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Reviews
Glorifications & Executions of San Joaquin Eateries. |
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:: Reviews ::
My assignment is simple - breakfast, lunch or dinner for two, for no more than $20. This must include beverages (non-alcoholic), but not taxes or tip. I’m searching for true value for money in four categories:
Taste: 1(inedible) - 5 (finger-licking)
Fill Factor: 1 (feed me!) - 5 (shoot me!),
Service and Atmosphere: (+) good, (/) indifferent, (-) see comments
To keep things uncomplicated, the first two factors count for 50% of the total rating. Yes, you read it right. Service and ‘decor’ are pure fluff for this column, which makes sense if you think about it; if you’re not getting a decent portion of good food, does anything else matter? I will, however, subtract points if either adversely hinders one’s ability to enjoy said meal, whether rude, obnoxious behavior from service personnel, dubious (or worse!) standards of cleanliness, or something outrageous like fearing for one’s safety. |
Kikusui Japanese Restaurant (Stockton)
Reviewed by KLM
First impressions can be wrong. Such was the case with Kikusui, where not a of whiff anything being grilled, sauteed, steamed or fried, greeted us when we recently walked in for lunch, and a small sushi bar dominated an interior frozen in time. It felt as though we had walked into another dimension, and I wasn’t sure I liked it. But recognizing good food comes in many guises, we took a seat.
The luncheon menu is simple: full meals ($6.95-7.50) with soup, Japanese pickle, rice and green tea, ranging from Sukiyaki (thinly sliced beef, vegetables, soybean cake and noddles in a soy based sauce) to Pork Katsu (breaded and deep fried cutlets); sushi plates ($6.25-9.95); Donburi (meals atop steamed rice - $5.95-6.95), including Tenju (prawn and vegetable tempura) and Unajyu (broiled eel), served with soup; and Ubon and Soba noodles ($5-6.25). There are also daily lunch specials, like Salmon Teriyaki for $5.75.
We opted to share a small order of Edamame (soy beans in the pod $2.50), the Sushi platter (9.95), and Hiyayakko (cold slices of soybean cake $5). Our Edamame pods were absent of any spices, keeping the focus on the sweet beans within, and the small order came with plenty to share. Hiyayakko was a refreshing treat - large pieces of soybean cake floating in a bowl of ice water, accompanied by a sesame and chive based sauce for dunking. A good assortment of sushi, along with Japanese pickles and a salad, rounded out our light, but filling meal.
Kikusui’s opened 23 years ago, long enough for a few generations to pass through its doors. The youngest diner was a young boy, who appeared to be not more than 3 years old, sitting at the sushi counter in a booster seat, happily munching on tempura.
Just before leaving, I happened upon the good smells while on my way to the bathroom at the back of the restaurant. There, in a tiny kitchen, one lone chef worked her magic, keeping the wonderful scents to herself.
Our total: $19.45 Moriawase Sushi $9.95, Hiyayakko , $5, Edamame $2.50, 2 ice teas @ $1 each w/free refills!
T: 3.5 FF: 3.0 S(+) A(/))
Kikusui
4555 N. Pershing
Stockton, CA
(209) 952-0164
Lunch Tuesday-Friday, 11:30-2pm.
2 FOR $20 MEAL DEAL CHALLENGE ARCHIVE
About the Reviewer: KLM is happiest when preparing or eating, reading or thinking about,
talkingor dreaming about, food. For over a decade, writing and reporting on the culinary scene has kept this foodie well fed and well traveled; and always dining with friends ensures the calories are shared, and the figure is keptsvelte! A partial listing of mealtime favorites include: churros and chocolate on the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, Spain; Indian food anywhere in London; fresh grilled fish at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic;
Codfish & Potatoes at Greg's Steakhouse in Bermuda; fried clams in Mystic, Connecticut; Italian food at the upstairs restaurant around the corner fromthe Ritz Carlton in Montreal, anything fresh, sliced and bagged (just by pointing to it!) in Paris, and the shrimp tacos at Baja Fresh here California's San Joaquin Valley.
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