Sushi Jin review
Sushi Jin, a newly opened Japanese restaurant in Mountain View, is renowned for its high cost performance.
Appetizers:
✨Snow Crab Chawanmushi - The egg is tender, and there's a decent amount of crab meat, but the broth is just Dashi and a bit weak.
✨Monkfish Liver - A generous portion, but the taste of the liver itself is a bit uneven. The pickles, if diced, might enhance the texture.
Sushi:
💔Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) - In season during winter, but it's a bit undercooked, probably due to insufficient aging. Disappointing.
🌟Saba (Mackerel) - In season for autumn and winter, treated with a blowtorch, it exudes a fragrant oiliness, and the natural saltiness of saba saves the day.
🌟Akagai (Ark Shell Clam) - Crispy and sweet, not bad.
🌟Shirako (Cod Milt) - Creamy and uniquely textured. P.S.: This was my first time trying it, as cod milt is usually available in winter, and I tend to eat less sushi in winter.
🌟Nodoguro (Blackthroat Seaperch) - In season, a fatty white-fleshed fish. I vaguely remember having it at Sushi Shin.
✨Zuke Chutoro - Soy-marinated medium fatty tuna belly. The belly itself deserves a star, but the subtle marinated flavor gets lost and can't be distinguished from the subsequent Otoro.
🌟Otoro - Big fatty tuna belly, cut with a vertical knife, perhaps to reduce the sinew, a bit less appealing in appearance. The technique and aging make the texture quite enjoyable. P.S.: I thought they might use a blowtorch directly on the Otoro since they like using it, but they took a different technical route👍.
✨Anago (Saltwater Eel) - Steamed and topped with a rich sauce, decent but not outstanding.
Added a Uni tasting with four varieties. From left to right:
🌟Hokkaido Uni - Basically the standard for sea urchin, impeccable.
🌟Saltwater Japanese Uni - Supposedly transported while soaked in saltwater, resulting in a creamier and more authentic taste.
✨Canadian Uni - A bit fishy on the first bite, but I could tolerate it. Wouldn't recommend ordering it individually.
🌟Santa Barbara Uni - In season for winter, not as flavorful as Japanese sea urchin but has a refreshing taste.
In summary, Sushi Jin uses high-quality ingredients, offers reasonable prices, and the chefs' skills are generally solid. There have been criticisms online regarding its Omakase, and I also feel that some appetizers and sushi could be perfected. However, compared to Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants with prices often exceeding $300, I might lean towards recommending this type of Japanese cuisine for everyday dining.
#BayAreaJapaneseCuisine #BayAreaFoodies #SushiJin
