Tsunami Panhandle

One or two years ago, I would’ve written a strong review for Tsunami: On top of the well-​crafted, fairly tasty rolls, there was a full bar, with a great cocktail list Classy interior space — a place I used to go to routinely with friends for sushi, scotch, and cocktails.
But several months ago, the servers began pushing certain bottles of wine and sake aggressively with «half off» specials — not a good sign at a sushi place. Then, at the next visit, they disappeared the cocktail list, while still pushing the wine at half off. The rolls started becoming bland. Knowledgeable servers were becoming marketers. I stopped going.
I went back last week to give it one more chance. Surprise, the server noted several bottles of wine that were half off. Are they ever the regular price? The sushi was terrible. Hey bartender, can you just get me a drink?

Great find! Such a hidden gem around the NoPA area. The ambiance was great and so was the sushi. The waitresses were very attentive which made service fast and seamless. The pricing is a bit expensive so just be prepared to pay a bit more than your typically sushi restaurant.

This place is a dump.
Came early with my boyfriend. There was only one other couple in the restaurant but for some reason they sat us at the high community table. That’s fine, the place is empty.
10 minutes goes by and the hostess sits a family of four, with two kids around 5 years old right next to us at the table. Awkward. I felt uncomfortable having any sort of conversation in an empty restaurant with a family right beside us.
The kids proceeded to kick the table the entire meal. I had to brace my drink.
The restaurant was cold so we sat with our overcoats and scarves on the whole time.
Oh yeah. It wasn’t good. It was expensive for what it was. Small portions of fish that have been sitting out should cost less.
This place is a total bum out. Nothing really redeeming about it.

Great location in the heart of nopa, not the biggest space, so when filled place is quite noisy. Tried some nigiri, uni spooney, za ja men, and a couple rolls. The spoon was tasty, essentially a small piece of uni, sauce, and raw quail egg. For $ 12, I’d want a flavor that would be a bit more memorable. The rolls (sesame salmon & I forget the other spicy one) were forgettable… Not a solid serving of fish per roll, felt like an buffet serving. Fish quality was good though. And I enjoyed the Suntory draft beer. And the waitress gave us a free Mochi dessert. Service, however, was middle of the road, we cancelled our edamame since it wasn’t showing up. Not a bad place, but not spectacular. Plenty of other options in SF to try, so probably won’t make it back.

Fantastic selection of fresh, different fish. Great staff. Great fun. We spent a small fortune and will be back again soon!

Love the low seating and the sake, really great atmosphere.
We ordered the market grilled fish (salmon): crispy and very tasty. Kumamoto oysters: fresh and tasty, would recommend. We also ordered Mama San roll and others and they were all very good!
I would recommend this place if you’re in the mood for fresh sushi and delicious sake in a relaxed restaurant.
The servers were also extremely friendly and answered all my questions without hesitation.

My husband and I came in around 630 Sat March 26^th. He ordered sushi, I ordered fish of the day (Grilled Salmon). My husbands dinner came first and he ate all of it while I was still waiting on mine. The waitress came by twice to tell me, mine will be up shortly. When I got my salmon, it was burnt and over cooked. I had a couple of bites and my husband had a bite and he told me it didn’t taste fresh. I had to pack half of it up to go as we had plans. We usually go in that area to have dinner, but we are now kinda of iffy.

Great spot for dinner with friends! lots of martini’s, sake, and suishi!!! GET the Pryamid, it was the best flavor combination and a great starter before the impressive suishi

I ordered the squid sushi and it tasted like soap. The Uni and ikura are not fresh at all! Anyways, the foods were just so so but people are nice:)

This place has literally the worst service and ontop of having overpriced mediocre sushi, they made us wait almost 2 hours, at which time we hadn’t even received our our entire order.
We were a party of 8 ladies there for a birthday party and we were not treated with any kind of priority. They kept bringing out one plate at a time which was not even enough to feed us all at the same time.
When I asked the waitress if we could get our $ 40 corkage fee waived (which she has originally quoted as $ 20) as compensation for the slow service) this was the least they could do), she asked me why, which I thought was pretty unreal.
All in all, Tsunami is a rip-​off with mediocre sushi and I left still hungry. The trendiness and popularity of this place is misleading. Don’t waste your money here.

