughout the meal the next person to greet me would be my captain of the evening, Jessica, who presented the luxury tasting menu along with the a la carte menu and a sake/wine list. Explaining to me also that there was the option for a chef’s omakase that could be constructed for $160 and tailored to the diner’s likes while focusing on the restaurants signatures and whatever was most fresh I spent a few minutes deciding and eventually opted for the omakase as opposed to the luxury menu largely because the luxury contained two beef courses, but also because I decided putting myself in the chefs’ hands with the notes of “no beef, but as many foie gras courses as they would like to serve” seemed like a grand idea.

With Jessica returning to the kitchen after a smile and a “good choice,” the meal would start slow as the overhead stereo delighted with Radiohead and Led Zeppelin bouncing about the high ceiling of the former firehouse and as I waited for my first course I would be pleasantly entertained not only by the sushi chefs and action in the largely visible kitchen, but also by the smiles, oohs, and aahs of nearly everyone around me. With dish after dish presenting something new and unique – certainly not your standard salmon on some sticky rice – I watched with great interest as items were torched, sous-vided, grilled, foamed, sliced, seared, and assembled. While not as interactive as many of the sushi bars I have seen, the level of skill was undeniable and during the rare moments when the sushi chefs were not working on a specific plate they were smiling, conversant, and clearly enjoying their clients reactions to the complex flavors of each and every dish.

Seated for perhaps twenty minutes hoping that each impressive creation that passed before my eyes would be included in my menu, my first bite of O Ya was a single Kumamoto Oyster with watermelon pearls and cucumber mignonette. Served on ice and bracing in its sweet/salty balance punctuated by a creamy gush on biting into the oyster this was the sort of raw oyster that even I, a man generally unimpressed by uncooked mollusks, could learn to like.

With the pacing tending towards a new plate every 7-10 minutes my second of the twenty courses would be Hamachi with spicy banana pepper mousse – an intriguing preparation with the lightly torched fish characteristically clean and a bit smoky, but with extra “oomph” added by the acidic sweetness of the pepper that brought out some of the more flavorful notes of the otherwise mild fish.

Noting in advance my overall blasé feeling for both salmon and overpowering citrus flavor, course three would be my least favorite of the night and – to be fair – the only dish out of twenty that didn’t work for me. Titled Salmon with unfiltered wheat soy moromi and yuzu the salmon was reportedly wild caught and actually quite good in texture and flavor; what didn’t work for me however was the bracing fermented wheat and yuzu combination which smelled something akin to waterless hand sanitizer – not a good thing and even with the characteristic heft of salmon totally overwhelming.

With that single disagreeable bite behind me the next sixteen savories would literally serve as a perception altering foray into the world of Chef Cushman and teams’ brilliance – the first eye opener entitled “Warm eel with thai basil, kabayaki, fresh Kyoto sansho.” Served over slightly sweetened rice and indeed warm I was explained that this slice of eel was originally dipped in soy and then broiled prior to a quick pan searing of the skin to create a dramatic effect with the fish crispy on one side and creamy on the other. Not settling for a simple great piece of eel the addition of sansho and thai basil gave the bite an earthy flavor with top notes resembling anise that melded well with the unctuous flavor of the fish.

Next up – a slice of chutoro as thin, fatty, and as perfect as one would expect. Described as “Peruvian style kindai bluefin chutoro tataki with aji panca sauce and cilantro pesto” this was one of my favorite courses of the night and having never heard of aju panca in the past I was told it was a form of sweet Peruvian pepper the chef fancied for pairing with more subtle fishes, particularly tuna, and all-in-all I must say it was an inspired choice acting to not only accent the buttery fish but to also serve counterpoint to the bold flavor of the pesto.

Arriving sixth would be a dish I couldn’t help but hear my neighbors gushing over and although it really did not seem like much at first the moment I tasted “Homemade Russian fingerling potato chip with summer truffle” I immediately understood why. Featuring a single razor thin chip, crisp and buttery as possible and topped with nothing but a bit of chive, crème fraiche, and a slice of truffle this was simplicity done well – chips and dip perfected – all perched peculiarly atop hand formed sushi rice.

