![]() ![]() The over-the-top but utterly delectable (and filling) Mitama roll ($12.75) has spicy tuna, snow crab and cucumber, all wrapped in avocado and topped with tobiko in the center is a tempura shrimp, its tail fetchingly sticking out at one end of the sassy roll. The combinations the sushi chef concocts include a Caterpillar roll ($9) of eel, cucumber, radish sprouts and an avocado wrap the Buttercup ($7) combines cream cheese and salmon. ![]() In fact, it's playful English, at least for the wide selection of sushi, with such names as Dream Roll, Caterpillar and Buttercup - the latter in tribute to the Buttercup restaurant, which occupied this space until 2004 and for 48 years was an institution in this northern Rockridge shopping area. They are bilingual, although the menu is in English only. Water or tea tumblers are refilled frequently by an attentive young serving staff. A cloth-lined basket on every table holds chopsticks as well as spoons and forks. Molded Plexiglas and flowered rice paper panels don't obstruct light but give definition to the entryway. Recessed lighting is complemented by bright pendant lamps that hang in a row over the sushi bar like so many elongated oranges. The two-room corner space, which seats 73, is bright and inviting: light wood chairs, tables and comfortable bar stools ceramic floor tiles which echo the earth tones of the slate that backs the sushi counter. Mitama offers a pleasant mix of tradition and innovation, both in cooking and decor. Invented by Kobayashi's husband, Tokyo-born chef and general manager Robert Mao, who calls it a Japanese answer to french fries, it's an addictive, modestly salty nibble that won't blunt appetites before dinner.Īnother good way to warm up before the main event is sipping a bowl of miso soup, made with a good amount of finely cut vegetables and tiny tofu cubes ($2.50 a la carte). The sake was a nice complement to my favorite appetizer, crunchy strips of nori ($4.25), fried tempura style and accompanied by a small bowl of wasabi- tinged mayonnaise. (Mitama also has a good selection of cold sakes in a wide price range.) Warm sake is considered a little passe by trend-conscious diners, but it seemed an agreeable starter on a cold January night. A dinner companion who collects sake cups zeroed in on a delicate off-white cup with a pale blue floral design that matched the hot sake flask ($3.50 small, $6.50 large). If not, just select what strikes your fancy. If you are familiar with the style of cup made and commonly used in a particular region of Japan, you can pick your favorite. ![]()
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