Slow service. Mediocre food. Overpriced. At least they have a full bar. Don’t come with a group… they can’t handle big orders.

I can’t believe I have not reviewed Tsunami already! They have the best bartenders in town! The sushi chefs are top-​notch and their fish is always fresh and delicious. Shin is constantly changing his specials menu and adding seasonal nigiri/​sashimi. Try Uni on the Spoon, Habanero tobiko w/​quail egg, Spiders roll… the list goes on. They have a great happy hour (half off a selection of dishes) and sake deals! They are an awesome at keeping the regulars coming and welcoming to the new customers.

The fish is good, but the prices are really high for the tiny portions you get. Tiniest portions I’ve ever seen for sushi — both here and in Japan!

This spot is in our neighborhood and I go there whenever I am craving sushi.
Sushi gets expensive and I could eat it all day long so I only appease my cravings during their happy hour (5−7pm). My usual order is the 8 piece sashimi which is fresh and half price. I’ll also get the edamame, sunomono salad (vegetables are important ladies and gentlemen!), a sake avocado roll or if I’m feeling flush, a signature roll. I really like the Shonen Knife and the Sesame Salmon Go. I’ve tried all the rolls here but those two are my favorites.
I love the atmosphere in here. It has low lighting so its great for date night and their spotify playlists are great. The staff here are so friendly and they always remember my boy and I. They also bring me extra ginger without judgement so they have a special place in my heart!
I have had better sushi but Its hard to beat a neighborhood spot like this!

The service was absolutely atrocious! It took over 1.5 hours and we still don’t have our food. I will never come here again!

Beautiful interior, amazing spirits selection, superb menu, and fantastic staff.
Their menu, including signature cocktails, is truly unique and not just a shuffling of the same ingredients.
Their happy hour includes items definitely worth ordering.
Highlights: Shonen Knife, hamachi kama, and the high ball.
Just go!

Up sell– watch out for this place!
I don’t even know where to begin! I was overcharged for sake I didn’t order. When I asked the server what the $ 17 charge was on my bill — she brought another server from the kitchen to ‘strong arm’ me into admitting we ordered a $ 17/​a glass sake (that We did not order).
When I continued to stick up for myself, these (now two) girls stared us down and tried to bully us into paying the extra money. I refused to pay for what I didn’t order, and asked her to bring me a corrected receipt.
In response, the server asked me where her Tip was? I explained I hadn’t ‘even paid the bill yet’.. I said I would be happy to Tip, after I actually got the correct receipt. WTF?!
When the server went to re-​do our receipt we watched her talking sh#t about us to the ‘strong arm’ girl from the kitchen?! What is wrong with these people?
This place is like a Used Car Dealership with 80’s music playing. Make sure you pay close attention to what you actually order vs. what they charge you for.

I was reluctant to try Tsunami because it seemed to be a little too trendy for a sushi place. Trendy sushi seems to always under deliver and be overpriced. However, I was blown away. The food here is really good. The menu is inspired and delicious. I went here with the beau, my sister and her boyfriend. This is some of the best food I’ve had and the omikase sushi was great.
If you’re in the area, make sure that you head over for happy hour (until 7pm.) You can get great appetizers/​small plates half off. We got this huge hamachi kama (collar) for only $ 5.
I can’t wait to go back.

