Rantei Japanese Cuisine — Restaurant in Santa Clara

Summary: Looks cool, tastes meh. The sushi rice in dishes (nigiri, don) don't do justice to the fish. The sushi rice is not too far ahead of supermarket sushi.

TikTok brought me here and since the Yelp reviews weren't bad, I decided to give it a shot. I went on a Thursday night and it looked pretty packed with most tables occupied. That didn't matter so much for me because I ordered takeout and lived nearby.

Online ordering - 6/10 If you go to their website, they have a link to their online ordering system (qmenu.us). Their own site allows you to order all the items on their restaurant menu. If you try to order on Doordash you won't see everything they have to offer (ie. Kaisen Don). The site is easy to use and navigate, but the experience after submitting your order is terrible. The restaurant hasn't integrated the order tracker steps (ie. Confirmed, Wip, Ready), so the "Ready Estimate" on the site should not be trusted at all. Because I didn't see the order being confirmed after 30 minutes, I decided to give them a call and was shocked to find that my order was ready. The estimate was originally about 50 minutes from the order time. If you're going to order online, be sure to call about 15 minutes after and see if they received it and how long the order will actually take.

Fish Taco ($9.95) - 3/10 This one is really messy to eat. I don't usually mind that when the food is also well balanced, but it seemed like they were trying to overcompensate visually by adding way more tomatoes than fish.

Omakase Sushi ($36.95) - 5/10 See comments about sushi rice in the Kaisen Don section

Kaisen Don ($54.95) - 5/10 The seafood appears to be fresh (no fishy smell, tender to the bite), but a major reason for the poor rating was because of the sushi rice. If you're not aware, the sushi rice alone can make or break a sushi dish that uses rice (ie. nigiris, dons). The sushi rice to feel slightly sticky, but not mushy. It needs to be at "body temperature", not cold or hot. It also needs to have a bit of tang from the rice vinegar. Their sushi rice was mushy, refrigerator cold, and had no flavor of rice vinegar. You might think this is due to the order being takeout, but I'm certain rice doesn't get that cold when left out at room temperature. Even though it's on the cheaper side for what it is, I just don't think it's worth the calories or money. You might have better luck with...

We ordered the Kaisen Don, each priced at $65, but upon receiving the meal, we discovered that the rice in the entire box was undercooked.

Rice is the soul of any sushi restaurant, and serving uncooked rice not only compromises the quality of the meal but also poses health concerns, especially for those with sensitive digestion.

We immediately called to report the issue. A female staff member who answered the phone identified herself as Fanny, and from her accent, she seemed to be Vietnamese. She admitted that a new employee had cooked the rice today and failed to cook it properly.

We had only taken a small bite and were willing to return the entire meal, even though the restaurant is located far from our residence. We had hoped the restaurant would respond with sincerity and take responsible action to address the issue.

However, we were told that the restaurant was only willing to offer a $5 discount on our next purchase. When we expressed our wish to speak with the manager about the quality of the meal, Fanny responded with an unpleasant tone, refused to cancel the order (even though the restaurant has the ability to do so), and impatiently ended the call, telling us to handle it ourselves.

This is the first time we’ve encountered such an aggressive and unprofessional response. Judging by the photos and presentation, we believe this restaurant is run with care and attention. But when faced with a serious quality control issue, the customer service response was extremely disappointing—especially considering the mistake originated from the restaurant’s own...

Nestled in a rather unremarkable and almost hidden corner of Santa Clara, Rantei Japanese Cuisine could easily be overlooked by passersby. The exterior is far from flashy and the surrounding area feels a bit incongruous for such a gem of a restaurant. Despite the less-than-ideal location, stepping inside reveals an ambiance that is both inviting and authentically Japanese, a stark contrast to the nondescript façade.

My dining experience began with their impressive 8-piece omakase set. Each piece was meticulously crafted, showcasing the chef's impeccable attention to detail and mastery of traditional Japanese techniques. The variety and freshness of the seafood were outstanding, each bite offering a new and delightful flavor profile. It was evident that high-quality ingredients and culinary precision were at the heart of the omakase, making it a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable feast.

Adding to the delightful experience, Rantei’s soba noodles were nothing short of extraordinary. Made in-house, they boasted a perfect texture and a subtle, nuanced flavor that was enhanced by the delicate broth they were served in. The soba was a testament to the restaurant's dedication to authenticity and quality. Despite the initial impression given by its location, the culinary experience at Rantei was sublime, and I wouldn't hesitate to return for another meal that transports you...