Tobiuo — Restaurant in Katy

So there were some ups and downs here.

Walking through the door, I was welcomed immediately by the hostess. She sat me down at a tight area, then I asked to be sat at the sushi bar. No problem. So good so far. As soon as I sat down, our waitress had asked us what we would like to drink. As soon as we ordered, I noticed that a few flies/mosquitoes were flying around this area. Minutes later, a bug flies into my drink. The sushi chefs took that water away and replaced it with a new one. After ordering, the chef in front of us killed a mosquito with his bare hands as he was cutting up the fish. I mean, at least he washed his hands after? But that was just not very appetizing.

I ordered the Houston restaurant weeks menu and the Santa Monica, California uni. It was $18 per order and I ordered two. They gave you a large portion of uni, I enjoyed that very much! Tasted very fresh and had a little of Wasabi that paired well with it. 5 out of 5.

From the Houston restaurant weeks menu, I ordered the amberjack, 6 piece sashimi, ribeye, and lychee desert recommended by our waitress. The amberjack had a cucumber roe and paired with radishes in a cucumber reduction. I think the flavors were not bad. They were just nothing amazing. It was sweet, fish did not taste fresh for some reason? I've had Sushi many times before and this was not up to par. 3 out of 5.

Next, we had the sashimi. It had tuna, salmon belly, and some other fish? It looked like it was cooked from the outside and Raw on the inside for some reason? I am questioning why this would be on the sashimi selection, but overall it was good aside from the other mystery fish. 3 out of 5.

Next was the ribeye. It had some weird Corn Flakes on top which was a little odd. I like how it added a textual component to the dish, but unfortunately the ribeye was so salty! I had to drink a carafe of Water by myself! The rice was oddly dry, I was kind of expecting rice like the sushi rice. But other than it being super salty, I think they flavored it nicely. The way they cooked it was well done. 3.5 out of 5.

Lastly, I ordered the lychee ice cream suggested by our waitress. We finished the ribeye and waited about 10 minutes for this dessert to come out and it never came out. Our waitress was sweet enough to ask us if we've gotten the desert yet and after 20 minutes enough was enough! I decided to just leave because I needed to be somewhere else. I was a little upset because there was no way we were being compensated. I figured, since we were ordering from Houston Restaurant Week menu, we already had a steal deal.

I gave this place 3 stars because I believe they earned it from the service, the amount of uni giving in that nigiri, and the decent flavors. I did not have the best experience here from the fly killing to the already prepped sashimi and the mysterious dessert that never showed up. I came here out of my way from Cypress, I don't think I would be coming...

The food is AUTHENTIC! Their sushi is not “American-ized”! You know it’s a good sign when you have to ask questions about what the ingredients are when looking at the menu. We ordered: Appetizers; •Diced Shrimp tempura (served with a spicy aioli sauce) •Spicy edamame (so much flavor!! Packed tight with spices and very moist) •Grilled asparagus (served cut, very beautiful presentation) •Bone Marrow (this Asian style classic add modes of spice and soy to jazz up a timeless classic) • Mango cheese wonton ( lThe cilantro and mango sauce it was served with marries well and compliments the back end of the tongue. Not too bitter. Not too sweet. Pairs absolutely wonderful with the cream cheese stuffed food) •Salmon Tartare (an INSTANT homerun. I have never had Tartare but, this was an amazing marriage between soy and fish. The sunchoke chips added an extra crunch that excites the tastebuds and leaves them begging for more) Rolls: •Spicy mountain (not too spicy and the fish eggs and seaweed salad add a very welcomed crunch. The tempura fried seaweed added an amazing texture to the sushi!) Drinks: •Lychee Cosmo (not super sweet and offers a comfortable amount of sour to the palate) •Cinco Ranchero margarita (a traditional margarita with just enough salt to keep it interesting- CLASSIC) •Mint Mojito (Do your tastebuds a FLAVOR and order this- thank me later. The mint partners well with the cucumber which adds an additional crisp, very well made) •Shiso Good (a sweeter martini but very well crafted and made. Offers great twist to same old classics) •Bottle of Rosé (usually I fear Rosé being too sweet, or too bitter. And this was PERFECTLY BALANCED. Amici Rosé offers a well proportional flavor of tart and sweetness that is perfect for any palate)

The aesthetic of the restaurant offers balanced lighting and mood appeal with contemporary seating and plate settings. Portions are mild and food authenticity that invites either the rumored foodies or juvenile sushi goers a run for their money. The bathrooms are perfect for any mid-meal selfie, or modern father looking for the perfect place to change that blowout! Cleanliness meets perfection in this sushi joint tucked away in plain sight.

PS. The general manager is NOT bad to look at. At all (Lee) And... Michelle (our waitress was very attentive but not too much where it becomes a nuisance. She was very involved in our dining experience, which makes a patron want to visit again. She patiently explained several menu items and pointed out the disparities in other’s soy sauce vs their house made which is dehydrated and fermented in Skipjack tuna which offers an AMAZING flavor and bold taste to the traditional way!) Roderick was VERY well dressed/professional and also like Lee, very aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. His suit is very form fitting in the best way!!

I have expected a decent experience from this place, because of my friend's recommendation and the good ratings on google map. However, it turns out to be much of a disappointment.

Upon entry, this restaurant has a really nice atmosphere. However, if you take a closer look, you will see the kitchen door open, and there's a gas tank hanging out right next to the restrooms. The restroom was clean, which was a plus. However, the unprofessional appearance on the overall tidiness was not something to give a compliment. Something to note is that there weren't many people sitting around.

Me and my friend ordered a couple starters: the wagyu hot stone and miso soup. The miso soup was OK taste wise, but 4 dollars for just a regular bowl of miso soup? The hot stone wagyu was decent in taste, but it was not unique, nor anywhere close near worth the price. 6 or 8 pieces of meat, I don't remember exactly, size around half of your palm, couple centimeters thick, placed on to a hot rock and immediately, its price rocketed to $22. If that meat was the wagyu of this restaurant, then I'd rather buy some ordinary beef and make it on my own.

For the main course, my friend and I each ordered some sushi. I added a hamachi kama. The sushi took a while to make, which, in my case, shouldn't happen. A skilled sushi maker should be able to take care of our order within 5 to 7 minutes, but it took around 15. Before we knew that it was ours, it was sitting on the table for more than 5 minutes, waiting for someone to finally pick it up and bring it to us. Remember? There weren't many customers in the restaurant. So I don't know what the waitress has been doing that took her so long. The hamachi kama was said to be ready in 15-20 minutes, and so we waited for around 30 minutes before it was finally given to us. Its outside tasted OK, but the inside tasted fishy and is hard. Not very worth it for a 17 dollars dish.

Now, onto the waitress. I don't know her name, but this lady with a nose ring was rather reluctant to assist me and my friend, possibly due to our young appearance. Although we were there for chatting, we've spent too much time waiting for service. Oh right, speaking of service, have you ever seen someone who gives two people one set of menus?

Overall, this restaurant is too much of a disappointment. The taste is mediocre, and the price is above the empire state for the content. Awesome service? Not for me I suppose. I am giving this 2 stars out of the goodness of my heart.

Hope you guys...