Sushi Kuni - Cupertino

I can't write this without gushing, Sushi Kuni is my absolute favorite sushi place in the south bay. Everything is really fresh, and prepared perfectly.

The restaurant itself is tiny, and only seats about 35 people. What I love is that it looks like a house that fell off the back of a truck in the middle of a strip mall.

The first time we went, we ordered the omakase sushi platter. Every roll was excellent, but the 2 that stood out were the Seared Scallop (Hotate) Roll, and the Octopus Roll. I have had octopus and squid at many places, but this was the first time ever it was tender, instead of rubbery and chewy.

There for dinner recently, we did kinda overdo it, but hey, there are worse things one can do... We had Futomaki Rolls, Chicken Skewers, Eel (Unagi), Octopus (Tako) Rolls, a cold Chawanmushi, with Sea Urchin (Uni), and Salmon Roe, Yellowtail (Hamachi) Sashimi, Hotate rolls, and Nabeyaki Soba. 

The sushi is always great, the fish is really fresh, and the flavors are a perfect balance. The Futomaki rolls were really yummy but on the large side -- nearly impossible to eat in one bite, and definitely impossible to eat elegantly.

The chawanmushi, something you don't see on a lot of menus, was silky smooth, and the salty roe and sea urchin provided contrast, and the daikon micro greens added the perfect bite.

The hotate rolls (not pictured) were one of the most unusual rolls I have ever eaten. It is seared scallop on rice with a spicy sauce. We ate this without the customary wasabi and soy sauce. It was one of the best rolls I have ever eaten. The scallops are silky soft, and the spicy sauce is a perfect contrast.

Sushi Kuni
(From Top Left - Futomaki Rolls, Chicken Skewers,
Unagi & Tako Rolls, Chawanmushi, with Uni Ikura,
Hamachi Sashimi, and Nabeyaki Soba)

If you are not into sushi, the nabeyaki soba is a comforting dish, the noodles are perfectly cooked and the broth is the very definition of umami.

Chef Kuni personally makes most of the rolls, and is always at the restaurant. Be sure to say hi to him when you make it there.

Bottom Line:

Price - $$
Ambience - Casual
Vegetarian Friendly - Yes

KoJa Kitchen - Food Truck

Their tag line -- Korean-Japanese reinvented. I concur!

I first tried KoJa Kitchen at one of their Saturday shindigs in the Garden City parking lot in San Jose. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had vegan/vegetarian entrees on their menu. Not something I expect of food trucks, let alone food trucks that serve Korean or Japanese food!

KoJa Kitchen
(Clockwise from Top Right - Mochimisu,
BBQ Beef KoJa and Kamikaze Fries)

I got the Teriyaki Zen with Pineapple (its vegan!), with a side if their vegetarian Kamikaze fries. Not always a fan of teriyaki, or pineapple in my food, I wasn't sure what to expect. The sandwich, served between perfectly cooked rice cakes, was amazing! The rice keeps the Asian feel going, with a perfectly crisp crust. The patty is well seasoned, and the sweetness of the teriyaki and pineapple contrast the spice perfectly.

The traditional Kamikaze fries come topped with beef, but they also have a vegetarian version, which I had to get! The cashier asked whether the kimchi sauce would still be okay since it includes shellfish, its amazing that they are so sensitive to the fact that some people don't eat any meat or seafood!

The rest of the gang got the BBQ Beef KoJa which was also a huge hit! That plus the fries is a pretty large meal though, so make sure you are hungry enough. We also got the Mochimisu (who can resist that name!?) - a tiramisu that uses Japanese mochi in the middle instead of the traditional lady fingers. The result is a definite triumph -- the tiramisu is every bit as decadent as should be, and the mochi adds just the perfect amount of chewiness to it.

All in all, a very successful fusion in my opinion. Don't take my word for it, go judge for yourself!

Find KoJa and many other food trucks near you - http://mvblfeast.com/

Bottom Line:
Price - $
Ambience - Casual

Vegetarian Friendly - Yes

Sushi Lover - Belmont

Not a place you would think to look for a restaurant, let alone a sushi place... Sandwiched between a chiropractor's office and a dry cleaning store, Sushi Lover has been serving fresh, high quality sushi since 2010.

The menu is a combination of staples like steamed edamame, sushi rolls, sashimi, etc. They also have some uniquely named rolls that are intriguing. No matter what you order, the fish is always really fresh and high quality, making it a really good, satisfying meal.

Some of our favorites are the refreshing Sunomono Salad - a cucumber and seaweed salad with seafood, the Salmon Skin Handroll, and the Salmon Backbone.

