Category: Japanese Restaurants

Having the Toroniku Hiyashi from Santouka

Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

Man, it’s been so hot this year….at least to me. It seems like there’s even less of a marine layer as well. I have to say, I’ve never really craved Hiyashi Chuka much….but for some reason this year…..I just needed something with a bit of an aaahh effect. So, I decided to head on over to Santouka which usually has a version every year…and of course they did.

They’re calling it Toroniku Hiyashi now…even though it’s been on this dish for years…even back in August of 2019 when I last had this here. Back then it was $12.50; these days, the cheapest version with Shoyu Tare is $16.50 for the “medium” size. Still, here I was and there was no going back into the summer heat without some Hiyashi Chuka. I got the shoyu version, medium size. I paid and was given the handy-dandy buzzer thing. And when it went off, I went to pick things up.

First thing I noticed was how much more toppings and garnishes there were from what I’d had before. It now featured corn, “krab”, a lot more eggs and kikurage (wood ear). And those slices of toroniku seemed quite large as well….or perhaps there were less noodles than what I’d had here before?

And since I’m doing this a lot these days – here’s what it looked like in August of 2019.

There was basically little or no strategy this time as I piled all the “stuffs” on.

Then did an initial mix….then added the pungent mustard…a must since the broth while slightly savory is on the milder side. Though this time, it had some nice sour tones, which I found refreshing; though I think a hint of sesame oil would be a big plus. The toppings were quite nice; though I leave the ginger out and use to cleanse my palate between bites. That cucumber, scallions, daikon sprouts were nice and refreshing; the corn added a nice sweet-crunch…the wood ear really added some crunch as well. Though there wasn’t enough tomato to make much of a difference and that fake crab really didn’t bring much to the dish other than an illusion of fancy?

The two slices of toroniku were fairly tender. And were quite large.

The noodles were perfectly cooked, nice and chewy the way I like it. I think it could be that that I preferred the ratio of broth to noodles this time around as well?

I don’t know if I’m getting soft in my old age; but I actually enjoyed it much more than I did when I last had this six years ago. It wasn’t perfect, but it did “hit the spot”.

Santouka Ramen
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd.(In the Mitsuwa Marketplace)
San Diego, CA 92111

So, please share what you’ve been dining on to beat this heat!

Boto Sushi (Del Mar)

Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

Waaaay back in November of last year, in the comments of my post on Ken Sushi Workshop, “FOYs” Dereck and Jack recommended Boto Sushi for good, reasonably priced sushi in the area. Now, the name gave me pause….I know that “boto” means “boat” in Japanese…but it has more of an interesting meaning back home in Hawaii. And that Jack, an ex-pat Kama’aina ate there cracked me up. So, of course after having some “kiki“, I needed to get some boto ummmm, check out Boto, hmmm….. you know what I mean, right?

The restaurant is located in a rather unassuming spot in Beachside Del Mar Shopping Center which is right off the I-5 on Del Mar Heights Road. This mall also cracks me up because it’s named Beachside, but is like over a mile from the beach!

The place opens at noon for lunch, which is right when I arrived. I took a seat at the long and rather expansive bar.

I was handed a sushi-sashimi check-off menu and also a food menu. Interesting thing I didn’t notice until right before I left; there’s a “Signature Dishes” and items “from Japan” written on the wall.

I would have ordered more items from that list, like shirako….still I did get a few items.

First up was some O-toro and Hotate (scallops).

The nigiri were pretty large; the rice decent.

The O-toro was sliced thick, which I kind of liked. Not quite as fatty as other versions I’ve had, but still quite good. Tender, buttery texture.

The Hotate was also quite large, I enjoyed the savory tare.

There was a kind of a fishy finish to it though.

The Hamachi looked really dry; but it was very tender.

The not overly invasive shari went well with this as I could make out almost a mild, creamy sweetness.

The Karaage was interesting.

It looked quite typical, flavor a bit on the saltier side, but perfectly fine.

Unfortunately, I believe the batter was mostly katakuriko…potato starch and was not crisp at all. I enjoy my karaage more crisp. Also, for some reason, the chicken thighs were super tough.

And the gummy coating just made things seem worse.

The last item was definitely the highlight of my meal. I ordered the Ankimo and was told they make it inhouse and it is a real specialty. Man, this was so good!