OK, I honestly don’t get it Unilocal.Tsunami has 3.5 stars while Elephant Sushi has 4.5?
First things first, I am not a casual sushi guy. I love sushi, and am always trying new nigiri. I prefer the more traditional sushi restaurants and don’t often order rolls, but sometimes you want stylish, trendy sushi, and in that category, this is BY FAR our favorite in the city.
Ambiance is fantastic. It is sexy, stylish, and a very LA vibe. Drink menu is fantastic, with a really nice selection of whiskey (including some great Japanese ones). It can be a long wait, but you can wait in the next door wine bar Corkage (they even share a bathroom) and even bring your unfinished drink in to Tsunami when your name is called.
OK, but now on to the fish. First, their specialty rolls are great. You can actually taste the ingredients, and the sauces/​seasonings/​other ingredients complement the fish nicely. The Mama San is my favorite sushi roll in the city, hands down. Spicy, flavorful, good size, just really excellent. Absolutely a must order.
Their nigiri, for a «trendy» sushi place, is also quite good and way better than it needs to be… for this type of place, they go beyond what is expected in my opinion and I really appreciate it. We went just last night and had the sampler of the chef’s special Nigiri of the day, and had some really incredible stuff. Two different types of Aji, marinated salmon, Toro (and an unbelievably flavorful one at that), bincho, fresh hirame, an unbelievable cut of Maguro (and I thought I was bored of straight tuna), etc. The only piece we weren’t wowed by was the river salmon. It is not all from Japan, but it is all very fresh, good portions, amazing flavors, and a nice balance of wasabi. The «Chef’s Catch» portion of the menu always offers 7 – 10 great nigiri/​sashimi daily specials on top of the standards offered on the normal menu.
Their uni on a spoon is great, Mars Attacks is fun, overall a really great place.
Now compare this to an Elephant Sushi where a) the specialty rolls are drenched in overpowering sauces to the point where it doesn’t even matter what fish is in it, and b) the fish itself (nigiri, etc) is severely lacking in even the most basic types and not even close to fresh. We’ve spit things out at Elephant before (and I promise we aren’t as high maintenance as we sound!).
It’s not Ino folks, I get it. But if you are looking for an upscale date night with great rolls, inventive appetizers, solid depth to their drink choices on all fronts, and most importantly really fresh fish for nigiri and sashimi with a ton of interesting options, this place does it in spades. The best choice for trendier sushi in the city.

Came by myself. Everything was good until the last dish of the night. I ordered the wagyu nigiri at the end of my meal because I was still hungry. Horrible idea. Cold, chewy, flavorless beef. Like eating beef flavored refrigerated rubber. I’ve had wagyu nigiri and it melts in your mouth like butter. I’m sitting in the restaurant right now, writing an angry review, thinking about what a terrible waste of money that beef was. Felt like a half raw slice of London broil.
I would have given this place 4 star, but your most expensive special should at least not disgust the eater. The extra star is for the whiskey collection.

Unilocal is not a dating site, much like Tsunami isn’t authentic sushi.
This is what I’m trying to tell my friend who is rifling through my Unilocal reviews and looking to see who my «friends» are.
«How about her, or her?» Lily said.
«Um, NO!» I said.
I know Lily is trying to help, but really now, Unilocal?!?This isn’t Tinder I tell Lily.
Anyways, thank goodness our food arrived so that I could take back my phone and my pride.
Here’s the thing about Tsunami.
I only really like one thing here.
I LOVE their Ankimo because it has a sweet glaze to it. This is the star of this place, in my opinion, if you like sweet glazes.
I practically dislike all their rolls except The Spiders (Basically a Spider Roll).
Why?!? Because their rolls have too much rice.
Their sashimi isn’t super fresh, but it’s not stale either. It’s decent. But the SASHIMI Chef’s choice of sixteen pieces will run you a pricey $ 42.
Their UNI ON THE SPOON is decent, but not worth the $ 8. I’d suggest the HAMACHI JALAPENO or BINCHO CARPACCIO.
You can skip the HAMACHI STUFFED SHITAKE and the overpriced oysters here.
Like practically everything on this menu, it’s overpriced and not worth it.
So, if you happen to catch me here, just pretend that you don’t know me.
I’m the weird one with two orders of Ankimo and nothing else except a lot of tea.

This place is neither superb nor mediocre. Nice, friendly environment. Decent food. I have zero complaints, but also it by no means holds a special place in my heart.
Had a reservation for 6:30 but we changed to 7 (because of traffic) without any problem. Would definitely recommend getting a reservation considering the popularity of their happy hour.
To the good stuff:
Magic mushrooms… definitely a good name cause this roll is w e i r d. It’s a «roll» of cooked salmon. and like. that’s it. I love salmon but wouldn’t order this again, not that it was bad. It just didn’t have many different levels of flavor – one of my favorite things about eating sushi.
The Spiders– hahahaha ITS HUGE YOU FEEL LIKE A DUMMY TRYING TO EAT IT ’cause everyone knows you have to eat a piece of sushi in 1 bite. It was delicious for sure, but wow, I bet the chefs get a kick out of watching people try to stuff even the smallest piece in their mouth, it’s that massive.
Mt. Fuji– probably my favorite (but also has pretty heavy cream cheese which I’m usually not a fan of). It had a very smooth texture. Overall this is a good one.
Feels very trendy and hip inside. There are long, communal tables in the middle which I also enjoyed.
Street parking!

