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Sushi Ondo (San Francisco, CA)

Sushi Ondo
1550 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Dining date: 9/10/21

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Sushi Ondo is part of a wave of San Francisco restaurants doing more reasonably-priced omakase meals (~$100). While I haven’t found anything quite like Sugarfish around here, I have been interested in what kind of quality / value these restaurants can offer. Sushi Ondo opened in 2019 and is part of a group of restaurants that includes Sushi Hon, Barnzu, Sushi Hakko and Izakaya Hon.

The omakase currently runs $95 for 8 courses, including twelve pieces of nigiri within 3 of those courses. A sushi tasting, sashimi tasting, and full a la carte menu is available as well. We went with the omakase, adding a couple of fried appetizers at the beginning of the meal.

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Deep Fried Panko Shrimp

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Spicy Beef Gyoza Dumpling

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Hamachi Ume Carpaccio

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Amberjack, Lean Bluefin, Snapper

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Crab Frittata with Bitter Melon

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Hokkaido Scallop, Salmon, Spanish Mackerel, Halibut

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Dashi Braised Root Yasai

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Soy-Cured Salmon, Flatfish, Medium Fatty Toro, Japanese Mackerel

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Oven Roasted Salmon Steak with Chestnut

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Hibiscus Panna Cotta

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Sushi Ondo had some moderate-highs and some real lows. The sushi was a bright spot – the lean and medium-fatty cuts of tuna were highlights, as was the Hokkaido scallop. However, just about everything else fell flat. The fried appetizers tasted very similar to commercially-sold frozen counterparts; the gyoza in particular had a small, waterlogged filling without distinguishable flavor. The crab frittata was served cold, a dense texture-less vehicle that I didn’t want more than one bite of. The dashi-cooked vegetables were also ice cold and didn’t exhibit much of a dashi flavor at all. In fact, the only omakase item served warm was the salmon, which was the best non-sushi course of the evening. I’d potentially return to Sushi Ondo for just sushi or sashimi, but nothing else.

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