The sustainable sushi movement debuts in the Bay Area — have a look.
Sustainable sushi restaurant stands out with nigiri, rolls and more
Portland-based Bamboo Sushi opened the first of its three Bay Area locations on Dec. 2 inside the 300,000-square-foot Bishop Ranch City Center. The restaurant bills itself as the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant, and while there very well could be a sushi bar on the other side of the world harvesting and farming the majority of its fish in the same manner and seeking no publicity for it, Bamboo Sushi certainly lives up to its Certified Green status. The seafood is farmed and harvested using practices approved by Seafood Watch and the Marine Stewardship Council, and there’s a glossary on the menu to help decipher potand-trap from troll-andpole. Eco-friendliness is great. But how’s the sushi? The nigiri topped with bright yakumi is downright transcendent. Look for other standout efforts, like the fresh Oregon coast-grown wasabi grated tableside. THE VIBE >> Casually modern, with a color scheme inspired by California — from the blues and greens of the ocean to yellows and golds of the hills and sunsets. Indoor seating is made up of tables for two and four, plus a sushi bar at the open kitchen and yearround outdoor seating. A green-tiled wall features framed sketches and photographs of fishing boats and crews. THE FOOD >> Very good. The focus here is on elevating common Japanese restaurant dishes, down to the nigiri, which are prepared with yakumi, or minimal toppings, like jalapeñoshallot relish or dehydrated yuzu kosho, meant to complement the flavor of each fish. Start with the miso soup ($3) and add the truffled mushrooms for $1. The extra umami and chewy texture really take the broth up a notch. Shishito peppers ($7) get an equally tasty treatment. The peppers are charred and tossed with miso butter, then topped with bacon and bonito flakes. If you prefer seared fish, the House on Fire Mackerel PERFECT FOR … >> Double dates; nigiri night out; sushi and sake before a movie at The Lot; and happy hour, 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays, for $6 steamed buns and $7 cocktails. DETAILS >> Open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until 10 p.m. FridaySaturday at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, #2201, San Ramon; bamboosushi.com DON’T MISS >> The beverage menu, which includes build-your-own sake flights from among 20 sakes; seven Japanese whiskeys, like Nikka Coffey Malt and Yamazaki 18 Year Old; and 10 craft cocktails. The Jazzbar Noname ($13), made with Roku gin, ginger, nigori, mint and matcha, is full of fresh green flavors, which pair perfectly with wasabi-laced raw fish. ($13) won’t disappoint. Mackerel is seared and served with chile oil, pickled mustard seeds, lemon charcoal and alderwood smoke for a lovely balance of flavors. From there, it’s all about the eight-piece sushi rolls and arty, two-piece nigiri. Among the standouts: Plump, fatty Ora King salmon ($9), dressed with orange, olive oil, lemon zest and sea salt for brightness (the kitchen ran out of the salmon before 7 p.m.); kanpachi ($8), or yellowtail, with yuzu juice and truffle salt, for an unexpected hit of acid and umami; and Kimono ($14), a signature roll made with crab, apple and cucumber and topped with coho salmon, pickled apple, fried sage and lime zest. Talk about hitting all your palate’s pleasure centers.