I wanted to love Asahi so badly, but after our meal, I left feeling pretty neutral about the experience.
I didn't see the second level, but the first-floor dining room feels like the foyer of an old Nordstrom women's restroom if you covered the walls in rosy-yellow wood paneling. Nothing (except the menus) seemed particularly dirty, but everything seemed run down. I wasn't particularly inspired to order raw fish, so instead I ordered the gyoza (ravioli) menu- miso soup, cabbage salad, 8 gyoza (probably pork/chicken and green onion), and a bowl of rice.
My favorite part of the meal was the cabbage salad. The miso soup was ok, if on the bland side, but there was something weird about the little leaves of algae; a metallic aftertaste that I've never experienced before.
The gyoza were pretty tasty and landed right in that preparation sweet spot between tender on the sides and crispy on the bottom. On the downside, they were really oily, so I dabbed them off on my napkin before eating. The filling was also good, but I'd be curious to know whether the gyoza were prepared from scratch or reheated from pre-packaged.
I was happy my meal came with rice, especially after I added some sweet soy sauce, but I don't understand why so many Japanese restaurants serve rice (when you order a dish that comes with rice) that is of significantly lesser quality than the rice they use for their sushi.
I would come again if someone suggested it, but I don't think I would return out of personal volition.
P.S. Do not forget to make a reservation. Asahi is open relatively late, but they have a high table turnover. When we arrived at 9:15 pm, both floors were almost full, and yet groups kept arriving for the next 30 minutes, asking for a table.
And be nice to the servers. They're sweet if you give them a smile or say please and thank you, but they're also really busy. So don't judge them; they're doing their best. read more