Following the chip, Wild Santa Barbara spot prawn with garlic butter, white soy, and preserved yuzu was a relatively straight forward presentation and with the jellied yuzu intensely sweet to offset the punchy garlic this snappy torched shrimp was delicate and flavorful yet nicely balanced with a saline top note from a quick paint-brushing of white soy prior to service.

Reverting back to the first course and amongst my favorite bites of the menu, dish eight would present Fried Kumamoto Oyster with yuzu kosho aioli and squid ink bubbles. An extremely dynamic presentation both to the eyes and to the mouth this morsel featured a single oyster – tempura crisp and buttery outside but liquid, briny, and slightly sweet within topped with a frothy amalgam of tart citrus, a bit of spice, and a lot of brine that permeated the nostrils the moment it entered the mouth and clung to the palate well after the bite was gone. I could have (and should have) ordered an a la carte round of these simply to experience it again.

Nearing the midway point of the menu, Kyoto style morel mushrooms with garlic and soy was a great followup to the oyster in its earthy simplicity – no tricks, no gimmicks, just an excellent morel with some traditional seasoning and rice – if you like morels you would like this dish and from my standpoint I like morels as much as I like truffles and this meaty specimen wad excellent.

For my next course I was granted a gift – the only dish of the evening not on the menu and described by Jessica as “something the chef has been working with – he wanted to send this out since you said you like foie gras; he calls it Foie Gras spoon with miso and yuzu.” Served as stated on a wooden spoon I’d actually seen something similar to this before at Alinea and on inquiring how it was done the technique was confirmed as the foie was first house cured, then blanched and frozen before being pushed through a sieve and then dehydrated to form the creamy microspheres that melted on the tongue into a creamy pool lightly accented with savory miso and candied yuzu.

Course eleven would arrive on hand-blown glass plate and was titled Shima Aji and Hokkaido Sea Urchin ceviche vinaigrette with cilantro – it would be the heftiest flavor of the evening save for the final savory and also amongst the most refined services of a jack fish or mackerel that I have experienced. With rosy flesh and silver scale plus a ribbon of fat betraying its cold water sourcing the fish itself was slightly sweet and firm yet supple – a truly perfect specimen – but what truly put the plate over the top was the urchin vinegar pairing with the two distinct flavors literally melting into one indescribable taste that only punctuated the complexity of the fish.

With the restaurant now starting to empty as the hour neared 10:30 the soundtrack slowly shifted to some heavier more modern tunes including the Silversun Pickups and Pearl Jam and with that my next course would arrive in a steaming basket. Annotated as “Arctic Char – yuzu cured with smoked sesame brittle, cumin aioli, cilantro” this warmed preparation was uncovered at presentation and with a puff of steam the air immediately filled with a smoky grilled aroma yet the dish itself would be merely warm as the scent lied beneath. Meaty and flavorful, slightly sweet but more so a mélange of spices and a lovely balance of textures from the smooth fish, crunchy brittle, and creamy aioli – another resounding success.

For lucky number thirteen another sashimi course would arrive – this time Kindai Bluefin Tuna Tataki with smoky pickled onion and truffle oil. Another return to more traditional flavors and topped with strings of daikon the tuna itself was as good as one would expect at a restaurant such as O Ya while the savory onion and aromatic truffle oil served to accentuate the more “meaty” tones of the fish.

With the tastes and textures now clearly progressing towards the heavier end of the spectrum my request for a foie gras heavy menu would be realized with three of the last six savories – the first of which was “Seared diver scallop and Foie gras, Shiso grapes, Vin Cotto,” an intriguing “surf n’ turf” served on a nearly eighteen inch long plate. Starting first with the scallop and foie gras my favorite aspect of this dish was the manner in which Cushman chose to prepare them nearly identically – cool at the base and crispy caramelized atop (though the foie was notably sous vided prior to meeting the pan) – a unique flavor contrast to be sure. With the proteins at the centered and minimally adorned the next step in this plate’s success was the ‘choose your own adventure’ aspect of it; an open invitation to explore the nuances of the scallop and liver with toppings including tangy vinegar, tiny grapes dotted with bits of shiso paste, and a thick puree of what I believe was chestnut and spices – this would be the first time in the meal I utilized my fork and knife, largely because I didn’t want it to go to fast.

