Super sushi in San Bruno
San Bruno restaurant a bright, shining oasis in a mundane milieu
In the age of Uber, personally picking up and dropping off one’s visitors at the airport might be considered quaint. But I still prefer to do it when possible. In fact, playing taxi driver for those flying into or out of San Francisco International Airport has become a favorite errand now that I’ve discovered Gintei — a small Japanese restaurant no more than a mile west of the terminals.
San Bruno has lacked notable higher-end restaurants, but Gintei — opened late last year by owner/ chef Masa Yamasaki — is changing that with its impeccably fresh sashimi, sushi and well-executed small plates.
Located on a mundane block between a barbecue restaurant and laundromat, Gintei exudes a tranquility that makes you quickly forget the urban grit outside. In front of the restaurant, parking is limited to two spaces (one reserved for the disabled), but additional parking can be found down the block and around the corner, on a residential street.
The sushi bar seats nine, and the wooden tables, which accommodate about 40, include two farmhouse-style, with benches, for larger parties.
On the white walls, you’ll find ecru panel curtains, a grouping of sea urchin sculptures and, most importantly, the brown butcher paper on which specials of the day are listed, carefully chosen from the seafood sent by Japan’s famed Tsukiji fish market several days each week.
That’s the market where Yamasaki first learned about sushi three decades ago. He has worked in various capacities in and around the restaurant and food industry ever since, but Gintei is his first restaurant. His support staff includes four other chefs, both behind the sushi bar and in the kitchen.
I’d heard enough about the fine quality of the fish here that sashimi (fish served raw) seemed the perfect way to start. We ordered the sashimi omakase ($50), featuring the chef’s choice of best fish of the day, along with drinks from a small selection of wines and an extensive sake list.
The sashimi included two pieces each of 10 different kinds of fish, perched on a bed of seaweed-covered ice, all in a beautiful stoneware bowl. This dish proved to be a relative bargain compared to some other Bay Area sushi restaurants.
The selection ranged from piquant marinated, anchovylike filets to mild white fish like snapper, mackerel with its oily tang and meaty hon maguro (blue fin tuna) — the undisputed king of sushi fish.
This symphony of flavors made using the soy sauce we’d poured into the pretty blue and white bowls on our table almost superfluous. Being seated at the sushi bar to learn more about the fish might enhance the experience, but enjoyment is assured, no matter where you sit.
On a second visit, I thought it would be impossible to enjoy the nigiri sushi omakase ($40) as much as the sashimi omakase, but I was wrong. The nigiri pieces of fish come 10 to a platter, draped over mounds of rice. The only problem is that this way of plating the fish makes it harder for two to share than the sashimi, unless you can quickly agree on who gets which fish.
The pillows of rice were ethereal, the grains seemingly held together by little more than a brush stroke of wasabi. The nigiri also comes with a cup of miso soup, making it an ideal light meal for one.
Gintei also offers a wide selection of makimono (sushi rolls). We tried the ikura ($7) — salmon roe with a shiso leaf tucked inside, which lent a lovely herbal note.
Some of my Midwestern relatives are not sushi fans, but Gintei offers plenty of other options that would keep them happy.
Chicken karaage ($7), with its chunks of fried, perfectly tender, white chicken meat served with a spiced aioli, would appeal to almost everyone. The same goes for the truffled wagyu ($16), thin slices of seared steak that deliver a bomb blast of umami flavor.
We experienced one happy accident with the wagyu when, instead of the truffle wagyu, our server brought us wagyu nigiri ($16), made with the filet cooked medium rare, to the texture of butter. Nanbanzuke ($9) — fried marinated trout accompanied by slivers of pickled onions and red peppers and served in a light broth — is a good option for fish of the cooked variety.
A bowl of hot somen noodles ($8), served in a delectable dashi broth, will make everything seem right with the world. The noodles are silken, slippery and slurpable.
We had a couple of twinges of disappointment. In the tempura of wild mushrooms ($12), the mushrooms themselves were underseasoned, though they had a shatteringly crisp, almost lacy batter that created a wonderful textural contrast. It was the same with the agedashi tofu ($6). The silken cubes had a crunchy coating — another nice contrast — but too little flavor.
The fabled Humphry Slocombe makes four ice creams for Gintei — oolong tea, white miso, matcha and black sesame ($4 each). (The last has a flavor similar to peanut butter ice cream.) The matcha cheesecake ($6) is perhaps not for everyone — tangy, with a gelatinous texture almost like yogurt, and topped with sweetened red beans. The base was a matcha flavored cake, which I would have enjoyed on its own.
Service was initially quick on both visits, but lagged when we wanted to order more courses. If pinched for time, you might find it best to order everything at the beginning of the meal. The servers were all friendly and helpful, if not terribly efficient.
Gintei is a true gem in the otherwise unrefined SFO neighborhood. Whether or not you’re making a stop at the airport, this restaurant is absolutely worth a trip.