1407 VanNess Ave. @ Bush St.
Pacific Heights
The evening started at Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a documentary film about the legendary 85 year-old sushi chef. Some would potentially classify the movie as food porn. Jiro is pure genius! His work is certainly art and left me yearning for any version of the delicacy I could get my hands on (so I thought). Nothing would quite please me like some simple nigiri.
Wayo Sushi is the epitome of why I do Go or No Go. The four-star Yelp rating does not help me! Ultimately, my dining experience here was the definition of not bad. Miso soup to start was satisfying. Then again, I struggle to think of a time when miso soup was ever offensive. I can only recall years ago before I liked tofu.
The main course had its ups and downs. The unagi, barbeque eel, hot out of the toaster oven, was sweet and crispy. On the other hand, the amaebi, sweet shrimp, as opposed to ebi, regular shrimp, was succulent but more watery and slimy than I would have hoped. Is this how amaebi is meant to be? I imagine it's a measure of the quality of the place and the freshness of the fish, but I have recently learned insightful nuances about sushi that may be surprising.
Thank you to my former classmate, Takeshi, who elevated my sushi knowledge. We indulged in a sushi feast of a lifetime. There, I finally learned the proper purpose of the ginger on your sushi plate. Unlike most Americans wrongly apply the ingredient, the ginger should not be consumed with the individual sushi pieces---neither wrapped around nor atop. Instead, the ginger is meant as a palate cleanser between different fish types. News to me! Furthermore, the fattier the toro, the more expensive and "desirable." Again, for years, I was dining in Japanese restaurants blindly. Nothing is more beautiful to me than a perfectly lean, bright redish pink cut of tuna.
Regardless, I am going to take my sushi lesson to firmly judge Wayo could have been better. At this moment, to be honest, I have yet to discover any amazing alternative for sushi options. I'm working on it! Sometimes Polk Streeters may just crave a sushi spot. In some sense, this place delivers. If you live within a three blocks radius, sure, a meal there won't kill you. But, by no means, should you travel any distance to check this place out.
Jiro Ono would be disappointed, but then again, Wayo isn't charging 30,000 yen ($300)!
Go or No Go? No Go.
