Hi,

The first time I had Sushi was when I was only twelve (47 years ago). There was only one sushi restaurant in NYC at the time--I recall that it was named (EDO). I was hooked on my 3rd visit there with my dad who ate there daily. It was a wonderful place to eat. A cultural experience. My father's office was only 2 blocks away from another great eatery--a Korean restaurant in NYC named OO LE OOK. I spelled it as best I could. I think it was named after a city in Korea. Absolutely, wonderful food. It was in business for decades and unfortunately, burned down in a fire. They had "in table" grilles which may have caused this tragic accident. The thing about OO LE OOK was that they also served very traditional Japanese sushi. The best of both food worlds.

While driving around Hartford one night, my daughter and I were hunting for some sushi. I saw Ichiban which had a sign proclaiming both Japanese and Korean foods. Jack pot! I also noticed that there were only 3 cars in the parking lot including mine. Not a great omen.

My 10 year old daughter travels with her own chopsticks so she takes her food seriously as well. The menu offered all kinds of both Japanese and Korean dishes including my favorite... Bulgogi. I thought it was priced high and was told the meat came from the Kalbi ribs. They stripped it from the ribs. That was the first time I have ever heard of that dish being made in such a way. I skipped it and ordered what was a very popular and traditional dish at most sushi places "the Sushi Boat for Two." What came to my table was a beat up party favor that sort of resembled a boat. When I looked down into it, I saw a California roll (wowee) and Avocado roll (double wowee) a couple of peices of eel and some unrecognizable fish sushi. Nothing was wrapped properly in seaweed. The amount of food was anemic and it wasn't that good as far as taste. No presentation what so ever. No shaved cucumber or carrot design--nothing. It was if someone threw the food on "Das Boot." When I complained that it wasn't really worth the 36.00, the waitress yelled at me that we should have ordered the 50.00 version! "What you expect?" she said. We ate the food, paid the bill and left. Never to return. We were still starving so we went to the Hibachi Grill on Kane and Prospect. The all you can eat sushi was far better than the Ichiban boat. Let me repeat. IT'S ALL YOU CAN EAT! For less than 22.00, we ate to our heart's content. All kinds of rolls including hand rolls, seaweed salad, baby octopus salad, eel sushi, good quality tuna and salmon sushi and so much more. Worth every penny. Is Shogun in Glastonbury still around. Good Korean food there.