It's unfortunate but I was pretty disappointed with my recent experience at Kimono Sushi. This small sushi restaurant used to be my absolute favorite spot to stop at on my way from the East Bay out to Fresno and the Central Valley for work. I really loved this spot.
The first time I ever came to this restaurant and tried their Ichiban Maki, I was hooked, because the knife skills needed to cut the cucumber so thin in order to literally make a sushi roll wrapped in a cucumber was amazing to me. But like many restaurants, I feel like it no longer gives me that same exciting feeling when I go there, and I definitely do not feel that I get the same value that I used to get. Very different today from how it was 2 years ago.
In my most recent visit, I sat at the sushi bar like I usually do. When I placed my order, the waitress let me know that they were out of the Ichiban Maki, because they were out of the thin cucumber wrap. It's not that they buy this. The chefs have to make it and they have to cut it themselves. I know this is a tedious process cuz I've watch them do it myself in a previous visit. Ironically, there were two sushi chefs behind the sushi bar just standing there when I was ordering. I guess it's easier just to say that you're out of something rather than have your sushi chefs spend the time cutting up more cucumber wrap. Being that this is one of your most popular roles, I would think that it would be important to always have the cucumber wrap available. And if you do run out, maybe you would ask your your sushi chefs to start cutting some more instead of just standing there talking behind the counter. But maybe I'm just crazy.
Either way, I ordered the Ichiban anyways, and instead I substituted soy paper wrap for the cucumber wrap. I order the ichiban all the time because it doesn't contain rice. So wrapping it in soy paper is just another way to wrap the roll and still enjoy a roll that doesn't have rice.
The problem is, this is a $14.95 roll and what I got on my plate was something the size of a $5 roll. This thing wasn't even big enough to be calling an appetizer. I pointed it out to the chef and he just started at me like (you get what you get). I was kinda shocked but I didn't say anything more. Just ate my little roll and moved on.
I also ordered a raging fire roll which does contain rice. My hope was at least with this roll, I would enjoy it and leave the restaurant feeling filled and satisfied. No such luck. Once again, I got a roll that was extremely small, covered in sauce and definitely not worth $15. It was basically the size of a cucumber making roll that I buy for my kids. But a cucumber making roll is $4 or $5. This roll is $15 and again one of their "Chef Specialty Rolls". Super embarrassing if this is what you serve as your chef specialty.
Thankfully for me, I had started my meal with two appetizers. The nigiri sushi app and the sake fin. Both were great, but they are appetizers. What can I say.
In the end, I spent $60 by myself to stop and grab dinner on my drive. Frankly, I left still feeling a little hungry. I know that sounds crazy being that I ordered two appetizers, two sushi rolls and a miso soup, but I'm not kidding. I was pretty disappointed.
Maybe it was an off night for the chef. Even the best restaurants and chefs have bad nights. I may give this restaurant another try at some point because I still love the Ichiban Maki when it is made properly, but if my next experience is like this one, and if I continue to see sushi rolls the size of my pinky, it may be my last experience.
Sushi is expensive enough as it is. The next time, if I do go back, if they serve me a what received tonight, I would probably send it back. Be better. Maintain high quality and provide value, and your customers will stay loyal. If you head down the cheap road, you will end up with a very quiet restaurant. read more