Isushi - Castro Valley

Extensive menu with many roles selection. Great, friendly staff as always. We had a big group for a Friday night and they were small enough to hold a table for our party of nine. We eat here a ton so was happy to do it with a larger group that we have not yet done. We're coming back...

Came together for a day, so we kind of splurgit. We all tried one of their "sick menus" they have several levels, depending on how many courses you want to go through. We chose the 8-course meal for $120 per person. First, this is not really my type of Resto to do this kind of tasting menu. The room is really tiny and the menu is huge, with a big emphasis on 'fusion'. So technically this is not really a Japanese restaurant, but you are able to get some Japanese style food here. I think this room is better suited for just a regular meal, something like Casual Sushi or Bengo meal. For me, the price tag we have paid, simply not with the overall experience that one would expect from this level of restaurant. For example, the tables are packed in such a way that they could not reach certain corners when laying our courses. We have also used regular paper napkins that is not a big thing at all, but most meals $100 per person, you just get a lot more from a refined experience. None of us complained or even talked about it, only an observation that met me while I was brainstorming for this review. Started with a monster bottle from the hand, probably one of the largest sizes bottles of love I have ever seen. Looked like gastric status regarding bottle size. I took no notes and took photos of it so I can't add much here. Except it was a very decent version. The Food Ride:We have actually started with their Tempura 'd Portobello mushrooms $15/4.5* This was not part of the tasting menu, we just wanted to try. Perfectly light and crisp, where you could totally see through them. Super fleshy mushrooms were so satisfying and juicy and only made better with a slight immersion in one of their 3 sauces. Every time I come back, I'll always start with it. Toro Tartare 4.5* Very creative court / bite and how they take fusion and make it her. Tuna tartare quite basic and sufficient, super soft but with a few strands of sine. Topped with a small masage and atop a base of a tempura fried basil leaf. So great textures and flavors that you just don't see anywhere. Hamachi Carpaccio 4* Pretty simple but good quality fish. A light ponzu sauce and a slice of fresh jalapeno. The cool thing was the owner / our host has brought us to eat every slice something different. One was, as it is, another with a slip of love before eating a slice. And the finale was with a drop of soy sauce and a sip of love. It became better with every bite and was a great lesson in the physiology of taste. Oyster Trio 4* These were the tiny variety, but forget to ask what kind. 2 raw with shrimps and one grilled. The grilled was actually the most impressive as it had texture and the grilling made the oyster more intense. The one with a small piece of university and a Quails yolk, of course only meets. Baked scallop 4* A tempura fried scallop with fried asparagus. Basically a mixed tempura fry. Very decent. Sunomono salad 4.5* Very unique Sunomono salad. It is seaweed and cucs marinated in a very balanced sweet Vinaiigrette. The kicker is placed in a base of tiny dice of raw fish, so this was quite considerable. Another example when Fusion wins here. Tataki Trio 4* 3 different fish, all belly cuts. Lachs, Hamachi and Blue Fin all torn on the outside. No flashlight, but I appreciated the trouble. Each fish was even swallowed with its own accent, from points of green onion, lemon slice, even basil shredders. So everyone bites unique and different. Miso Roasted Black Cod 4* Very nicely marinated and roasted with this sweet fog comb. The Gindara was not as smooth and buttery as I expect from this fish, but it was still decent. Many shrimp from squirts of sauce to even halved cherry tomatin. A little too busy for me. Mango Cheesecake 3.5* Just a regular cheesecake with small pieces of mango during the bites. Not bad, but don't grow. It had a frozen texture. Served with a sauce with a Wasabi background, but definitely sweet. Very inter

I love this small restaurant, great sushi, good service. Right among a lot of fun shopsFood: 5/5

Bar is awkward and not a very good first date spot, kinda has no vibe like other spots have. Service was fine but the food was lower quality that I expected, not sure if it justifies the cost. There are places that serve higher quality fish/meat with lower price tags.

Delicious and fresh every time I've gone here. Definitely worth the price.