We’ve wanted to try tsunami for awhile, and I had just stumbled upon a groupon, so it seemed like the perfect time to go. We were kind of disappointed for what we got for the price. We got the omekase sashimi, which was decent. We also got the magic mushrooms and two other rolls, which again, were decent, but underwhelming and small. The drinks sounded promising, but were disappointing and flat. We left with a $ 100 bill (on top of what we already paid for the groupon) and were still hungry, so we went to satisfy our hunger at Popeyes next door.
All in all, the food was decent and the ambiance was hip and modern, but it was pretty overpriced and portions were small. Maybe plan on having a second dinner. With so many great and affordable sushi places around the area, I’m not sure I would come back.

I quite liked the evening I spent in Tsunami. The sushi was nice, the staff were pleasant, the whisky was plentiful. It’s remarkably hard to fault.
The bar was decorated in such a way as to give an almost smokey atmosphere despite being smoke free. The lights were down low, the music chilled, and even though we were sitting up at the bar all evening, it felt remarkably calm.
Whisky-​wise this place has a really broad range and their staff seem pretty well drilled on the flavours and intricacies of the different malts.
The only thing I’d say is the alcohol was expensive (not unexpected given what I was drinking) but so was the food. Probably a stitch too expensive.
However with great staff and a great atmosphere it could make a great place for special nights out.

The sign outside said «Whiskey Bar» but when I wandered in, the smell of fresh fish and seaweed hit my nose. The ambiance is chill but elegant and the crowd was the same. There is European picnic style long tables to share along with cozy corner table space and a good size bar in front of both the sushi and the LARGE whiskey selection. The woman sitting next to me kept raving about her Kobe beef sushi and Blade gin and basil cocktail. Personally I opted for a Nigiri sake and a spicy tuna hand roll. Both were delicious!
My bill was chill and the service was totally attentive and good natured. I will be back with friends for a more in-​depth culinary investigation!
Came in again a few weeks later for happy hour– it’s GREAT! Seriously, the sashimi is super fresh and only $ 12 for 8 pieces of gorgeous fish!