First off the texture was so creamy…..the flavor super savory, slight hint of the ocean, a touch of sweetness. Probably the best ankimo I’ve had in ages! I’d return just for this! So this really fills that category of “foie gras of the ocean”.

And so, in spite of the name, I might return to “get some Boto (I do mean to try the Shirako there)”! Ahem….I’m sure my “FOYs” Mar and Jack will get a kick out of that.

Boto Sushi Del Mar
2628 Del Mar Heights Rd.
Del Mar, CA 92014
Current Hours
Mon – Sat 12pm – 230pm, 4pm – 830pm
Closed on Sunday

Saturday Stuffs – The Signs for Marugame Udon, Pepper Lunch, and Chagee Tea are up. And the Missus’s Favorite Tea from the LV Farmers Market

Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Desserts, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Japanese Restaurants

Funny thing, on the days I shop at Zion Market, I’m usually quite focused….I just want to get in and then out of that crazy parking lot, dodge those aggressive shoppers, and perhaps even dodge flying fruits and vegetables. Frankly, I don’t shop at Zion too often these days.

And you know; I hadn’t even noticed that signs had gone up for businesses coming to the area. But on a recent weekend; I arrived before the opening time and without all the construction equipment and vehicles in the area I noticed the signs for several new businesses.

It was actually the sign for Marugame I noticed first.

Man, can you imagine folks lining up here like they do at UTC? Also, I cracked up seeing the “Coming Soon Spring 2026” sign! I guess I missed the Grand Opening? Maybe they should change that?

I believe the address is:

8316 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

And right in the back courtyard are these two signs.

Chagee Teahouse and Pepper Lunch, two more chains.

8322 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

It’s going to be interesting, since the parking situation here is already pretty bad. Plus, while the old Zion Market location seemed to have a few local mom-and-pop eateries in the food court along with chains like Cocohodo. It seems that based on the size and location of the businesses it’s all major chains. I’m hoping that the proposed Rooftop Foodhall for Zion will come to fruition.

The Missus’s favorite tea from Chafolio at the Linda Vista Farmers Market. So, before things got too hot around here, I decided to take JJ to the Linda Vista Farmers Market, which I hadn’t been to in a while. This young lady at the Chafolio stand was so sweet and nice.

That I went and bought a bag of Jasmine Green Tea…even though it was $30!

When the Missus got home, I showed Her the tea and She freaked out that it was so expensive.

But you know what? She made herself a cup and really enjoyed it!

So recently, after that bag of Jasmine ran out….guess where we went to?

The Missus enjoys the teas; even though it does cost thirty bucks a bag. Based on what I read on Chafolio website is that most of the tea comes from Fujian Province.

Chafolio is at a bunch of Farmer’s Markets in San Diego. More info here.

6939 Linda Vista Rd.
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Thursdays 2pm – 7pm

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Little Kiki Katsu & More (Carlsbad)

Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Japanese Restaurants

I heard about a Katsu place opening up in Carlsbad named Little Kiki. Now, of course the name of the place had my good friend “CC” cracking up….because, you know what that means in Filipino (Tagalog) slang, right? Then I noticed a bit of buzz being created on IG….so, well…..I decided to check out the “Little Kiki”…….

The shop is located right on Madison Street off of Carlsbad Village Drive. There’s an actual parking lot right next door. So, I parked and walked on over. It was right at the 1130 opening time on a Saturday and there were already some customers being seated. I was met by a very nice woman and I told her since I was by myself, I’d gladly sit at the bar.

It’s one of those high counter bars, so you really can’t see what’s happening on the other side. I also noticed that there’s a door to Blue Ocean Robata & Sushi Bar next door which was open, so I figured it was the same owner. I came to find out a bit later that the couple that owns Little Kiki also owns Harumama and Love Boat Sushi, which based on my meal makes sense. More on that later.

The woman quickly brought me water and a menu. I noticed the two pour containers which held sauces I assumed were for the katsu.

Well, it seemed like prices were in line with my favorite Tonkatsu shop in town, and other than the lunch set, everything would be a la carte….i.e. you’d pay $3.50 for rice! That lunch set seemed a bit pricey at $33, I think even more than EE Nami these days, but it also had sashimi. But at least the tonkatsu is Berkshire Pork Loin, that is supposedly dry aged. Which is what I ordered.

