Top Asian Fusion Restaurant in Sausalito
Sushi Ran
107 Caledonia St, Sausalito, CA 94965, United States
Update:This used to be my favorite place, and it pains me to change my rating so drastically, but this just isnt the same place I went to before the pandemic.Ive gone several times over the past year, and always ordered the omakase, but table service rather than sushi bar due to the sushi bar being closed due to Covid (understandable). One of the things that made the omakase great, was that it came one piece at a time so you could eat each as they were prepared. This might sound picky, but eating it 10 minutes after it was prepare vs. within minutes makes a big difference. When its fresh, theres still a temperature difference between the fish and the rice, and when things are seared, theyre still warm. When its been sitting at your table, and youre eating them in the intended order and enjoying each piece rather than scarfing them all down at once, they all just become ambient temperature.Even with all this, I would have probably rated 3 stars. The thing that dropped it down to 2 stars was this: we were told the omakase came out all at once, but during a previous dining experience we had during covid it was brought out in two platings. I understand that table dining means that itd be really hard to bring one out at a time, and the purpose of serving it all at once. If the server just said due to the staff constraints, we cant split it into two, or something along those lines, it would have been fine - instead, she looked at us annoyed, said it would be the same whether it came out at once or separately, and it was at this point I decided not to return until the sushi bar was open again.I love this place as it was my favorite sushi dining experience, but prior to the pandemic I had only ever sat at the sushi bar. I will return to try the sushi bar again, but I cannot recommend the table dining service at all. Note that this is specifically for their omakase, I cant speak to the rest of their menu.Original:This is the second time Ive been here. Came here with my girlfriend both times, and what really brought us back was the A5 Wagyu sushi. It seems odd to go to a sushi place for this, but NO other sushi places Ive gone to came close to the A5 Wagyu sushi this place has (including Sushi Nakazawa).The first time we ate here, we had a table and thoroughly enjoyed everything about the dining experience from the service to the food. This time, we ate at the bar specifically because we wanted to try the Omakase and it was amazing. Our chef was fantastic, and it was great fun to watch him work. Plus, he was a bit witty himself which just led to all around fun. All the sushi he served was great, but what stood out the most to me was the Uni from Japan (I think Hokkaido?). It was the best ever. Up until this, the best Uni I had was freshly cracked at the Santa Barbara Pier, but this was just melt-in-your-mouth-and-saturate-the-rice-as-you-chew amazing. And as awesome as I remembered the A5 Wagyu sushi being last time, it was just as amazing this time.
Avatars
2656 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965, United States
I really enjoyed my quick lunch today at Avatars in Sausalito! I heard about Avatars from Marin Magazines Best of Marin Restaurants where Avatars was featured as the Best Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant in Marin County.While Im not vegan or vegetarian, I really enjoy healthy and thoughtfully prepared food so as I was driving by and saw their signage, I decided to stop in for a quick bite. After reviewing the menu, I quickly discovered this isnt your average Indian restaurant. The dishes are a unique fusion blend of Indian, Mexican, Caribbean and Asian influences.I couldnt really decide what to order, as Im a creature of habit and always order the same thing at Indian cuisine restaurants. I told the kind female server that I usually order Palak/Saag Paneer and she said they could make it. It was the best and most flavorful rendition I have had in the bay area. I frequently order from Lotus and have ordered from Bombay Grill and Amber Kitchen on delivery. I also order from Indian Palace sometimes as its a convenient location on my way home to Tiburon. Avatars version was the best.I ordered it with a medium spice level, accompanied by slightly blackened fresh vegetables and basmati rice. The rice was perfectly cooked and not over-flavorered with too much saffron but just enough to get notes of its vibrant flavor. Ashok explained that in their version of the curry doesnt include dairy or cream and is oil based using bean products. Totally wow, a healthier version of the dish that tastes better!Normally Indian restaurants put curry in an oval shaped dish that makes it appear larger, so when the plate first arrived with the curry and rice on one traditional round plate, I thought it was a smaller preparation, but it wasnt and the portion was perfect.Ashok also just prepared a Daal Curry for a takeout guest and brought a small sample for me to try it the next time I visit. He explained that all dishes are made-to-order and they dont pre-cook large portions to serve like many other Indian restaurants do. The curry was also excellent, but I like spinach curry over cauliflower/lentil curries (re: creature of habit). I ordered the same dish again to-go to enjoy for dinner.I was surprised the restaurant wasnt immediately packed at 11 on a Friday like other restaurants in town with the food and service being so excellent. Go to Avatars -- incredible!
Top other services in Sausalito:
Kittis Place Restaurant
3001 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965, United States
No papaya salad!!! Omgosh!! That's the main reason for going to Thai restaurants, we're visiting from San Diego, this is not a a formal restaurant, it's more like a fast food place. You order at counter, and they'll bring to you, they have beer though, menu is a bit limited. We ordered about 5-6 different items and all were actually great, several different soups, pad Thais and coconut soup, oh and a “pho”, and as appetizer, we ordered the “lettuce cups” they were great, it was 7 of us, each lettuce cup order is a three item order, they were awesome and added two bonus cups for a total of 8 cups!! 4 ordered the Thai tea, they were actually pretty strong, but the 3 kids enjoyed them, the service here was awesome and made an additional pitcher watered down with coconut something, either “milk” or water, we were absolutely catered to. It's a little mini strip mall place but worth coming to. We enjoyed our visit.
