RESTAURANT REVIEW Edamame Appetizer Bento Box with Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Beef the Crunch Roll, which includes shrimp tempura and imitation crab, topped with tempura flakes and unagi (eel) sauce. Bento boxes also include Miso, a traditional Japanese soup that is brothbased and included a few small pieces of tofu. The soup was hot and satisfying and had a pleasing, soothing flavor. Our Bento Box was served following the Miso, with each component of the meal neatly contained in its own compartment. We had selected Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Beef as our two entrees. In addition to these, the box contained a large serving of steamed white rice, a small green salad, and a serving of Wakame, a type of edible seaweed, which resembled a mound of spinach. The beef and chicken teriyaki were served in small strips and slices, topped with a yummy teriyaki sauce. The portion of beef seemed a bit slight in comparison to the plentiful chicken serving, but both were tender and enjoyable. The green salad was served with a delicious house made salad dressing made from a base of miso and mayonnaise. Sara said that customers often ask to buy the dressing, but Tachikawa does not currently bottle and sell it, although it has been considered! I tried several bites of the Wakame, but in the end, I conceded that I didn’t care for it. Although it seemed to be mixed with some ingredient(s) that made the seaweed taste less intense, that flavor still prevailed. If you enjoy the taste of seaweed, you’ll likely enjoy this accompaniment to your meal. 36 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM NOVEMBER 2016 The Crunch Roll was beautifully presented on a platter, with shrimp pieces protruding from each end of the roll. The tempura flakes were generously sprinkled of the roll and the unagi sauce was drizzled over the sprinkles. On one side of the platter, there was an accompaniment of thinly sliced fresh ginger, and on the other side was a small portion of Wasabi, a green paste made from the root of a Japanese plant, that tastes similar to horseradish. After plucking and eating the shrimp pieces from both sides of the roll, I embarked on my first sushi-eating adventure in a very long time. The rolls are sliced into individual pieces, so I removed the first piece on the end, examined it, and then took the first bite, eagerly followed by a second bite. I have to admit that it was pretty good! Since the ingredients in this roll are cooked, there was no “fishy” taste, with the exception of the seaweed wrap that holds the center together. That flavor, while not overwhelming, was not pleasing. Yet I enjoyed the rest of the roll enough to partake of two more pieces, accompanied by just a small bit of wasabi, which intensified the flavor. (Wasabi warning—don’t use too much at one time! A little goes a very long way, as my guest learned the hard way!) The Daniel roll we’d selected was served as Maki, in a smaller portion than the Crunch roll. Six individual pieces of sushi were arranged on a smaller platter, again accompanied by fresh ginger and wasabi. I really enjoyed the flavor of the cream cheese and cucumber combined with the shrimp. But, like with the Crunch roll, the seaweed taste did not appeal, and it actually seemed more intense with this selection. I learned later during our interview with Sara that there is an option to request soy wrap instead of seaweed wrap when ordering sushi. The cost is only $1.00 more per selection at Tachikawa. I’m looking forward to trying the soy wrap option on my next visit to see how that changes the flavor of the sushi for me. I know that a lot of you reading this are probably huge sushi lovers! It seems that most people either love or hate sushi. It is such a healthy dietary option and there is way more variety of choices than I ever thought imaginable. I am so happy to know that there are 632-E San Pablo Avenue, Pinole | (510) 964-0478 | tachikawasushi.com
Contra Costa Marketplace - Nov 2016
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