more photosSushi chef David Cho prepares sushi, left, while waiter Seth Curry, center, checks on patrons at Tomo Japanese Restaurant in Bend.
Andy Tullis / The Bulletin
Sushi on the south side
The fish is fresh, but Tomo lacks finesse
By John Gottberg Anderson / For The Bulletin
Published: October 23. 2009 4:00AM PSTI believe there are two essential elements to making good sushi. One of them, of course, is the freshness of the ingredients, especially the fish.
The second is the rice.
Tomo Japanese Restaurant, which opened a year ago in a U.S. Highway 97 strip mall in southeast Bend, next door to the South Side Pub, has the first point covered. Flown in fresh from Seattle and Honolulu several times a week, the tuna and salmon and especially the escolar (butterfish) are all excellent, or, at least, they have been on both of my recent visits.
The atmosphere is bright and inviting; one wall is made up of bamboo poles artistically arranged against a lime-green background, and the polished-pine sushi bar extends nearly to a traditional, bamboo-matted tatami room at the rear of the restaurant. The staff is neighborhood friendly; a tag-team of chefs behind the sushi bar freely converse with patrons, and the server attending a set of booths is prompt and very efficient.
The menu extends well beyond sushi to teriyaki, tempura and other Japanese cuisine. So why am I not more enthusiastic about this restaurant?
I can only blame the rice.
A sushi chef can’t use just any rice. It must be short-grained Japanese rice, which gets sticky when steamed and holds together well. Its particular flavor comes from “sushi-zu,” a blend of rice vinegar, sugar and salt that is sprinkled upon the rice and folded into the mix for immediate use.
At Tomo, the rice is chewy and stale-tasting. To be frank, I don’t know why this is; I suspect it has to do with the sushi-zu recipe or, perhaps, storage of rice. But my companion and I had the same response to the rice on consecutive visits, several days apart, so it wasn’t an isolated case.
Seats at the sushi bar
On our first visit, we found seats at the sushi bar and were greeted with a friendly “Irrashaimase!” (“Welcome!”) by the two chefs: one Chinese, one American. We ordered miso soup (the traditional soy broth that warms the palate to open a Japanese meal) and edamame, or steamed soy beans. At Tomo, edamame are sprinkled with garlic salt and black pepper, adding an extra zing.
Our sushi order was for 10 nigiri — two pieces each of maguro (ahi tuna), hamachi (yellowtail tuna), salmon, butterfish and unagi (fresh-water eel), atop seaweed-wrapped rice — and a pair of maki (specialty rolls). The butterfish, also known as escolar, was especially good; it had a melt-in-your-mouth quality that left me craving more. The unagi, a sweet fish that many sushi aficionados enjoy at the end of their meal, was likewise delicious.
A spicy scallop roll, with small bay scallops, diced cucumber and avocado wrapped in rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds, was disappointing. I’m used to sushi scallops mixed in a light cream sauce, and despite a dash of red pepper, this preparation was bland.
An unusual Thai tempura roll, however, was a treat. Fried and crumbled tempura batter and crushed peanuts gave a crunchy texture to the spicy shrimp core of the roll. Avocado, cucumber and a sweet chili sauce filled out the dish.
Dinnertime bento
In the parlance of Japan, a “bento” is a one-dish meal that includes rice, fish or meat, vegetables and perhaps an additional small bite or two. When a Japanese restaurant offers bento, I consider it a good opportunity to sample several different parts of the menu.
What I discovered at Tomo is that the cooked dinner items, while certainly not poorly prepared, lacked the subtlety and finesse that I associate with Japanese cuisine.
The centerpiece of my bento was ginger halibut. The white fish was heavily breaded in panko bread crumbs (the menu had promised “lightly coated”), pan-fried and drizzled with a sweet ginger teriyaki sauce. Although it sounded good in its description, in retrospect I would have preferred it without either the panko or the teriyaki.
The breading was less heavy on an assortment of tempura vegetables. I especially liked the treatment of the broccoli and a shiitake mushroom. But two sticks of yakitori (fried chicken chunks skewered with green onions) would have benefited from a marinade. An iceberg-lettuce salad with a rice vinaigrette was still crispy but was beginning to brown.
My companion was not pleased with her steak teriyaki, which was no better than lukewarm in temperature when served. The “teriyaki” was in a squeeze of sauce with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. She did, however, enjoy her chicken gyoza, or potstickers, served crispy and without the grease that often accompanies this dish.
We also shared two traditional sushi rolls, a California roll (with cooked crab) and a spicy tuna roll. Neither one inspired me to want to order it again.
I think it was the rice.
SMALL BITES
Looking for a quick midday bite or a snack in the wee hours, after a night of clubbing? The Blacksmith Restaurant has just the ticket. Gavin McMichael, owner and executive chef, described his new outdoor food court as “a lot like what you’d find in Singapore or other Asian cities.” Several local purveyors, including Soupçon , Dimitri’s Greek Cusina and Blacksmith Back Door , serve an international variety of foods priced between $3 and $6. The food court is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 p.m. to after 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights. 211 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-318-0588 or www .bendblacksmith.com.
RECENT REVIEWS
Johnny Carino’s (A-): A family-style Italian restaurant at the Cascade Village shopping center, Carino’s serves a menu ranging from classic pastas to individually prepared steaks and seafood. Prices are moderate and the professional staff has a pride in its product that belies Carino’s corporate roots. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 63455 N. Highway 97, Bend; 541-318-6300 or www.carinos.com.
Croutons (A-): One of the best places in Central Oregon for a fresh, creative salad, Croutons also offers soups and pressed panini and flatini sandwiches in a casual, modern atmosphere. Service is prompt and friendly, and no plate costs more than $8. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. 335 S.W. Century Drive, Bend; 541-330-1133 or www.croutonstogo .com.
Fountains Bar & Grill (B): Fountains and greenery bring the outside indoors at this family-style cafe off the northbound Redmond airport exit from U.S. Highway 97 North. Although the food and service are no better than ordinary, prices are reasonable, and the senior menu offers real bargains to those 55 and older. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. 3709 S.W. 21st Place, Redmond; 541-548-7213.
El Super Burrito (B): Serving burritos, tacos and other authentic Mexican street cuisine, this downtown Bend tradition has found new life — and a beautiful patio — in the Columbia River Bank Building. Speedy and well-maintained, it has a simple menu with nothing priced above $8. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 1133 N.W. Wall St., Suite 101, Bend; 541-312-2009.
John Gottberg Anderson can be reached at janderson@bendbulletin.com
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