Ozumo: Uber-Hip Sushi

Saturday Date Night: November 27, 2010

Want to eat sushi at ultra-chic, uber-hip and trendy bar/lounge/sushi restaurant? Ozumo fits the bill.

It was senses overload for me as soon as I walked in. The place is "warehouse huge" with exposed pipes on high ceilings. Different colored lights in contemporary shapes lit up the dark modern lounge. It had the glamous LA feel to it than the usual more "subtle but cool" Bay Area ambiance.

The place is divided into two parts: a swanky bar and a fun but more formal sushi dining area.

Enrique and I went straight to the main dining area for dinner while I was doing a mental note to come back and have a drink at the swanky bar and seat right next to the wall fountain.

The huge lighted sushi kitchen was in the middle of the huge dining room where chefs prepare your dish. The rest of the place was dimly and dramatically lit.

We ordered few starters which arrived immediately. We were impressed with the deliciousness of these dishes:

a. Futago $13: Grilled washu beef flatiron, sauteed spinach, eggplant wtih goma-miso sauce. My fiance reported that the beef was melt in your mouth. I only ate the veggie parts and they were very tasty.

b. Nasu $5: Another grilled eggplant appetizer without the beef. It was very similar to Futago but also very tasty.

While waiting for our sushi, we enjoyed a complimentary amuse bouch, small hot sake for me ($8) and Voss Sparkling water for my guy. We were enjoying the ambiance, admiring the architecture, people-watching, talking, sipping......and waiting and waiting.....

Our sushi finally came 40 minutes after our drinks and starters were served. We had:
a. Spider Roll ($9)
b. Dynamite Roll ($15)
c. Uni Nigiri ($10)
d. Tako Nigiri ($6)

Our sushi were fresh but forgettable. I could have gone to a mom and pop sushi joint down the street and probably have gotten the same quality. The sushi rice was even on the hard side and fell apart.

Our Saturday Date Night dinner started out fun enough but waiting for almost an hour for run of the mill sushi was not fun even at a cool place like Ozumo. Service was very friendly and our server was taking care of almost every table at this huge place. Ozumo needs to hire more servers. She apologized for the delay.

$90 later (after tax and 20% tip) Enrique drove into a Burger King drive-in for french fries and shake. He was still hungry but we did not want to wait another hour for a sushi roll.

(You may also try Ozumo San Francisco on Steuart Street.)

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 3.5
Food: 2
Decor/Ambiance: 4.5
Service: 2

Key:


0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)