Sushi ceviche, Cinnamon Mochi,  Oboro Tofu condiments, Chirashi spicy daikonseaweedgluten-free soy sauce green tea ice creamvanilla Thanks for reading & Happy eating! Chow Down USA | Blogger Template Developed by“Thick, fresh cuts of sashimi, very fresh uni, and their live hotate is AMAZING.” “The service was so nice that we felt really taken care of.” “There's a lot of competition in the hood, but Jiro is a great guy with the freshest meltinginyourmouth fish.” Dining: Sushi 69 a San Anselmo gem Sushi chef Eiji Ando cuts fish at Sushi 69 in San Anselmo. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal) Sake sashimi is plump and has a tender, giving texture. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal) Cuisine: JapaneseService: Attentive Noise level: LowRecommended items: Tuna lily, blue fin toro top grade tuna belly, hamachi toro Japanese yellow tail belly, fish broth miso soup and daily specials Liquor selection: Sake, wine and beerCorkage: $15Heart-healthy and vegetarian selections: YesGluten-free selections: By requestOrganic offerings: YesDog friendly: NoParking: StreetHours: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays

, 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed SundaysCredit cards: All majorPrices: $10 to $18Reservations: NoSummary: Hiroyuki Makino has established his restaurant, with the subdued setting, as a serious sushi eater's destination, but varies the menu with small plate specialties. Beware the sushi seeker driven by hunger or late for a dinner date. Unless you know just where Sushi 69 is located, you might lose your way in the back alley of sleepy San Anselmo. The lack of prominent signage makes it seem like a secret, as does an unassuming exterior opening to a dimly lit vestibule. The small, L-shaped dining room is quietly alluring. One side offers intimate spaces for two to four, and the other has five shiny burgundy wood tables that run parallel to the sushi bar set with stools. A brightly illuminated patio, zipped up and powerfully heated in the cooler months, provides another area to eat. In the background, jazz music sets an overall mellow mood. Owner and sushi chef Hiroyuki Makino came to the U.S. 21 years ago from Tokyo.

He had gotten his training from a restaurant that brought him to a now-closed affiliate in San Francisco. Eventually, he branched out on his own with Akira Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant in San Rafael. Sushi 69 followed and as its popularity grew, he closed Akira. With a 10-year anniversary approaching and a small team of chefs now in place, Makino is in the process of expanding and will be opening a location in Petaluma in the spring. PHOTOS > SUSHI 69 The shared concept menu covers a fair amount of ground, beginning with a variety of ippin ryori, or small dishes. Listed first is 69’s chicken teriyaki with green salad ($20). Small pieces of organic thigh meat are lightly coated with a sweet, appealing sauce. Alongside is a piled high, colorful salad of mixed greens, radicchio and sliced tomato and avocado tossed with tangy rice vinegar and sesame dressing. Unless specified, orders come to the table all at once. The salad may have had more life and the chicken more heat if we hadn’t worked our way through other dishes first.

Other small dish items considered house specialties are tuna lily ($16), a seasoned fresh tuna tartar on five shrimp crackers, vegetable miso soup ($7) made with seven varieties, and Tataki albacore ($21). The later has a nice, even sear but is served cold, or was by the time we got to it. jiro dreams of sushi graphic novelIt’s buried beneath a heavy-handed helping of shoestring fried onions and comes with a side of ponzu sauce, a tasty combination of soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon, konbu (edible kelp) and Katsuobushi (dried bonito fish).sushi conveyor belt jakarta The list of fresh sushi and sashimi options hailing from all over the world is impressive. sushi grade fish cardiff

The hamachi toro Japanese yellow tail belly ($13 for two pieces of nigiri or $28 for six pieces of sashimi) is smooth and tender. The sake sashimi is plump and has a tender, giving texture. The vegetable and shrimp tempura ($17) is light and crisp with a good assortment of mostly large pieces — asparagus, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, eggplant, lotus fruit and shrimp. sushi london ontario commissionersThe batter is feather light but crunchy and satisfying.sushi grade tuna omaha Saki comes by the glass ($9 to $18) or bottle ($38 to $110) and the list has more than 25 premium selections. sushi grade fish boca ratonThe cold varieties arrive in a stemless glass nesting in ice. There are a limited number of California white wines by the glass ($8 to $10) and bottle ($30 to $38) and one red ($10 and $35).