Soon, the woman return with a Gomasuri-Ky (sesame seed grinder) with some sesame seeds she had ground up while walking back to my seat. Interesting touch……she was very nice and surprised when I actually knew the name of it! I think she was surprised that I was Japanese?

After a short wait my lunch set arrived.

A nice looking set!

I started with the miso soup, which was very good. This had some nice assertive flavors and was definitely not watered down. While a bit on the saltier side, I really enjoyed it.

Just looking at the color, I’m thinking Awase Miso, which is a mixture of Shiro and Aka miso was used? Anyway, it was probably the item I enjoyed the most.

The “Chef’s choice” of sashimi were three thick but small slices of typical salmon. Definitely not among my favorite item with regards to sashimi. I would prefer that the “chef” make some better choices?

There was a large portion of decently shredded cabbage and very hipster looking pickled veggies.

The rice wasn’t fragrant and was on the dry and hard side. It was a decent sized portion.

Ok…ok, I know, you’re here wanting me to “get to the point”, right? What about the tonkatsu.

First off, I didn’t care for the panko used as it was on the softer side…which I think is ok for chicken, but I prefer my panko used for tonkatsu to be flaky and crisp. I guess I enjoy that “crunch”?

I know I’m kinda doing this a bit too much these days…..but please view the evidence submitted below which is how I like my tonkatsu breaded.

I went and sampled the two sauces at the table.

The “spicy” version on the left just didn’t have enough of savoriness and at least for me, seemed to taste a bit like Sambal? So, I stuck with the basic tonkatsu sauce provided.

I drizzled the sauce and sprinkled the ground sesame seeds…which, by the way added a hint of nuttiness to the dish. The loin itself was interesting. The edge pieces were nice and fairly moist, though the meat got drier and chewier as you got closer to the middle. The middle slices were a bit too cold for my taste, but it could be because of the amount of time the pork was rested.

Several of the slices had the panko separating from the meat, though it wasn’t overly prevalent.

There was some decent porkiness to this. It was a pretty good tonkatsu, but definitely not in the same league as EE Nami. It would probably be really good in a properly made Katsu Sando.

I did enjoy those pickled veggies; especially the cauliflower, which was pleasantly salty, yet, still crunchy.

I thought the service was very good, though I think I even prefer the Tonkatsu at Sakura more….though perhaps Musashiya sits a bit below this? I believe that this skews to more of a fusion (it makes sense that the owners own Harumama and Love Boat Sushi), than traditional Japanese, with some performative touches. While the price point is a bit high, I would occasionally drop by if the place was in my neighborhood, but if it were on Convoy, I’d stick with EE Nami. As this was a 60 mile round trip drive.

As I was leaving I took around the dining room which was packed and quickly noticed something. I was the only Asian dining in the restaurant at that moment……

Little Kiki Katsu & More
2958 Madison St. #101
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Current Hours:
Monday 5pm – 930pm
Wed, Thurs, Sun 1130am – 3pm, 5pm – 930pm
Fri – Sat 1130am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm
Closed on Tuesday

And “CC”…now that I’ve had “Little Kiki”, is it time to get some Boto…ahem, as in sushi?

Mazemen, the July Special from Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai

Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

Recently, I needed some work on my car done in the Convoy area. Since it was kind of a long wait, I decided to find a place to grab lunch, I really wasn’t feeling like getting Greek or mediocre Taiwanese…..and of course ramen was not really on the list of items I’d be wanting to have on this warm day. Until…….well, I saw a poster for a limited time offering at Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai. So, I decided to check it out.

The place was not busy at all….I mean ramen in this weather?

The item that interested me was this special for the month of July…..

Yes, RedDevil I know you asked about Mazemen in my last post on Baikohken Ramen. To be honest, I hadn’t had a decent Mazemen in SD….though what really made me hesitate was that I haven’t even had a decent version Hiyashi Chuka either! They had two versions available. One with Mentaiko Cream…which really isn’t my thing and a basic version. You can even add more tamago, chashu, and nori for $2.50. Which I really didn’t need to do.

I just got the original ($16). One of the good things about Ban Nai is that you can request your noodles “katame”; extra firm which is what I did.

