Tokyo Sushi

a trailing spouse — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:53:18 +0000

My guide to the culinary scene on Wickenden St. continues with a visit to Tokyo sushi. Sushi has reached a level of ubiquity in the US food scene that few probably thought possible several decades ago. Every mall and grocery chain has its own sushi these days. New rolls with names like “Philadelphia” and “Boston” are popping up all over. This has made it all the more important to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff. I am not advocating sushi snobbery. I just want to get my moneys worth and know that the food is clean. The mystique of sushi was greatly diminished when I started rolling my own. The great marketing scheme behind sushi that convinces so many people to pay inflated prices is that you need to be a 7th generation Itamae to comprehend the intricacies of cutting raw fish and getting it into a nori. I know better and I look for quality wasabi, fresh spicy pickled ginger, and top notch fish. Tokyo offers an admirable product despite lacking all three. The ambiance is straight up American Japanese schlock meets Frankie’s pizza palace. The waiter reeked of weed to the point of it being hilarious. If you are out on a date skip this spot. If you want good prices, generous cuts of fish, BYOB, and fast service drop on in. We had 2 salmon rolls, a yellow tail roll, a spicy tuna roll, a straight up tuna roll, veggie and shrimp tempura, and two sodas for 37 bucks pre tip. The wasabi was pre made and the ginger came out of a plastic tub for sure…but there is a place and price for snobbery and this ain’t one of them. Skip the sake and go with a sweet Riesling or a light beer like Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale.

Blue Elephant

a trailing spouse — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:36:44 +0000

Blue Elephant: This is a great little bistro on the Eastside (Wickenden St. to be exact) with an eclectic and inspired menu to suit your every whim. I had trouble wrapping my head around the specials, the various maple syrup options (green apple anyone?), and the insane array of eggs benedict concoctions. There is not much in the culinary cannon of classic Americana that can top eggs benedict. After staring blankly at the menu for what seemed like eternity we finally got our order together. 2 orders of bacon pancake skewers, which are pure genius, with green apple and ginger maple syrup for the table and a round of sweet Mexican sodas (jarrito’s toronja is one of my world over favorites) kicked the game off. I went with an eggs benedict on a sesame bagel with bacon and bleu cheese crumbled on top for my main. Throw some smoked chipotle tabasco on this and you will never want to eat at home again. Did I mention this place has a deal where you get free coffee for life if you get the Blue Elephant logo tattooed anywhere on your body? Truly an epic eatery.

Value: 15$ easily gets you a nice benedict and a coffee or soda pre tip

Originality: Lots of really clever hot dog assemblages, burger concepts, and breakfast fusions. I liked the peanut butter burger option although I did not vet it. I have had one of these before at Bukowski’s in Boston and it was far better than it sounds.

Hygiene: Clean and chaotic like your spinster aunt’s apartment. The outdoor seating is refreshing but feels like your sitting in a crummy backyard. Stick to the decoupaged tables inside for a funkier feel.

The Filing

Tokyo Sushi

Blue Elephant