For beer, the smooth Koshihikari ($9 for 17 ounces), made from rice lager, balances well with the sushi. Service was attentive with a few lapses after the food was delivered. It was a slow evening, so lingering wasn’t objectionable. The restaurant no longer takes reservations but that wasn’t a problem on my visits. With so much variety of high-quality sushi and sashimi, there’s a lot more to experience here. But be prepared for a pricey evening. Although the portions are as expected, the prices are high even by sushi restaurant standards. Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer. If you’re a sushi lover, then you are probably aware that it is an expensive love. The best Sushi chefs develop their craft over years of practice, experimentation and artistic development. It is not wonder that the end product can sometimes be outrageously expensive. The San Francisco area is no exception when it comes to sushi prices, but there are some gems in both the expensive and inexpensive Bay Area sushi bars.

The below list covers both ranges. From steep to cheap, low to WO!, and fine dining to sushi redefining, the following are a list of restaurants on both ends of the spectrum, taking from Yelp’s top 10 highest rated Bay Area sushi spots. Affordable – Let’s start with realistic prices for the young San Franciscan or tourist. If you’re like me, you cringe every time you spend over $100 on one meal (for me it’s actually more like $50). The following sushi establishments offer quality sushi at an affordable price. Sushi Time – Sushi Time is an extremely small place with about 5 tables to speak of. They may be short on cost and space, but they are definitely not short on taste. The local favorites are Astro Boy, Barbie Roll and GI Joe. If you frequent this establishment, then you “It’s Sushi Time!” is probably some sort of hilarious play-on-words inside joke. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not funny. Daigo Sushi – Excellent value is what you get at Daigo.

The sake flights are popular, and the sushi is brag-worthy. They also deliver, which is a huge bonus. Sushi Zone – You might not be the only one heading to Sushi Zone on any given night, but this tiny place is well worth the wait. The baked mussels are just one of the popular dishes, and we’re not talking about Arnold Schwarzenegger smoking weed. Elephant Sushi – It’s not what you think, Dumbo is still alive and well. Elephant Sushi is a hip place, and far from the norm when it comes to sushi establishments. Join them on reggae night, or check your head with the Beastie Boy, a popular dish named after the hip-hop gods. There are 2 locations. Eiji – Another gem in the heart of the city, located within a stone’s throw of the metro line (don’t you dare throw anything at that bus-looking train). Yelpers talk about the strawberry mochi tasting like it is straight from Japan. More Expensive – If you are looking to impress a date (or be impressed), or just need a classy night out on the town, head to one of these establishments.

Make sure to check your bank account balance before you head out, but rest assured, it will be well worth the money. Kusakabe  – Class all the way, this spot is located in the financial district. Try the toro or crispy fried tofu with crab or the Wagyu is also a favorite on Yelp. The a la carte menu might be a good place to start if you’re on a budget. Or if you are super-cheap, fill up on gas station food on your way there. Kiss Seafood – The seafood at Kiss is waiting to smooch with your lips, hoping for a little tongue action as well. Yelpers rave about the Special Omakase and describe a cozy atmosphere that you might not expect at higher-priced sushi spot. Zushi Puzzle – Master Chef Robert doesn’t mess around when it comes to ultra-delicious sushi. Their homemade sake will keep you warm! Tasty live uni is something to try and then write about it in a blog (it was delicious). KOO – Baby’s coo for all sorts of reasons, but usually when they are in the happiest of moods.