Next up, “Shiso tempura with grilled lobster, charred tomato and ponzu aioli,” a dish that seemingly took notes from Chef Thomas Keller’s playful manner of undermining the ‘wow-factor’ of lobster by naming other ingredients first, yet in this case appropriate given the impact of the crispy leaf of savory shiso on the dish – an impact that when combined with the creamy ponzu and smoky tomato lent this dish a nearly “BLT” tone with a lot more pizzazz.

Course sixteen would be one of the most talked about on O Ya’s continuous rotation partially because of Bruni’s glowing review of it but also because it really is quite good. Titled Grilled Chanterelle and Shitake mushroom sashimi with rosemary garlic oil, sesame froth, soy and featuring lightly sautéed strips of sliced mushroom tinged with notes of both soy and rosemary for myself the highlight of this dish was actually the “froth” – the very essence of woodsy mushrooms and earth with crunchy bits of sesame punctuating the otherwise creamy and smooth experience.

Originally Chinese but now adopted by Japanese culture as well, gyoza seemed a logical choice for the O Ya menu and if one is going to make dumplings why not fill it with something delicious – and top it with something equally excellent? Entitled Foie Gras gyoza with Kyoto sansho and pink peppercorns, course seventeen would prove to be the most substantial of the meal and also the most spicy. With the dumplings nearly translucent and the creamy filling also used as garnish the sapor of liver was notable throughout, yet by utilizing the peppercorn/sansho/crisp bacon garnish there was nothing simple or one-dimensional about this plate and as a matter of fact despite not generally enjoying a lot of heat this may have been my favorite uses of whole peppercorns ever.

For my “final savory” of the evening I was served Tea Brined Fried Pork Ribs with hot sesame oil, honey, and scallions, a relatively straight forward dish with a pleasant balance of sweet and spice overlying crisp skin, succulent meat, and melting cartilage.

Having noted that the prior dish was my final savory, dessert was next – and it too contained Foie Gras. With a slender glass arriving first and filled with a shot of 13 year old sake the final course of my omakase was titled “Foie gras with balsamic chocolate kabayaki, raisin cocoa pulp, sip of aged sake” and like the rest of O Ya’s signatures it did not disappoint. Perfectly seared and served still sizzling the foie itself was lovely while the combination of raisin, cocoa, and balsamic lent a sweet and aromatic top note that only became more pronounced with a sip of the semi-sweet sake.

With the clock reaching 11:15 my server would arrive to ask if I’d like to try dessert and never one to pass on at least looking at the menu I knew the moment I saw it that the Tres Leches soaked Boston Crème Pie with cocoa crumble and sesame was a must. Priced at $12 and served as a sort of angel food cake with cream filling absolutely drenched in sweet milk and resting atop crumbled chocolate cake laced with notes of soy and cinnamon everything about this plate simply worked. Complex – for sure. The best Boston Crème Pie I had in Boston? Without a doubt – and in a trip that contained a number of stellar desserts it was certainly the most unique.

With the bill paid (well less than half the cost of MASA or Urasawa for those keeping tally) and a menu collected I made my way to the hostess stand after a bow from the sushi chefs and a “thank you for coming” from Nancy and within moments I was tucked into a cab en route for my hotel with not only some great food in my belly and some great memories in my mind, but also a new found appreciation for sushi and a new member of the Top-10 meals I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy in the United States.

Matsuhisa, Los Angeles CA

Dining with two who prefer their seafood cooked but wanting to have some high quality sushi during our most recent trip to LA there were a number of choices, but in the end I went with the most “LA” of the group. Considered by many to be the birthplace of Japanese fusion in the United States and having spawned greater than twenty “Nobu” restaurants around the world we were admittedly familiar with the branding of chef Matsuhisa when we arrived – even if a meal at Nobu New York seemed like a lifetime ago in May 2007. Having been only mildly impressed with what Nobu New York had to offer for the price I felt obligated to return with a more refined palate and more open mind.

