(sushi combo,bento box, creamy roll)

After cruising along Ocean Beach on a windy Sunday evening, I steer along the Muni tracks to Taraval Okazu Ya. From the facade, the restaurant looks like any other Japanese restaurant. Ceramic tempura and udon bowls are displayed on the window front. But the instant you set foot into the restaurant, it is a bustling feeding ground filled with commotion and teriyaki smoke. Classified by me as “neo sushi,” the large menu is highlighted by their house specials such as fish teppans and creative sushi rolls. Read “Neo Sushi Meets Hollywood” blog post.

Ambiance: It is easy to point out the obvious distress signals. The sizzling iron grills and the chiming bell at the sushi counter reminds me of a Japanese diner. Waiters dressed in casual street clothes provide nominal service. Ben, the manager, greets us with the usual smile. Once seated, patrons are greeted with lamenated menus that probably need a good wipe down from the sizzling grease. It is highly recommended to wear your casual clothes as the smoke from the sizzle surely will seep into your clothes. Okazu ya offers a mile long list of “neo sushi” rolls. These are creations made to adapt to the American taste buds. Catering to your taste and texture preferences, each roll provides a unique character not found in traditional Japanese cuisine in Japan. Local favorites include the Cal Bear Roll (crab meat & eel) and the 49er maki (scallop, salmon and lemon).

Sushi: Delicately served on a bed of ice, the half dozen oysters ($6.55) on a half shell is a refreshing starter. Morsels of fish eggs add a slight crunch to the oysters. An order of the wasabi tobiko (fish roe marinated in wasabi-$3.50) cleared up my senses immediately. Creamy in texture, the sea urchin offers up a sweet taste of the ocean -$4.95. Trekking along my fearless sushi adventure, the ying and yan (sea urchin with spicy squid rice roll) displayed the marriage between crunch and creamy. The creamy roll ($6.95) is all about temperature. A sushi roll filled with scallops is battered in tempura batter and deep fried. A quick dunk in the creamy wasabi sauce gives a spicy flavor boost. With fried crab legs pointing toward the ceiling, the spider maki (soft shell crab roll-$8.95) is just nominal. Our sushi center piece was an order of the matsu sushi combo -$39.95. On a square porcelain tray, a sample of rolls and nigiri sushi arrived. The caterpillar roll was all about texture. With a velvety avocado casing, the sweet eel further enhanced the creaminess. This time around, I found the spider roll displaying more crunch. Unlike most Japanese restaurant, the California roll featured real crab meat. An army of salmon, eel, yellowtail, and tuna nigiri sushi round out the plate.

Entrees: One of the main attractions on the menu and reason for the scented smoke are the teppan dishes. The highly recommend sea bass ($14.95) did not disappoint. Sea bass fillets are cooked in an iron sizzle pan along with crunchy sprouts and scorching teriyaki sauce. A bowl of white fluffy rice compliments the buttery fish. A great value order are the teishoku combination dinners. Neatly served in sectioned bento boxes, the “A” combination provided all the ranges in a well sung melody. Shrimp and vegetable provided amplified crunch while a small portion of seaweed salad provided the crunch but with a subtle flair. With hints of sweet and sour flavor, the chicken karage were good portions of chicken nuggets accompanied with spoon of rice created comfort food heaven. Contrasting the cooked food, four slices of buttery yellow sashimi rounded out the dish. For noodle lovers, the clam soba noodle ($7.95) is a great choice. With the buckwheat noodles cooked al dente, clams served on the half shell complete a comfort dish. The total for the entire meal was $160 for 5 people with food left over. Okazu Ya delivers a range of Japanese dishes at neighborhood prices.

Consultant hat.
Japanese restaurants are located all over San Francisco. Taraval has created appeal for two main reasons. The first is the ambiance, which serve more as a Japanese diner. Benjamin, the friendly manager, remember “regulars” and this brings value to people. After a hard day in the cubicle, customers enjoy a cozy atmosphere. They also differentiate themselves by serving sizzling fish and this satisfies customers who want a more healthy choice. On a side note, my guess is that over 90% of the Japanese restaurant in the city is owned by Chinese or Korean. I only know a handful that is owned by Japanese. Restaurateurs will continue to open Japanese restaurants since they can charge a premium on dishes compared to Chinese food, which is usually priced so competitively.

1735 Taraval Street
(between 27th Ave & 28th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 759-6850
Mon 12:00 noon - 10:00 pm
Wed-Sat 12:00 noon - 10:00 pm
Sun 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm .
Closed Tuesday
Price Range : $12 and up