After three trips and two Living Social deals, I should probably write this review before I somehow end up back here again. And no, despite how it looks, I haven’t tried everything on the menu. I believe there’s still the edamame and hot tea…
Compared to their King St. spot, this Tsunami is both nicer and trendier. It also seems busier, but you can wait for your table at Corkage, which is a wine/​sake bar next door (same owners). The menu is identical though, and similar to Nihon Whisky Lounge’s (also the same owners). However, while Nihon is more like an izakaya, Tsunami is more «traditional».
– 16 PIECE SASHIMI — Chef’s Selection…$ 42
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It’s pricey, but the selection was terrific. Sadly, I can’t recall all of the cuts we had (too busy chatting), but I do recall they were thick, fresh, and delicious.
– PAPA SAN — Spicy California & Kaiware topped with Seared Sea Bass, Jalapeño Rings & Aioli, Ponzu, Scallion, & Tobiko…$ 17
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Pretty tasty and between the filling, jalapenos, and aioli, the roll had some kick. The sea bass was also great, but I wish the cut was thicker.
– SHONEN KNIFE — Avocado, Gobo, Kaiware, Cucumber, & Jalapeño topped with Hamachi, White Miso, Truffle Dressing, & Black Tobiko…$ 14
(see above)
The truffle dressing drew me in, but it was so overpowering. Even then though, the roll itself was just okay; I could barely taste the hamachi!
– VEGGIE TIGER — Asparagus, Cucumber, Gobo, Sweet Cooked Gourd, & Oshinko, topped with Fried Eggplant, Avocado, and Tsume Sauce…$ 13
(see above)
I don’t have a problem with vegetarian dishes, but I wasn’t a fan. Both in taste and texture, all of the different vegetables felt jumbled together.
– CHICKEN KARAAGE — Deep Fried Garlic Soy Marinated Boneless Chicken Thighs with Grated Daikon & Ponzu Sauce…$ 9
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It’s not the best I’ve had, but it’s near the top. The pieces were meaty, juicy, and nicely seasoned and I really liked how it was crispy yet not overly battered.
– 1974 — Spicy Scallop, Asparagus & Kaiware, topped with Salmon, Lemon, & Black Tobiko…$ 15
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I didn’t care for the asparagus, but the roll was great otherwise. The scallops had just the right amount of heat and the salmon was the perfect complement.
– THE SPIDERS — Soft Shell Crab, Snow Crab, Cucumer, Kaiware, & Gobo, topped with Eel, Avocado, Tsume Sauce, Tobiko, & Scallion…$ 19
(see above)
My favorite of the rolls I’ve tried. It’s easy to see why — crab for days! Add in the unagi and this is a roll I’d get again and again, despite the name.
– SCORPION — Tempura Shrimp, Canadian Snow Crab, & Cucumber topped with Unagi, Avocado, & Tsume Sauce…$ 15
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My second favorite simply because, you know, fried stuff. The roll isn’t fancy, but I really liked how the tempura, crab, and unagi meshed together.
– HAWAIIAN TUNA POKKI — Tenderized Tuna with Sesame Oil, Soy Dressing, Tobiko, & Vegetables…$ 13
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We meant to get the Ahi Poke but got this instead, which is more like a tuna carpaccio. Still, the dish was pretty decent, especially the tuna and sesame oil.
– MARS ATTACKS — Deep Fried Baby Octopus…$ 8
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Both interesting and peculiar. While it tasted fine, I didn’t like the texture. Between the soft, thin batter and the mushy octopus, there was no bite to it.
– SESAME SALMON GO — Salmon, Kaiware, Cucumber & Lemon, with Sesame Oil & Sea Salt…$ 15
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A salmon lover’s delight! My friend thought it was a little too acidic with the lemon sauce, but I personally thought it was fine.
– MT. FUJI — Tempura Shrimp, Eel, Snow Crab topped with Pepper Cream Cheese, Tsume & Habañero Tobiko…$ 13
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I was skeptical, but it was tasty! Yes, shrimp tempura and eel aren’t hard to like, but the peppery cream cheese was a surprisingly nice touch.
– VOLCANO — Spicy Tuna, Cucumber, Kaiware & Jalapeño topped with Tuna, Avocado & Habañero Tobiko…$ 17
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It was just okay. The tuna and avocado were great with the spiciness, but seeing as how it’s not very unique, it’s not really worth the money.
All in all, the food is pretty decent but it’s also pricey, given its trendy nature. Four stars for this location and three for the other, which matches Tsunami’s dead on THREE AND A HALF STAR average.
No, wait… I’ve already tried the tea.

Pleasantly surprised with this SF-​chiq and bustling sushi spot.
EATS/​DRINKS:
We came in for light snacks and a drink, and were seriously amazed by the drink options. Deep whiskey menu, and very well crafted cocktails. I had a big bottle of Hitachino, which was pricey. Everything was, but it wouldn’t stop me from coming back.
Excellent execution on (most) of the staples. California rolls were delicious, Yellowtail collar was crisp and amazing (recommended). Edamame was… edamame, but came presented nicely in the bamboo steamer basket they heated it in. Miso. Not so much. The addition of mushrooms was a nice thought, but ultimately over powering, like little bits of dry bark floating around. Not altogether pleasant.
OVERALL:
Would totally come again. Servers and bartenders were super nice, but service was up and down. Some things came immediately, one lone raw oyster took about 15 minutes. Busy Friday though, so not a big deal. Maybe wait for the Groupon they always seem to be peddling.

