Tag: sushi

Miko Poke

Leave a comment

I went to Miko Poke for the first time last fall. I enjoyed it so much I decided to meet my friend, Yang, out for dinner to catch up. The setup was different from the last time I was in. You now place your order with the cashier and wait until your name is called instead of having someone build your poke bowl and then paying at the end. I preferred the original setup but that is more due to the flow since the cash register is at the far end of the counter. However, this can be easily changed.

This time I ordered the Hawaii Style House Creation with Spicy Tuna and Brown Rice. I really enjoyed all the flavors of this bowl. The avocado paired well with the spicy aioli, cucumbers, and edamame. The scallions gave it the right amount of kick. The only thing I didn’t like was when I got to the bottom of the bowl the rice was drenched in poke sauce. I couldn’t eat the rest because it was just too much sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love sauces but in this case it overpowered the rest of the flavors. Good thing it was at the bottom of the bowl and not throughout because I had thoroughly enjoyed it up to that point.

This was the second time I went and my tummy was still very pleased. I will definitely be coming back when I want something refreshing and healthy to eat. I may consider asking them to holding the poke sauce in the future since there are bottles of the different sauces available by the silverware and napkins in case you want to add more. This place is a definite must if you want to try something similar to sushi as the tuna is raw.

https://mikopoke.com/

Tavernakaya

Leave a comment

My last visit to Tavernakaya definitely changed my mind about this restaurant. The first experience I had eating there was shortly after it had opened. All I remember was that the noodles in the ramen and wings were good. I ate there a few times since and was never really impressed with the food. I figured I would give it another go since Nhi had never been.

It was a cold evening and I was happy to be seated away from the door. Many new restaurants that have popped up in Madison are tapas style. Tavernakaya is similar, in which you can order small or large plates to share with the table. This is what we decided to do that night.

We started off with ordering the Kurosawa Nigori Sake bottle, ‘O.G.’ Pork Buns, and Kakuni skewers. When the bottle of sake arrived, we quickly realized that we both have had it before. The ‘O.G.” Pork Buns and Kakuni skewers came out and were a perfect serving for two. The steamed bun was filled pork belly, pickled sliced cucumber, and green onions. The pickled cucumber wasn’t overwhelming and helped offset the taste of the pork belly since it can be rich in flavor to some. The Kakuni (pork belly) skewers were plated over hot mustard. I love pork belly so these two dishes hit the spot.

We decided to get more food because, hey, we like food. We ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen and Sake (salmon) nigiri. In order to avoid the upcharge for splitting the ramen, our waitress brought out another bowl for us. The broth for the ramen tasted good but wasn’t as spicy as I would like. The pork, egg, and noodles were excellent. Nhi was shocked when I told her that the noodles were made from Umami. A place I haven’t been to but have heard that the noodles in the ramen aren’t the best. The salmon nigiri looked a little suspect, but taste all right.

By now, our waitress probably thought we were full, but no, we placed an order for Tako (octopus) nigiri and Fried Chicken Buns. The Tako nigiri was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised because octopus can sometimes be overdone and chewy. The Fried Chicken Buns blew me away. The pickled veggies with spicy mayo really hit the spot. The fried chicken wasn’t overly heavy and had a good crunch to it. Mmmm, I want one now.

At the end of the night, they started clearing off the area where we sat and increased the background music volume. When they started setting up the DJ station, we knew it was our cue to get out of there. I had a great time catching up with Nhi and left happy and full. It was a successful girls night and definitely a restaurant worth suggesting to others to check out.

https://www.tavernakaya.com

Sushi Obsession

Leave a comment

I don’t know why I am surprised by the fact that more and more people say they like sushi. Maybe it is because a decade ago I did not know many people who liked it. I mean I couldn’t even find anyone to go eat sushi with me. Now, I swear most guys that I have gone on dates with or met online love it. Sometimes I think it’s the in thing to like sushi or that people think that they have a wider palate if they do. But then I’m disappointed by the sushi selections they make because if you love sushi that’s not what a sushi lover would order. Come on, California roll?!

Okay, now that I’m done ranting, the point I want to make about the sushi scene in Madison is that there are some good options. Now, it is Madison and the sushi restaurants here just can’t compete with restaurants that are near the ocean. Knowing that I love sushi and eat it at least every other week if not every week, I am often asked where the best place to eat sushi is. I always give the same answer; it depends on what kind of sushi you like. So what does this mean?

Well, American sushi is very different from sushi you would find in Japan. Americans like their sushi rolls with rice on the exterior whereas, traditional sushi, aka maki rolls, has the seaweed on the exterior and rice inside. From my understanding, it has to do with the aesthetics of Americans. We also love our cream cheese and avocado. Two things you would not typically see in traditional sushi. I still don’t get the cream cheese thing. Other types of sushi are nigiri and sashimi. Nigiri is typically a slice of raw fish over a bed of vinegared rice, whereas sashimi is sliced fish served with a bowl of vinegared rice.

Now that we have a baseline, this is what I tell others about the local restaurants in Madison. If you are looking of traditional American sushi that aren’t foofoo (i.e. California, Philadelphia, Dragon, Rainbow, etc. rolls), I would say Edo Japanese on Monona Avenue, Osaka or Wasabi on State Street, and Takumi on the east side. My fave is Edo Japanese. They know me there.

If you’re looking for a twist on traditional American sushi, the two places I recommend are Muramoto and Red Sushi. I am not a big fan of some of these Asian fusion aka foofoo sushi with mango, etc. It’s hit or miss sometimes and if you know me I don’t like taking chances when it comes to food haha. I really like the sashimi at Red Sushi so if that’s what you’re into then go there. I have found the fish to be better quality, which is definitely noticeable when the meat is served by itself and not inside a roll. Muramoto has awesome appetizers, traditional Japanese maki rolls, and nigiri. Plus the chefs are fun to talk to at the bar. I could go on about other places but these are the ones at the top of my list.

https://www.edogardenmonona.com

http://www.osakahousemadison.com

http://wasabi-madison.com/home

http://red-madison.com

http://muramoto.biz/wordpress/