Pulling up to the small space just moments after our 12:30 reservation we were once again greeted by a friendly valet - $6 if I recall correctly. With the weather sunny and clear we made our way to the small door where we entered to find ourselves nearly face to face with the hostess. Greeted pleasantly she noted our reservation and my request for a space close to the sushi bar without being at the sushi bar (aunt was afraid it would smell “fishy.”) Dressed in my Kings jersey I hadn’t even found my seat when I was greeted with “Go Kings Go” from a sushi chef who later introduced himself as Kiri-san as we chatted about the Kings recent offensive struggles. While I’ll note that talking to Kiri was one of the highlights of my meal, another was standing directly next to him – Nobuyuki Matsuhisa himself working the sushi bar.

Seated with water filled in a mere moments we were next handed menus – both the standard Matsuhisa menu and the daily specials of fresh fish and prepared items (replicated on a whiteboard near the window.) Browsing the options in addition to the scene – many regulars, a table of guys in suits talking music, and even a pair working on a script – as light Asian pop played overhead the restaurant definitely has an traditional feel to it with all the blonde woods and traditional lighting, but at the same time there is something entirely “swanky” with the spot lighting and energy of the room.

With an entirely Japanese workforce staffing the restaurant on this particular afternoon and the room nearly full I will note that this was one of the louder sushi spots I have been in, but at the same time the service was refined and all specials were explained at length, fishes described in great detail, and plates delivered and removed rapidly on completion. With Matsuhisa mostly working the sushi bar but occasionally coming out to greet diners (and to chat with me about Dustin Brown, the Kings captain) I’m sure the top notch service was in part due to his presence…or perhaps his presence was due to the fact that they knew a certain celebrity would be stopping in at the end of the lunch hour…y’know, that Raging Bull guy.

Orders placed the first items to arrive would be the house miso soup. A rather traditional presentation of the soup and filled with medium-firm tofu with scallions and saline broth I quite liked the simple presentation, especially as it was included as part of the lunch orders.

With Nobu himself slicing fish and teaching one of the younger sushi-san behind the counter we sat and talking for perhaps fifteen minutes before our main courses would arrive – and of course we checked out the interesting restroom, and myriad posters signed by various celebrities as well. When orders arrived, complete with instructions on what should and should not be consumed with soy sauce, we all chuckled as we realized my aunt would have to maneuver chopsticks…even if her order of Tempura and Chicken with Teriyaki should have been simple to handle. Featuring an orange imbued chicken teriyaki, salad with walnut vinaigrette, and lovely lightly battered shrimp, zucchini, onions, and pumpkin the dish was tasty and ample in portion – and provided plenty of entertainment to us which ended when a diligent server arrived with a fork (she’d refused to ask, but clearly it was too painful for him to watch.)

For my mother’s selection the decision would be her Japanese restaurant “go to” of Rock Shrimp Tempura with Ponzu. Lacking the creamy sauce that often overwhelms this dish at other spots this was perhaps the best Ponzu shrimp I’ve ever tasted with the creamy citrus flavors actually melded with the tempura batter. Light and succulent, tender and sweet, ample in portion and balanced with just a slight bit of chopped scallion – it’s not what I’d order at a sushi restaurant, but I was glad to have experienced it.

For my sister the decision was Matsuhisa’s Combination Sushi – a collection of eight standard fish nigiri plus a cut tuna roll. At $28 the plating included Shrimp, Egg, Squid, Salmon, Tai, Tuna, Egg, Saba and the Tuna Roll. As I mentioned earlier, sushi in Ohio is nothing special and my sister has been known to enjoy that at Whole Foods quite well, but she mentioned that everything was quite good.