I got a kick out of having oi-meshi, basically rice served with this dish. It’s literally called “follow-up rice” and you mix it with whatever tare and leftovers you have after you finish your noodles. That onsen tamago was super runny, as I gleefully mixed everything together making a mess.

There was a ton of scallion, both the green and white parts, as is typical with versions I’ve had. The shoyu tare was on the milder side, but quite thick. Which were nice and chewy. The noodles, the curly, “Kitakata” style is good at picking up the thick tare. It was my favorite part of the dish. There was quite a bit of noodles as well.

I didn’t care much for the addition off gyofun in this as it added a bit too much fishiness to the dish…but perhaps that mild tare needed it. The chashu was, like on my previous visit, on the chewier side, but it did well in small cubes, mixed in with everything.

And then of course……

The oi-meshi, which was on the firmer side…..was actually perfect for mixing with and soaking up all the leftover drippings, nori, scallions, and whatever else was sticking to the bottom and side of the bowl.

In the end, perhaps not the best mazemen I’ve had….but I did have a lot of fun eating this. Though my mom would have slapped me upside the head for “playing with my food”.

So, RedDevil, perhaps you can enjoy “playing” with this version of Mazemen. Though it’s only available for the month of July.

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai
7951 Othello Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111
Current Hours:
Mon-Thurs 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm
Friday 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm
Saturday 11am – 10pm
Sunday 11am – 9pm

Arbor Sushi & Grill Express in the 99 Ranch Food Court (Balboa)

Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Japanese Restaurants

So….there I was finishing up my Saturday shopping at 99 Ranch Market on Balboa and feeling a bit peckish. I walked past the food court and noticed that Arbor Sushi & Grill, which had replaced Potato Powder Love Noodle had opened….it was a shade past 10am and the shop was open for business. Hmmmm……now, I did hesitate for a minute. This was random and unplanned….I had no clue what the menu looked like. But hot off my recent, fun visit to George’s Cafe, I thought why the heck not?

Now, let’s be clear on something right away……this isn’t Japan, Taiwan, or even say….. HNL. I wouldn’t be having sushi in a market food court. There were some…what looked like aburi style sushi under the heat lamps on the counter and a menu of Westernized Rolls. Not my kind of thing. I heard the woman at the front counter speaking Mandarin to someone in the kitchen. There was however this sign that actually caught my attention.

Well ok. A teriyaki chicken bento, which comes with shrimp tempura priced at $11.99 as a grand opening special. Heck, that’s cheaper than Yoshinoya these days, right? Got nothing to lose, so I decided to go ahead and try it out.

The woman manning the counter was really nice and very mellow. I placed my order and was given one of those buzzer thingies and had a seat. When my order was ready, she actually came and dropped off my bowl at the table herself!

The bowl was quite hefty.

You can have white rice, fried rice, or chow mein with your bento bowl. I chose white rice, which was Jasmine and decently cooked.

It had what looked like two slices of Caterpillar Roll. It was as expected, “krab” and mayo, wrapped with perfectly fresh avocado.

The rice, which was not jasmine, was on the harder side and the shari was vinegar forward. Not my thing, but perfectly fine.

Not a fan of the “shrimp tempura”. Batter not crisp and lacquered.

Overcooked and rubbery shrimp.

The Tentsuyu was almost flavorless.

The Gyoza….was well….

The wrapper was so thick and chewy, the filling salty and very one dimensional.

I would not be surprised if this came from the frozen isle.

And finally, the teriyaki. Well, it was dark meat which is a plus…….chopped chicken thighs, pre-cooked, reheated, then “glazed” with a pretty weak sauce. Not terrible, but on the blander side. I actually enjoyed the mushrooms that accompanied the dish as the earthiness really provided a nice savoriness to the dish.

Overall, fine for pseudo Japanese fast-food….though I wouldn’t be getting sushi from here. The portion size was generous. And at $11.99….well, at least right now, it’s worth the price. Not sure I’d be paying more than that though. Just don’t be expecting “Japanese” cuisine.

