Waki — Restaurant in Alameda

Went there for the grand opening tonight. So naturally have to try a variety of stuff. Waki did not disappoint. The sashimi was fresh and thick; Hamachi Kama was meaty and served with a nice ponzu sauce; Chawanmushi (Steamed egg custard) was smooth and silky with scallop, shrimp and mushroom inside. I did not like Uni (sea urchin). I tried once many years ago and it tasted like a pouch of sea water. Glad I decided to give it another go at Waki. The Hokkaido sea urchin was mild and had the texture of a smooth foie gras. I quite liked it. Uni is now back on my list. Thanks, Waki. We also had 2 of the special rolls (Dragon and Lion King), both are delicious. The deep fried soft shell crab was meaty and fried to perfection.

We were so full that we practically had to roll ourselves out the door. Definitely will be back. I am already thinking what I should try next time!!

Lastly, a shoutout to our server Joey for the...

Came in for dinner on opening day and definitely will be back! Fish was high quality, service was great and friendly, and all of the dishes were done well. A few of our favorites:

Miso soup w/ mushrooms: flavorful and good way to start the meal! Uni sea urchin: definitely give it a shot! Hokkaido sea urchin makes such a big difference in the flavor. Hamachi Kama: will 100% order again! Flakey meat and good flavor. Soft Shell Crab: delicious with ponzu and nice fried crunch! Lion King roll: so good! Baked salmon had great flavor, imitation crab was delicious and soft, and the roe on top was fresh. Sashimi: toro, salmon, hamachi, and more were all thick slices and good fish! Steamed Egg Custard: my first time trying it but Waki did it well! Extremely smooth and filled with mushrooms, scallops, and shrimp. Green tea ice cream + ice cream mochi were good too!

Sooooo full but...

We planned to have a quick lunch to make up for a bad meal elsewhere a couple nights ago. It wasn’t quick. Best laid plans, you know.

Everything was fresh and delicious.

We splurged a bit and left with a bunch of leftovers.

My main was the sushi and sashimi combo. It included miso soup and salad, and everything was great. Perfect temperature and generous slices. My partner ordered a soft-shell crab roll (a.k.a. Spider roll) and a shrimp tempura roll. I also ordered a pair of unagi nigiri. This was the first time in a long while that they arrived warm. They simply melted in one’s mouth.

Biggest surprise on the menu? In a section titled “Japanese Tapas”, there was a list for lamb chops. I had to get it. They were as good any lollipops I’ve ever had. Perfectly seasoned and grilled. If you like...