Whether you are craving sushi for a date night, family dinner, or a meal with friends, you will be pleased to discover that several restaurants in Marin provide fresh and flavorful rolls that leave you wanting more. The Bark compared the sushi served at four restaurants tucked in several corners of Marin: Sushi to Dai For, Robata, King of the Roll, and Sushi 69. The sushi’s taste and affordability was rated on a five-star scale.
Robata (4 stars)
The origami delicately dangling in the entrance of Mill Valley’s Robata adds a playful tone to the vibrant and welcoming restaurant. Upon being seated, smiling waiters swiftly took our orders and, within minutes, salted edamame and mushrooms were placed on the table. To much delight, six pieces of the snow crab California Roll impressed with their cucumber crunch and fresh avocado toppings for only $7.25. From the sticky rice to the crab, the quality impressed. The side of grilled mushrooms marinated in tangy ponzu sauce had a lasting flavor, but it shouldn’t be worth more than the sushi. $7.50 for a side dish is way too much! A delightful ambiance and impressive sushi at a reasonable price produce a rather enjoyable meal.
Sushi to Dai For (4.5 stars)
From the electric orange octopus painting stretched across the back wall to the skilled, accommodating chefs, the experience at Sushi to Dai For is superb. The impeccable service and warm towelettes at the San Rafael restaurant immediately set a positive tone for the impressive food to come. While starting the salted edamame, the chef entertainingly prepared the sushi we ordered. The star of the night easily was the Super Rock n Roll. For $15.50, the eel pieces drizzled with pleasantly sweet teriyaki and avocado spicy mayo sauce melted in my mouth, while the crispy tempura asparagus added a satisfying crunch. The mouth-watering sushi combined with a relaxing ambience easily justifies shelling out some extra cash.
King of the Roll (4 stars)
The romantic and soothing music compounded with the hip blue lighting at Larkspur’s King of the Roll immediately sets an intimate tone for the meal. Within the first 10 minutes, the attentive waiter placed a mediocre complimentary tart cucumber dish soaked in lime sauce on the table. The hot vegetable tempura disappointed with bland sauce. The light reflected off of the greasy coating of the tempura in the same way as the wooden tables. The meal’s highlight was undoubtedly the artfully laid out Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll; the tender, fresh ingredients provide a distinctive long-lasting taste. Additionally, topped with salmon eggs, the warmly served Dragon Roll impressed with tasty, crispy shrimp and a light unahi sauce. Fast service, the Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll for only $8, and the Dragon Roll for $11 pleased and yielded a satisfying experience. The complimentary mints topped off the meal.
Sushi 69 (2.5 stars)
Upon first impression, the dark wood barriers between tables rising out of the cold stone floors at San Anselmo’s Sushi 69 emit a stark setting. A noticeable 13 minutes passed while waiting for the server to take our drink order. Rumbling chatter and dishes clinking added some liveliness to the aura as the waiter finally arrived with the first round of dishes we ordered. To my satisfaction, a scallion, tofu, carrot, miso soup steaming in a wooden bowl tasted wonderfully salty and light. The pinnacle of the meal following the soup was the Takeshi Roll. The spices sprinkled on top of the tuna and shiso leaf added just enough kick, but were not overpowering, while the shrimp tempura added the much-desired crispy texture. Aside from that $18 dish, the Spider Roll proved to be flavorless and extremely disappointing, considering its high price $15. Questionable flavor combined with irritating service and the alarming bill total makes for a rather disenchanting meal.