For my lunch I opted for the “Special Sushi” featuring eleven of the daily fresh catch and inclusive of dessert for $50. Starring cuts of Medium Toro, Nishin, Jumbo Clam, Bonito, Shrimp with Eggs, Amberjack, Sea Eel, Kohada, Kinmedai, King Salmon, Japanese Giant Squid, and Egg the only flavor which I’d never experienced before was the Nishin – apparently a form of Herring that was quite fatty and potent, but tender and mellowed by a brushing of Yuzu. Considering a slice of Kinmedai was listed on the menu at $9 while the medium Toro (probably the best slice of fish I’ve ever eaten) was marked at $7.50 the value of this lunch was notable and the Giant Squid, Jumbo Clam, and Amberjack were all exemplary.

With dessert already included on my tab – a selection of daily ice cream or sorbet – the others decided to peruse the dessert menu and with little hesitation decisions were made. For my included dessert the choice was Honey Sorbet with fresh fruit, a creamy fructose laden tennis-ball-sized scoop paired with better fruit than we’ll see for the next 5 months in Ohio. Never one to just order ice cream for dessert I will note that this was one of the tastiest ice creams I’ve had in some time and the mouth feel was smooth as silk.

Knowing ice cream was not going to be fancy enough I also decided to taste Matushisa’s Mochi – Red Bean and Coffee flavors, also paired with fruit. Mild and sweet, a bit sticky but not at all gummy the mochi skins were excellent while the ice cream within was mild and creamy. Had I known my sister’s dessert was to come with coffee ice cream I’d have likely ordered something different, but I’m actually glad I didn’t because the flavor was that of sweetened black coffee and a lovely last taste for the meal.

For my sister’s dessert she would defy her dislike for green tea and embrace her love for Tiramisu in the form of Nobu’s famous Green Tea Tiramisu. Certainly not your traditional Italian style this slightly bitter cake was full of matcha flavor counterbalanced with what I can only assume was Cointreau given the boozy orange top notes. Creamy with mascarpone and nicely presented the dish was decidedly heavy – like most tiramisu – but at the same time smooth and airy. Paired with coffee ice cream, clearly a nod to the original, there may have been a bit of bitter on this plate but the sweet certainly wasn’t overshadowed.

The best dessert of the afternoon would belong to my mother - Banana cake with banana sorbet, caramel, and butter cream icing. A large round somewhere between bread pudding and angel food cake the texture of the cake was light and moist while the baked in caramelized bananas provided pockets of explosive sweetness. Topped with banana sauce, sticky caramel, and a spread of buttery icing before a large ball of banana ice cream (complete with chunks of frozen banana) was dropped atop the flavors were all familiar and although the least innovative, it was simply the most tasty.

The final dessert, my aunt’s choice, was a daily special - Gianduja Chocolate Fondue with Marshmallows, Ginger Cake, Fresh Fruit, Matcha Gelee, and Wafers. Featuring one of my favorite maker’s 62% dark chocolate melted atop a candle there was really no way this dessert could fail and it most certainly did not. With each fruit fresh and sweet and the marshmallows, cake, and wafers all prepared in house I have to say the Matcha Gelees did not appeal to my aunt, but I thought the bitter/bitter of dark chocolate atop matcha was really quite excellent.

With the bill settled I chatted a bit more with Kiri-san before we settled the bill and stood up from our seats. With Matsuhisa wishing us a farewell and a “go Kings” we made our way to collect the car from the valet…the valet who pull up with our rental Hyundai only moments before he would park the Mercedes of a living legend.

…sure we saw Robert DeNiro drive up in his Mercedes. Sure Nobuyuki Matsuhisa himself was cutting fish and plated a number of my sushi selections. Sure better fish can likely be found at a lower price in the Los Angeles area. Sure we couldn’t have been guaranteed some of the things we saw or tasted on the afternoon of December 23rd, but the fame and potential of such things were enough to prompt our Matsuhisa Beverly Hills reservations. In the end the simple fact is we don’t have good sushi, revolutionary sushi chefs, or celebrities (let alone perhaps the greatest actor of all time) in Ohio – and honestly, I would have been more than happy to settle for “great” as opposed to “killed on premises amazing” sushi at Matsuhisa even without the star gazing because the food and service were excellent – but I’m not going to lie, seeing Nobu and DeNiro was pretty cool.