Arbor Sushi & Grill Express
5950 Balboa Ave (In the 99 Ranch Market Food Court)
San Diego, CA 92111
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 1030am – 8pm
Sat – Sun 10am – 8pm

My “Bowl of Joy” at Izakaya Sakura

Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

I believe I mentioned in my post on Di Chan closing about returning to some of my most posted places…..times are tough these days, with costs forcing increased prices or having to lower the quality of offerings. Everything seems to be much more expensive. And it seems that these days that only chains can open in areas like Kearny/Clairemont Mesa…the mom-and-pops are getting priced out. So, recently, I decided to see what three restaurants we’ve posted the most on in our 21 years. And I’m pretty sure you know which place has the most posts….with 41 in all! Yikes!

Yep, this is post 42 on Izakaya Sakura…..so, I’m pretty sure you’re tired of me posting on this place, so I’ll see ya’ tomorrow, yeah?

Of course, things have changed at Sakura over the years and I have experienced some mixed results and have made fewer visits. Heck, the last time I was here was over a year ago! Which would have been unheard of before the days of Covid and inflation.

I haven’t seen Kazu here in ages. The two guys behind the sushi bar spoke Spanish, several parties speaking mainly Mandarin entered as I was eating….the only folks speaking Japanese were the two Servers.

Having tried a couple of what I guess can be termed “modern” Sushi/Japanese restaurants in the last six months has made me yearn for a simple Chirashi…..no Escolar or huge slices of salmon. I just wanted a good basic Chirashi. Which at Sakura is now $36 for lunch, it was $34 the last time I visited last March.

But, to be honest….thirty-six bucks just didn’t seem too bad for these days. So I ordered it. Of course I was wondering what the 2026 version of Chirashi would look like at Sakura. And I had to smile when it arrived!

That bowl seemed to have even more seafood in it then I recalled.

And all the lunch special “Sakura usual suspects” were present.

The miso soup was hot and not watered down.

The agedashi tofu, the asazuke, and the potato salad…check, check, and check.

Of course, I was mainly here for this.

Well, first off…it ain’t a “Michelin” bowl, ok? But it was just what I wanted on this day.

I will say that the shari had a good amount of vinegar. It was still a bit too much rice for me; though I finished it!

I won’t go into minute detail here….but will detail what I enjoyed the most. Of course the Chu-toro, hamachi, and all that was fine.

But strangely, I really enjoyed the Oyako Nishin, that yellow slice of kazunoko that is attached to herring filet. I’m not sure why I enjoyed it so much…perhaps because it has been ages since I’ve had this. I also enjoyed little dollops of ikura in certain bites as it wasn’t overly salty.

And for some reason, the ikura took me back to a little restaurant in a fish market in a small harbor town in Hokkaido. Sometimes food can take you back like that!

The bite of tamago was a savory and slightly sweet ending to this meal. A yes, a “Bowl if Joy” indeed. For a moment it seems that all was right in the world. These days we need to feel that way more often.

Tell me “FOYs” what restaurant makes you feel that way?

Izakaya Sakura
3904 Convoy St Suite 121
San Diego, CA 92111

Dark Horse Japanese Nikkei Cuisine

Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Japanese Restaurants, Latin American Cuisine, Mexican Restaurants

A few months back I read about a place named Dark Horse opening…..no not the coffee shop, but according to Eater a “Japanese-Peruvian” spot in Torrey Hills. Well now. If you’ve been reading our humble little blog for a while you’d know how much I enjoy Peruvian cuisine. And travelling to Peru twice has given me a real appreciation for what I consider Nikkei cuisine. Stuff like tiradito. And we’ve had the “Nikkei Experience” at Maido, which strangely, at least to me, took the title of “Best Restaurant in the World” in 2025!

Anyway, being quite curious, I decided to head up to Torrey Hills Center to search out Dark Horse.

Which I easily found. I noticed the Open sign and walked on over and peeked in. The place was empty…..soon enough a really friendly gentleman came over and I was seated in a booth. He introduced himself as Edgar.

And I was handed the menus……with some interesting dishes.

Of course I wasn’t interesting in the “rolls” and such; but seeing items like Anticuchos, Camaron Al Ajillo, Ahumado, Ceviche, and of course Tiradito. And well…..I love Tiradito…but with salmon? I don’t think so. Edgar came over and started explaining “Nikkei” cuisine to me…a nice gesture. Then I told him we’ve been to Peru and even to Maido and explaining the history of tiradito and things got a bit quiet. He then told me that “our dishes aren’t really Peruvian Nikkei, more of a mix of many cultures.” So, I guess Eater wasn’t quite right in their description? Not that many folks would know….

