It's hard to look at this fat slice of tuna toro and imagine a meal anything less than swoon-worthy. Surprisingly, though, our dinner at Sausalito's famed Sushi Ran last weekend was equal parts thrill and disappointment.
Was it a fluke? Sushi Ran boasts a following unlike anything I've ever seen, a point that was obvious from the first. Zagat rated Sausalito’s one mega claim to dining fame a 27 last year, on par with restaurants like La Folie and the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton, and various online reviews, friends and fellow chowhounds raved.
When we entered the restaurant, built in a traditional Japanese style with wooden buildings fronting a small open courtyard and garden in back, both the main dining room and adjacent wine bar were bustling. We took a seat at a table near the sushi bar and I glanced at the wall next to me. There, two posters proclaimed Sushi Ran’s most loyal guests, year by year. Curious, I looked at the photos and started noting the number of visits each person had made. People who ranked 11 and 12 had made 60-70 odd visits in a year. What did it take to make #1? Drum roll, please.
458 visits. In one year. I looked up at Mr. Food Musings, astounded. “That means coming every single day for dinner, and another 90-some times for lunch!” Our mouths hung open in shock. I can’t think of any place I ever have eaten (or ever would want to) that many times.
Buoyed by the fervent addiction that we felt certain our meal was about to inspire, we reviewed the evening’s specials. Usually when I go out for sushi, that is what I order. But some of the rolls and hot dishes looked so good I had to try them, and they turned out to be the winners. But first, what to drink? The owner, a native Okinawan named Yoshi Tome, is a renowned wine lover and talented sommelier who steered us to a crisp rosé champagne by Soter. We loved every sip.
Our first course was a beautiful Kobe beef carpaccio cut into paper-thin slivers of soft, melt-in-your-mouth meat. We scooped it up with our chopsticks in seconds. We loved the next two dishes as well: the crunch roll, with eel and avocado tucked neatly inside and spicy fresh crabmeat,tobiko, a drizzle of sweet sauce and a shower of crispy tempura bits outside.
Then there was the star of the evening, a dish I ate so fast Mr. Food Musings had to snatch a few bites and safeguard them on his plate before I ate them, too. The caramelized shrimp had a nice peppery crust, the water chestnuts were crisp and the scallions charred. The rich brown sauce was equal parts salty, sweet and smooth.
Next was the aji (Spanish mackerel) and to this sushi I must give some kudos – it was good. The crawfish tekamaki we ordered just for the fun of things, and because New Orleans is on our minds lately. It came with a special sauce that did, in fact, remind me of McD’s. But it was good, a variation on remoulade or Thousand Island dressing.
So far, so good. A few outstanding dishes, and a great bottle of wine. We were humming. But then we get to the two orders of sashimi, one tuna toro and the other salmon. They both arrived beautifully marbled with fat, smelled fresh, and the salmon was lovingly displayed on Japanese pottery, which I’ve lately begun to appreciate more.
A word about salmon sashimi: it is the way I judge a sushi restaurant. Partly because it’s one of my favorite fishes – I love how buttery and soft it is when it’s good – and partly because if you can’t do a simple salmon sashimi well, your other fish is probably not very good. Salmon should never be fishy, grainy or chewy (ick!).
Tuna toro is another good indicator of quality, in my mind. And unfortunately, neither the salmon nor the toro impressed Mr. Food Musings or me. Was it bad? No, though the toro tasted like tuna, not the super unctuous and rich tuna belly I expected. But neither one was great. I’ve had better salmon consistently down the street at my little neighborhood sushi joint.
The raw fish definitely tempered my enthusiasm for Sushi Ran. Would I go back? Definitely, yes. The owner was kind and attentive, a great wine enthusiast, and many of the dishes were tastebud-defyingly excellent. But I will not be making the pilgrimage from the other side of the Bay anywhere near 458 times.
Sushi Ran, Sausalito, 107 Caledonia Street, 415.332.3620
Great report. I like how you told both sides of the issue - didn't just slam the place but didn't paint the experience too rosy either. Very realistic!
Posted by: Beth - The Zen Foodist | October 06, 2005 at 04:17 PM