To be honest, as I've started to explore more of the newer restaurants and eateries dotted along West Portal, I never would've guessed that Sushi Sheng would end up being one of the best. Not that I assumed it wouldn't be, but I just figured it was like so many other neighborhood Japanese restaurants - great for the area, but otherwise nothing all that special. However, as so many of my fellow Yelpers have already attested to, the food here is far better than that!
From the outside, the look of this place is rather unassuming, but the inside has a cozy sort of vibe, especially given the handful of booths they have. As for the menu, it'd almost be impossible not to find a dish you'd be curious about. From their lengthy assortment of appetizers, bentos, entrees, rice plates, and donburis to their long list of sashimi, nigiri, rolls, and omakase options, there was no shortage of dishes that piqued my interest than I could count. So much so, in fact, that after thoroughly enjoying my first trip here with friends, we've ended up making several trips back for more!
-- HAMACHI NIGIRI (2pcs)...$8.25
Pretty straightforward, but in a good way. The cut of hamachi was slightly on the larger side, the rice was great, and the flavors were exactly what you'd want them to be - fresh and delicious.
-- ROMEO & JULIET ROLL - Salmon and Avocado Topped with Scallops, Tobiko, Mayo, and Scallions...$18.99
This was terrific! Obviously, it helps that salmon, scallops, and avocado go so well together, but regardless, this tasted so good. The salmon and avocado were fairly thick and I loved the slices of scallop on top.
-- GIANTS ROLL - Shrimp Tempura, Snow Crab, and Avocado Topped with Fresh Salmon and Special Onion Sauce...$17.99
Even though I'm not sold on the onion sauce (it's not bad, just not expected), I thought this was pretty good! The shrimp tempura still had some crunch and they didn't skimp out on the salmon.
-- LUNCH BENTO BOX COMBINATION - Agedashi Tofu, Tonkatsu, and Saba Shioyaki...$23.99 (lunch)
Mostly solid. The Saba Shioyaki was a tad disappointing (I wish the taste hadn't been so subtle), but the Tonkatsu was surprisingly moist and I liked the Agedashi Tofu (the batter had a slight gumminess, in a good way).
-- CHICKEN KATSU CURRY RICE - Breaded Fried Chicken with Curry and Rice...$20.99
Although the piece katsu wasn't the biggest I've had, this wasn't too shabby. The batter was super crispy and the chicken itself was super juicy. That said, the curry itself could've used more of a punch.
-- SOFT SHELL CRAB - Deep Fried Breaded Soft Shell Crab...$13.99
Admittedly, I didn't love seeing it served in its original form, but the taste of this was spot on. The batter was thin and crisp, the crab was meaty and flavorful, and the whole thing wasn't super oily.
-- CHICKEN KARAAGE - Marinated Fried Chicken with Mayo...$13.99
Given its dark coloring, I thought this was going to be crunchy and overcooked, but it was actually the opposite - the outside was more soft than crispy while the inside was actually quite juicy.
-- SUSHI COMBO - Chef's Choice of Nigiri (6pcs), Sashimi (4pcs), and California Roll...$30.99
Not the sexiest combo, but, for the money, this was a pretty decent deal. The cuts of salmon and tuna were really thick and the California Roll had a good ratio of filling to rice. As for the nigiri, all of them were fresh, but my favorites were easily the toro and salmon.
-- ICHIBAN ROLL - Mixed Fish and Avocado Topped with Spicy Scallops, Crunchy Garlic, and Wasabi Soy...$16.99
As suspicious as "mixed fish" sounded, this was terrific! I liked how there were various cuts of fish (mostly salmon and snapper), but the scallops were the best part - fresh with a touch of heat from the chili crisp oil.
-- OMAKASE - 10pcs Chef's Choice Nigiri...$52.99
Unfortunately, I couldn't catch all of the cuts, but I could easily identify my favorites - the two cuts of toro, the salmon belly, and the hotate were all fantastic. Not that the rest were lacking by any means!
Along with the food, the other thing I really like about Sushi Sheng is the service. Each time I've been here, they've always been so friendly and attentive, stopping to check in without being overbearing. If I had one (semi-)knock about this place, it's that some of the prices feel a little much for what you get. Maybe it's because I've seen lower prices across some of my recent travels, but $21 for a chicken katsu curry and $14 for chicken karaage felt oddly high, especially considering how just as many things felt fairly priced.
Price aside, there's no question for me that Sushi Sheng stands out from SF's many other neighborhood Japanese restaurants. Granted, I don't think their cooked entrees amaze, but they're still perfectly fine and I'll absolutely be back for their omakase and sushi options. All in all, FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more