There were two dishes I was interested in and so I ordered the Mushroom Anticuchos ($14) and the Hamachi Ahumado ($24).

You know me and Anticuchos de Corazon, whether in a rather fancy restaurant or on a street corner in Cusco, I enjoy the texture and the seasonings. This looked quite interesting.

The texture was interesting…it was almost meat like, but perhaps on the mushier side of the scale. Some earthy mushroom flavor, but really lacking in the cumin-achiote, achiote/aji panca flavor and quite bland overall.

The presentation of the Hamachi Ahumado was very, dramatic, with the tabletop smoker cloche….which I’ve been seeing at various places over the last couple of years brought to your table.

Once the top was lifted and the smoke gone the dish was revealed.

Very nice presentation; the hamachi had not really changed in texture and was still somewhat buttery. The overall dish was much too sour, which even nullified any smokiness in the dish. The chili paste, made from morita chilies – smoked and dried red jalapenos had a bit of a kick, but was still overpowered by the sour-acidity.

While the portions seemed a bit on the small side; this was enough for a light lunch, though not cheap at nearly forty bucks. It seemed to be more about presentation-concept to me; but I felt I needed to give the place another try; so I returned.

For lunch again. The very nice and friendly Edgar greeted me once again and I was seated.

I was handed the menus again; but this time I paid attention to the lunch specials.

And no, it wasn’t the poke bowl or teri chicken that interested me. Rather, the Agedashi Tofu ($15) and looking for a more traditional dish I was going to order the ceviche; but noticed the Aguachile ($19) on the lunch special menu so I ordered that as well.

The Agedashi Tofu looked quite interesting.

This was so close to being a good dish. The batter was so light and perfectly crisp. The tofu light and creamy. I didn’t mind the creaminess of the guacamole or the crema.

The biquinho peppers added some fruity sweetness, with a hint of spice.

What was missing in this dish was a savory-umami component….you know…like what the tentsuyu provides for a traditional agedashi tofu and a pungent component like what daikon oroshi would provide.

The dish just seemed incomplete. Bummer…..

My favorite dish by far was the Aguachile.

Though I had to crack up when I saw it was served with won ton chips! I guess they had to keep something Asian in the dish?

Like the Hamachi Ahumado I’d had previously, I saw that the aguachile used the Yuzu Kosho type marinating liquid. But for reason, the bracing, acidic sauce did really good here. I’m thinking that the mild, oceany brininess of the raw shrimp and the buffering of the acidity by the avocado contributed to this dish nicely.

The slices of red jalapeno added some spice and the shrimp had hit that firm, yet tender balance.

Again, not a cheap lunch at nearly thirty-five bucks, but I was quite full when I left and thinking in terms of what a chirashi would cost. Well, this didn’t seem too bad at all.

In Luis Hara’s wonderful cookbook; Nikkei Cuisine : Japanese Food the South American Way, which I do own BTW…such is my love and respect for that type of cusine. Within the introduction is this quote regarding just throwing together flavors and the roll of various ingredients from different cultures : “without this understanding, fusion becomes confusion.” In the end; perhaps I was expecting a bit more as this seemed like “con-fusion” than fusion to me. Perhaps I was expecting a bit too much?

Edgar was very nice, warm, and friendly. Perhaps I’ll return in a couple of months?

Dark Horse Japanese Nikkei Cuisine
4639 Carmel Mountain Rd. #103
San Diego, CA 92130
Current Hours:
Daily 11am – 9pm

Sumo Go

Japanese Restaurants

Remember back in February I noticed that a place named Sumo Go was taking over the spot formerly occupied by Bunny Chow? Recently, I was having lunch with my wonderful friends “LL” and “JP” and I mentioned this place. They live close by and told me the shop had actually opened. So, I made sure to put it on my “list”. And then, by fate, I decided to check out what was going on with Gourmet Artisan…which had closed. So, I thought it might be the right time to “go” to Sumo Go.