Contrary to what the salmon backbone dish sounds like, they don't actually get all the meat off the bone when they filet a fish. The remnants are really good for a fish broth, or as Chef KC does, grilled, served with a light Teriyaki glaze. The result is a tender flaky treat!

Perhaps these dishes are available at most sushi places, but this was the first place I had ever tried them, and they are all stellar.

Sushi Lover
(Clockwise from top right: Gyoza, Sunomono Salad
Salmon Backbone, Salmon Skin Handroll)

 They also have a lot of vegetarian options, including sushi rolls, tempura, and much more. If you haven't been, go try them. Today!

Bottom Line:
Price - $
Ambience - Casual

Vegetarian Friendly - Yes

Ramen Halu - San Jose

Can you tell we love ramen? Seriously, it doesn't get much better than ramen if you are looking for comfort in a bowl.

Ramen Halu, is a treasure in this little strip mall in San Jose. The simple decor reflects the surfer side of chef Kumao. The menu is a good mix of small plates, and ramen.

Our favourite small plates include the Age Dashi Nasu - deep fried eggplant in dashi, the Hiya Yakko - Fresh cold tofu with Japanese relish, and the non fried croquettes.

Their ramen however, is the reason to visit. They have 5 different types of broth, and a few varieties of noodles. The Tsukemen is probably the most unique. Also called the dipping ramen, this is a deconstructed ramen that comes with the broth to dip the noodles and the toppings in, and a side of hot water that you can add to your broth to drink it at the end of your meal.

The winner of the ramen round however, is the Tantanmen.  Tantanmen is inspired by dandanmian, a spicy noodle soup originating in Szechuan Province of southwestern China.

The rich, and spicy broth is dominated by the taste if  sesame. Unlike many of the other ramen bowls, this one comes with ground meat. One bowl, and I promise you will be hooked!

If it is too spicy, you can cool off with a Japanese soda - Ramune, available in a few different flavors (Original, Orange, Melon, Strawberry, and Litchi), that is if you can get it open (this involves a strong thumb, and stronger determination!

Ramen Halu
(Clockwise from top left: Lichi Ramune, Hiya Yakko,
Tantanmen, Age Dashi Nasu, Cold Tofu)

On a diet, or just not hungry enough to eat an entire bowl of ramen? They have a small plate, sort of like a salad, that has all the toppings that go into ramen.

This place is a gem, definitely add this to your restaurant bucket list. Assuming of course that you are not already driving there...

Bottom Line:
Price - $
Ambience - Casual

Vegetarian Friendly - No

Mizu - San Jose

If you live around West San Jose, or frequent Santana Row or Valley Fair, chances are you have driven by this place. Located in a non descript strip mall between a gas station, and a flower stall, Mizu always seems to have a crowd waiting outside at dinner time.



Strawberry Mojito
and Spiced Pear Martini


2 things that make it worth the wait are, a full bar with enticing drinks, and innovative food.


The drink menu features cocktails with Asian flair. Drinks made with lychee, pears, mandarin vodka and so much more.


For those who favor sake, wine or beer the bar has many options for you too.






Now, for the main event - the food. Fresh fish is the first necessity for great sushi, add creative flavor combinations, and you have a menu guaranteed to please.

Not in the mood for sushi? Not a problem, they have udon, katsu and much more, including a few Korean dishes. Vegetarians, do not despair. Mizu has something for you too!




Whether lunch, or dinner, Mizu has something for everyone, go see what the fuss is all about!

Bottom Line:
Price - $$
Ambience - Trendy
Vegetarian Friendly - Yes

Ramen Dojo - San Mateo

Theres nothing like a bowl full of yummy goodness to make they day better. We stumbled upon Ramen Dojo when trying to find a central location to catch up with ex colleagues...

With over 1300 reviews on Yelp, this place was an instant winner. What we were not prepared for was the wait. This is a very popular lunch location, and with capacity to seat only about 30 people at a time, you must get here early. They open for lunch at 11:30 AM, so be sure to be there by then at the latest to get in on the first seating.

They have 3 choices of broth - soy sauce, garlic pork, and miso. Our favorite is the garlic pork (extra spicy).

The ramen comes with 2 slices of slow roasted pork, mushrooms, fried garlic and chives, and is topped off with a quail egg, so if there is one extra topping we think is a must add, it is the bamboo shoot. The texture adds a lot to a bowl that is already perfect! And at $9.50 a bowl, there is no question that it is great value for money.

Ramen Dojo

If you are a ramen fan, this place is a definite must do!

Bottom Line:
Price - $
Ambience - Casual
Vegetarian friendly - No