This is sushi from Kirala in Berkeley. Looks pretty eh? I'm really bad though at identifying sushi and all I can recognize now is the salmon and some kind of eel roll and perhaps spicy tuna.
A long, long time ago when I lived in the East Bay, Kirala was my local sushi haunt. I have fond memories of many meals here, and still regard it highly, for the nostalgia factor if nothing else.I just Googled it and lo and behold, on its website, Kirala describes itself as an excellent neighborhood restaurant. It does serve very good sushi, as well as robata and udon. It's not cheap, but what you'd expect from a solid sushi bar. Nigiri sushi is about $7 for two pieces, robata skewers about $4 and up, entrees $15 or so.
It's a small space, tables very close together, lively crowd at the sake bar. There's always a wait, even if you show up right when the restaurant opens. But it definitely has the feel of a neighborhood sushi bar, where patrons know the waiters and sushi chefs, where customers have so much fun chatting with each other at the sake bar, they decline going to their table just then. So sometimes you get their table and the wait isn't so bad after all.
2100 Ward St.
Berkeley, CA 97405
510-549-3486
Hi WC - I for one love those neighborhood sushi restaurants, where you can develop a relationship with the staff, and simply walk in and say "Omakse Shimasu"......and they'll know exactly what your preferences are.
ReplyDeletemy local joint, Yoshida in San Marino, loads their sushi up with tons of fish for regular patrons...not a bad perk :p
ReplyDeletehenry
Hi Kirk,
ReplyDeleteYou're the master. I've never developed that good of a relationship with any sushi chef.
Henry,
Hmm. I'll have to try Yoshida. Is it pricey though? I love my sushi but I can't always afford it. :(
Mmmm... Sushi...
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed that sushi is a lot more expensive in NorCal? Holdover from the dot-com boom, I think.
CP,
ReplyDeleteI think everything is more expensive in NorCal. That's why I couldn't afford to stay up there.