Even though it was before eleven, the shop was open. Walking in was interesting as this was obviously an offshoot of the “konbini” craze. You know, those Japanese convenience stores like Lawson or 7/11, now all over social media, much of it thanks to a certain gentleman who loved the egg salad sandwich at Lawson. Now, it seems like we’re getting our share of similar places.

Walking in, I noticed shelves full of Japanese snacks…..

And the typical cold case with cakes and such. Two types of sandos….katsu and tamago (of course).

What’s interesting….and really not typically “konbini like” was the menu of rice bowls and sides as these were made to order.

In the mood for something a bit more substantial than a katsu sando and having just had a pretty mediocre donburi in National City; I decided on the Gyu Don, not cheap at $18.

It turned out to be a pretty hefty bowl.

First thing I did was do a “rice check”. The rice was hot and fluffy, quite acceptable.

The beef was decent; perhaps on the sweeter end of the scale, but the texture was good, slightly toothsome, enjoyed the flavor the onions, which were quite tender, brought to the bowl.

Pretty much by-the-book, but better than what I expected based on previous experiences elsewhere. And better than what I can get from the cold case at Nijiya or Mitsuwa in my opinion. Though it is eighteen bucks and in some ways makes Tenkatori seem quite reasonable.

A few days later, I dropped by again….this time much earlier. On this visit, I took a photo of the eating area hidden behind the shelves.

I decided to get the Katsu Sando ($8.95), which was almost half the price of the version at Momo Sando.

And, to be perfectly honest, not even half as good. Starting with the Shokupan…the bread was too dense and lacking in the rich-mild sweetness I enjoy. The crusts were still on as well….a quick sign when looking at a typical sando.

The katsu had really dried out and was too chewy; though the panko still had a bit of crunchiness to it. The cabbage was fine and it wasn’t overly sauced.

Perhaps I’m too picky about my sandos….but I wouldn’t get it again. The gentleman working was very nice, and had me wondering about the background of this place. So, doing a bit of digging, I came across this.

I’ll probably return to try the karaage and other hot items. It’s good to have some options for an early lunch in the area. Next time I go to “Sumo Go”.

Sumo Go
7128 Miramar Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 9am – 7pm
Sat – Sun 11am – 7pm

Baikohken Ramen Revisited

Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

After my last revisit to Menya, I figured I was done exploring ramen for a while. But on my way home, one other place came to mind. I’d visited Baikohken Ramen twice when they first opened in Hillcrest. Even spending like $23 for a bowl of ramen…..yikes! While I thought the ramen was overly hyped…they really pushed the Michelin Guide thing, it wasn’t in my “top tier” for ramen in San Diego. Still, because they really also push the Asahikawa Ramen thing…..and even though I prefer Santouka another chain that is originally from Asahikawa. I think it was time for another visit. This time, I wanted to get Baikohken’s shio ramen, which is my favorite at Santouka. Of course, this visit was highly dependent on finding parking…which wasn’t a problem on this day.

I strolled on in and the nice young lady handed me a menu.

I wasn’t looking for a $25 bowl of ramen……just the shio ramen which was $14.98, to which I added the tamago, a $1.98 upcharge.

Which soon arrived….and I swear, was my bowl of ramen grinning at me?

So, first things first….while the tamago is no comparison to Santouka which wins my award for worst boiled egg in a ramen, this was decently cooked, nicely flavored…but sigh…..ice cold! What’s a guy gotta do to get at least a warm tamago in this town?

The broth was lighter than Santouka’s but also much more salty. It did have that hint of seafood savoriness that the shio broth at Santouka in Asahikawa had and which Santouka in San Diego initially had when they first opened, but has since been removed. Still, in terms of tongue feel and “shio”, I prefer Santouka.

Baikohken doesn’t have toroniku, but their chashu is really tough and chewy for my taste.

It was also cold in the center! Because of this, the fat line running down the center was really waxy in texture.

The noodles were nice and slippery.

Which did a decent job of picking up the broth. Though on my last visit to Santouka, the noodles were much more firm than this. If you’ve read my previous posts on Ramen…you know I like my noodles “Katame” (firm).

In the end, close but no cigar…..I still prefer Santouka.

Baikohken Ramen
690 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103
Current Hours:
Wed – Mon 11am – 230pm, 5pm – 930pm
Closed on Tuesday