ThaiTanic Streetfood
1001 Bridgeway b1, Sausalito, CA 94965, United States
This place was at a very cute location and is in good proximity to the Golden Gate. My boyfriend and I love Thai food so we were pretty stoked to visit. The employees were super friendly. I ordered a ginger beer and he ordered a water. We got two appetizers which were yummy and the portions were huge. I would have ordered just one appetizer had I known. We each got an entree and again the portions are ginormous. My boyfriend liked what he ordered but I wasn't super fond of mine. I think it's because I recently started working with swine and the broth in my entree smelled entirely too similar to pig feed. So, I started off on the wrong foot. Neither of us finished our meals but again, we were pretty full from the appetizers. We did have to order the mango sticky rice dessert. Absolutely had to. Gun to our heads. And mmm mm mmm. Just as I imagined. It was delicious. So, for that I recommend the appetizers and the dessert. Next time I'd try Pad Thai but I wanted to be different and order something new. This time it didn't pay off for me.Cool place for a date or a small group of friends. Not a great spot for 5 or more people. Give it a try.
Osteria Divino
37 Caledonia St, Sausalito, CA 94965, United States
I first sauntered into this filigreed food dispensary on the waning tendrils of a brisky dusks eve.Our maitre d, Zenbôgen (el Hermano primero), seated us promptly in the inky black pit of deepest despair, at our explicit request. Once deposited amongst the gemutlich mélange of plump hassocks, it took many fractions of a minute to receive our twenty seven menus by way of pneumatic tube.The band was playing some early Sugar Ray (under-rated!) on a haunted harmonium, likely pawned off Tom Waits. Its melody; a splinter of woe, lodged into my minds ear: To this day, it provides the leitmotiv of my dankest duskdreams.We ordered off-menu, of course. Our server Stéfañyo, shunted through the bar space like some kind of mechanical sack of reanimated mismatched limbs, teetering on zirconium rails.We demanded a mango lassi and dragon roll. We were informed that as this is an Italian restaurant the best they could do was a musty satchel of vintage cordials. We acquiesced and were pleasantly confounded by their spurious provenance.Stéfañyos black-lodge doppleganger, Stegbā, hovered on the edges of the bar and our consciousness, stalking our enjoyment of the growing night with the intensity matching the numerous racoons, possums, and other nocturnals screaming from the nearby storm drain on the corner of Johnson and Caledonia streets, in the shadows what must have once been a petrol station, but has since devolved into some manner of quaint optometry cult.Working our way through the meal involved much (mucho) masticating. The exposed bones of our lower mandibles preparing somewhat our nutritive bounty for the journey ahead. Canines pierced and the broad flat molars of our denisovan ancestors slid the blessings into the ganges of our gullet.Through the drips and dismal slips did slop a spiteful scene. The proteins ripped and alarms were tripped, but the food fell without a scream.That night, and for two thirds a fortnight following, my dreams were burdened by the spectre of that feast. The bands saccharine melody proved to be Rosetta Stone to appease the djinn of my torment.Great cappuccinos!
Fish.
350 Harbor Dr, Sausalito, CA 94965, United States
We were in Sausalito picking up a car after our last Prius was totaled in an accident. We still dont know who is at fault, but the guy we bought the car from recommended we check out the food scene. Typically when we buy a car maybe miles from home we stop for lunch so thats what we did. The wife found this place. Fish. Like, with a period.Fish.Sustainable. Shes a tree higher so this was right down her alley. We happened to come on a day that a boat show was happening so we had to park really far despite the general area having lots of parking natively. The streets surrounding were flooded but didnt prevent us from getting to the restaurant. We dont know how popular the place was but they had a decent line which we barely beat. Not sure if it is the reputation of the place or the boat show but business was jumping. This place is located next to the water and cannot be seen from the street.Lets talk about my food. Clam chowder was decent. Not as good as monster chowder. More bacon, not as creamy and less... Punchy? But still good. I dont think I would crave it.BAO tacos with fried fish. Fish was decent but the BAO was amazing. For those wondering, these are basically the bread from an Asian shopao or the ones that accompany roast duck. Their version was fluffy and full and awesome. You would not expect to see this at a fish restaurant but there was a theme of Asian fusion here.Fish n chips. It was okay. Alaskan cod with beer batter and was on the puffy oily side. I prefer my FNC to be less oily and not puffy. Flavor was ok. Tarter sauce was a 5 on my 10 scale. Fries were a 4 and were really filling but not in a good way. It wasnt bad but was not satisfying. My family owned a fish n chips in the 90s so I like to think I have a palette for it.This place seemed popular. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. It wasnt standing to me but that was in a limited sampling of 3 things. I would not go out of my way to come back but did not have a bad experience at all. If someone I was with wanted to go I would not say no. Try it and see what you think. I feel it is worth the stop in to see what the buzz may be about and if your buds might like it better than mine did.