Kihachi [2], Columbus OH

When I last visited Kihachi – almost 2 years ago despite it being less than a mile from my door – I stated “from the moment you enter the door to the moment you leave the experience is challenging yet simplified, complex yet refined, formal yet fun, and all-in-all wonderful.” but after that visit I’m afraid I fell out of love with the simple elegance of simplified cuisines and raw fishes…between work, studies, and living in the Midwest where there is a logistic limitation to the freshness of the fish I’d spent more time honing my palate in the formal realm of America’s best restaurants while on vacation than enjoying a culinary diamond in the rough in my own back yard. With that noted, I have to say I was excited when a colleague suggested a return visit to Kihachi – it is not often a friend has the money or inclination for such a place.

Planning around our schedules we decided Tuesday at 6:00 – the restaurant’s Mon-Sat opening time – would be ideal and arrived before the sign flipped from closed to open. The first persons to arrive in the restaurant we opted for counter seating and the restaurant quickly filled behind us – a situation no doubt somewhat due to Bourdain’s recently aired episode of No Reservations (actually filmed in November.) Greeted by the same two ladies who functioned as my translators/servers on the last visit water was filled promptly and service was exactly on par with previous, though items progressed from the kitchen slightly slower given the large crowd. Selecting between the “set menu” and the daily specials we each opted for four courses and then sat back to chat and watch Chef Mike’s masterful knife work. Sitting next to a pair of Japanese females the chef showed his preference for the language of his ancestors talking almost exclusively with the pair throughout the meal – he certainly seemed more personable on this visit than last.

For our first courses my dining companion ordered the baby octopus of my last visit while I opted for something new, a food I’d not yet encountered - the nightly special of Sea Cucumber with Melon, Lemon, and Seaweed in garlic soy broth. With a texture somewhere between Octopus and an actual cucumber I found the mildly sweet and snappy protein quite excellent while the mélange of sweet, sour, and salty in varying textures provided for a very appealing contrast – a well thought out dish, and a memorable one as well.

Our second courses would see my dining partner get two courses – the geoduck with miso and scallions (another dish I ordered on my previous visit) and the chef’s arranged tempura plate of fried japanese sweet potato, pumpkin, lotus root, shrimp, and octopus. For myself, the second course would entail my favorite dish of the night – a simple Otoro Roll with Ginger and Wasabi. Wound tightly and with just enough wasabi to add some heat the Fatty Tuna Belly was amongst the best I’ve had anywhere – and at $20 for twelve pieces much cheaper than I’ve had anywhere, as well.

Arriving shortly after my second course would be another sushi dish – this one much more interestingly paired. A box-style sushi that was interesting to watch the chef prepare, Sake Sea Bream with Lime and Mint would prove a very intoxicating concoction – the sweet fish painted with a bit of sake and the other constituents exuding hints of a mojito, but tamed enough by the savory fish and mild rice to prevent any one flavor from dominating the plate. Paired with a passion fruit infused soy sauce this dish was excellent.

Chatting some more while the burners were firing and the kitchen was working at a rapid pace we watched multiple other items come from the kitchen – fried mushrooms stuffed with shrimp, pork cheeks, a fried soft shell crab, amongst others. Shortly thereafter our main courses would arrive – simple, straight forward, salt-grilled Ayu. Served whole with the head on we each started from the tail and dissected upwards (tricky with chopsticks) identifying glandular meats as we went along. Salty, savory, perfectly crisp skin – and with liver and cheeks that trumped even the flesh…my only advice would be order this but skip the stomach.

When it was all said and done the four courses, tax, and tip rang in at just over $50 – certainly not cheap to say the least, but certainly not for a meal that you can find anywhere else in Columbus either. With all the debate going on about Bourdain’s strip malls and Applebee’s comment I still contest that I largely agree – but I’m also glad there are places like Kihachi in town to keep those of us who want a bit more from our cuisine happy. At some point I need to come back for the Omakase – perhaps when Uni season is back. Sushi restaurant or not, I still contest that Kihachi is the only place worth visiting for raw (or minimally cooked) fish in Central Ohio.