Whatever happens from here on out, please, nobody let me drink any more sake. Ever.
Aversion-​status successfully unlocked.
Tsunami is not entirely to blame, as there were a number of pre-​game bars hit up in succession of meeting up with a long-​distance friend who can clearly party harder than I.
We started off with 2 different types of sake served in these square cups and filled to the overflow the brim. It’s basically a Sake Tsunami, so maybe that’s how they settled on that name.
From here I have only vague in and out hazy memories of eating here less than 36-​hours ago and I honestly can’t tell you exactly what we had beyond all too much sake, but I can say that everything we had was beautiful and damn fresh — it will cost ya, though. Just know that going in.
I do remember getting a heaping plate of seaweed salad to start and then we selected two premium sushi rolls that came with colorful and generously cut chunks of fresh tuna, hamachi, the works.
The interior is super cute and perfect for a date, or in our case, a lady date that happened at an early-​bird dinner hour. Our server was on top of his game with being attentive and at our service — Perhaps maybe even a little too attentive when it came to those sake refills, but that’s on me, too… and I learned my lesson when I basically had to spend the next few hours taking a disco nap in my car to sober up and get home.

My boyfriend and I had a great first time experience at tsunami. We found this place via groupon and had no idea what to expect. When we got there were were amazed by the GIANT entrance door like one you’d find in front of a Japanese temple. The décor was really nice too, we sat at a tall table but they also had tables where you can sit on the floor on cusions.
We had reservations but the restaurant was pretty empty inside so I don’t think it’s necessary to have one.
Our server was really nice, she was like a harajuku girl with a British accent.
We ordered:
+ raw oysters: my boyfriend enjoyed it, he said it tasted really fresh and slid right off the shell. I personally am not into oysters but gave one a shot… still not a fan. Lol but that’s just me
+salmon sashimi: by far the best we’ve ever had! (And we order salmon at every Japanese restaurant we go go)
+magic mushrooms: amazing! Had everything I love stuffed into a mushroom (salmon, avocado, snow crab & enoki, baked with aioli; topped with tobiko)
+tsunami ahi poke: not your usually poke but still full of flavor and the quality of the fish was outstanding! Melts in your mouth. Don’t expect your typical chunky cubes of tuna, they slice theirs paper thin!
Dragon roll: average but generous

THEY SURPRISED ME!
(3.8 stars)
–FOOD, good
–PRICES, out of pocket
–SERVICE, decent
–AMBIANCE, cute
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to like the place. I had speculated it’s just an over-​priced sushi joint, however I had enjoyed the plates. They get busy so reservations are highly recommended. Seated immediately and scaled the menu — lots of choices… FOOD AND SAKE!!!
SAKE ($ 5 — HH price) — I don’t remember what kind. It was the SMOOTHEST cold sake I ever had. Had floral and fruity hints. They didn’t serve it in the typical small bottle, they gave each of us a TALL glass. The alcohol percentage must be light because I didn’t get a buzz.
SHIGOKU ($ ¹¹⁄₆) — it’s not often I find Shigoku (from BC) oysters available at restaurants but they are a MUST when you see them. My favorite oysters IN THE WORLD and trust my judgements I know my oysters very well! Elegant, delicate, and lightly creamy.
BINCHO CARPACCIO ($ 14) — sliced albacore tuna with truffle oil and ponzu. This was under the crudo section. The presentation does not look appetizing, it looks boring. The taste was amazing. Fresh, buttery, and delicious. I love truffle oil but they should scaled back on it to allow the quality of the fish to shine through. It was still very good though.
MAGIC MUSHROOMS ($ 9) — salmon, avocado, snow crab & enoki, baked with aioli, topped with tobiko and scallions. THIS WAS MY FAVORITE OF THE EVENING!!! Great flavor and fair with portion to price. Agh, so good!
1974. ($ 15) — spicy scallop, asparagus and kaiware, topped with salmon, lemon and black tobiko. The presentation looked like a fancy sushi roll but the taste was upscale. I didn’t taste any heat from the spicy scallop but tasted more of the light saltiness from the black tobiko.
HAMACHI JALAPEÑO ($ 11) — yellowtail slices, jalapeño rings, avocado & tobiko. This was very similar to the bincho carpaccio, smaller portion with a kick of jalapeño (the flavor, not the spice).
Don’t come here hungry, you will leave hungry. Fortunate there was a BBQ party before this, otherwise this review would have been something else! Ha!
Until the next review…,