Sushi Okalani — Restaurant in Hood River

Our last supper in Hood River was here which was right across the street from our hotel (Hood River Hotel). What an odd name. Kalani in Hawaii can be a surname or first name. Not sure what "Okalani" means. But, if you're in the mood for some Japanese food, this is one of two spots I've tried in the area.

ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant is underground so don't expect any views, LOL. Décor was clean and simple. Because of our large party, we got seated in their "tatami room" which has a cutout in the floor for your legs to hang like a traditional sitting even though you're really sitting on the floor.

MENU: Fusion of Japanese/Mexican/American apps, sashimi, "Hawaiian" pokē, sushi, noodles (no ramen), desserts.

BEVERAGE: Momokawa Pearl Sake - $22.00 large This was a cold sake, cloudy in color, and sweet. Being a white wine drinker, I liked it but had to take it slow due to its potency.

FOOD: Miso Soup - $2.50 I had a sip from my spouse's bowl which was extremely drab. Miso soup should be salty and bold with bits of tofu and seaweed. Nada.

Tempura Shriimp - $9.50, 3 pcs. Definitely not frozen, they were fairly crispy, but the tempura sauce was weak in flavor from being too diluted with water.

Yakisoba with Chicken - $11.50 My choice but because we were eating family-style, I didn't get enough of it (the main reason why I loathe family style). I always choose a good dish and everyone else whacks it up. Anyway, the sauce was a bit tart and tasted like it came out of a jar. That said, being a noodle fanatic, I still liked it even if it wasn't the best I've had.

Dragon Maki Sushi - $8.50 The last time I had eel I didn't care for it, but someone at our table convinced me to try it again. Second time is a charm! There were no bones in it like my last experience and it was savory and sweet with a texture similar to butterfish.

Sushi Platter Someone ordered a huge platter of 16 nigiri and 24 maki. I'm not a huge sushi fan so I had just a piece of California roll which was good. The fish looked very fresh, just like back home.

Udon Avoid this as the broth was extremely uninteresting and bland. The al dente udon noodles were good but you need a good broth for the perfect marriage.

SERVICE: The male server that assisted our side of the room was friendly and professional.

OVERALL: I wasn't expecting exquisite Japanese cuisine in Hood River and...

Absolutely my go-to spot for sushi in the gorge. I stumbled across this gem, hidden under Celilo in Hood River, in 2020. The first time I tried it, they hooked me as a permanent return customer. At this point, I have lost track of the amount of times I have brought friends and family on surprise excursions that either begin or end at Okalani, and many of them have continued that tradition. They have a curated selection of sake, cider, and beer (but no liquor) that is always a pleasure to drink your way through a small portion. Their sushiyas are passionate and well-trained, and always a pleasure to chat with (if they're slow enough that it's not a distraction) from the bar. At least two private rooms hidden by shoji screens lurk at the back of the restaurant, perfect for private and group celebrations. The server staff has seemed to change consistently over the years I have been going, but the level of service provided has always been top notch. There is a small waiting area in case the restaurant is all full when you arrive, but they offer several amenities while you wait - Beverage service, edamame, AND the option to simply leave your name and number (as well as preferred seating and party size) so that you can walk around historic Hood River while waiting for their...

1st, the sushi quality is excellent but the pieces are tiny so order 2 entrees, and the price is good. On with the experience: My husband and I were driving through from Portland. This sushi restaurant was the only one on 84 before our destination. I called 3 times asking to place an order, the first time a woman said to call when we were closer, the second time the same woman said that ordering 2 dinners was too big because they were too busy to fulfill it, we got to Hood River around 7:30 and pulled off and gave them 1 more try and a different woman was happy to take my order ... We waited, watching people high on drugs meander around the street, and we finally got our order and left. When we arrived at our destination, about an hour later, and finally opened the bag we were missing an entire entre ... Such a bummer! So we shared what we had, 3 rolls and the Chef's Love Assortment. The sushi is really good, very high quality but teeny pieces, surprisingly, even the rolls are small ... But the prices are good so order 2 entrees and you'll have a meal ... They did reimburse me the price of the second dinner, a 12-piece...