KAI Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in San Jose

A sushi chef doesn't do much braising, broiling, frying, or sautéing, doesn't whip up a lot of fancy sauces, and doesn't usually fuse a global array of techniques and flavors on the plate. So, given a certain basic level of skill with a sharp knife, it might seem difficult to distinguish one sushi chef from another. But experience an oyster served by the sushi chef, and the mystery will start to clear. Yes, the oyster is raw, gleaming freshly on the half-shell. The garnishing is understated: A sprinkle of grated daikon, a hint of chili, a dash of soy-citrus ponzu sauce, and a bit of chopped scallion. The total effect, though, is astonishing, a thrilling, vivid intensification of the very essence of oysters. A sushi chef's seafood salad sheds more light on the matter. It combines a bracing slice of raw salmon and succulent octopus with shards of cool cooked crab fairly bursting with sea savor, set off by pungent threads of seaweed and super-crisp cucumber dusted with sesame seed, all moistened by a light-handed ponzu dressing. Their menu options begin with a visually exceptional and equally palate-pleasing salade composed of bitter ripped radicchio, torn Bibb lettuce and house-pickled veggies in a peppery honey-ginger vinaigrette flecked with sun-dried tomato. I follow suit with a fabulous rustic, rough-hewn purée of mushrooms - cremini, button, oyster, shiitake - that's finished with a last-minute sautée of even more 'shrooms, a splash of balsamic reduction and a final swirl of white truffle oil. It puts every assemblage of baby shrimp and lettuce to shame. If you grab one of the dozen seats at the sushi bar near the sushi chef's station (he's the one with the exclamation-point eyebrows), he might share some of his secrets - as when he shaves wasabi fresh from a gnarled root (it's subtler than the usual powdered mix) to accent a seaweed-wrapped nigirizushi bundle pairing perfect rice with amazingly lush raw albacore, or bracing...

I am super picky with my sushi because it’s something my stomach can’t handle well and so I know a place is good if my stomach can handle it. And this was the place! Ordered the spicy tuna popper and it was the best! Never had anything like it and luckily the spice wasn’t too bad because I can’t handle spicy 😆 the scallop rainbow roll and the spicy crazy roll was so fresh and delicious. They loaded it up with so much fish!! I can’t believe you get that much for the price. Truly can’t be beat. I’m surprised this place doesn’t have more people coming to visit. Wish the windows weren’t blocked cause we thought it wasn’t opened at first until you go towards the front. But besides that, you guys are missing out and need to check this place out if you haven’t already. Tons of parking in the back and service was great. The owner was so nice...

Are you a SUSHI LOVER 🍣😍

Then KAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT is your perfect spot!

They start you with some hot miso soup and side salad. For the appetizer, we chose to try their fried calamari— the most huge pieces I've ever had, and were so fresh and crispy. Their salmon nigiri was incredibly fresh and buttery.

The sushi rolls were so colorful, with a variety to choose from on the menu. We opted for the Spider Rainbow, featuring soft-shell crab, crabmeat, avocado, and a variety of fish on the outside. We also ordered the Texas roll with tuna & crabmeat filling, and salmon and avocado filling on the outside. 🍣

This restaurant not only offers sushi, but also amazing appetizers, donburi, udon, and even bento meals! 🍱

Definetly check out this spot in the Bay Area for your next...