Matsuri

Matsuri
1105 S. Charles St.
Federal Hill, Baltimore
sushi
www.matsuri.us
410-752-8561
Cost: $$$
Reservations: Varies
Date of meal: Monday September 17, 2007
National Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It
Baltimore Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It

The obvious comparison for Matsuri is with Kawasaki in Fell's Point. Both are slightly upscale standard sushi places in yuppie neighborhoods. The price point is similar; decor is similar; menu is similar. I really liked Kawasaki, and I liked Matsuri also. However, I didn't think the fish at Matsuri was quite as fresh as at Kawasaki.

We arrived at Matsuri at about 7pm on a Monday. Please note that you can park in the parking garage around the corner and get a free hour from validation at Matsuri. The place was full but the wait was no more than 2 minutes (presumably the time needed to clear the table). We spent those two minutes sitting outside at one of the tables next to the sidewalk. While these would be a pleasant place to sit in warm weather, the view of the street is obviously inferior to the water view at Kawasaki. On the first floor, there are a few tables and a small sushi bar. Decor is pleasant with lots of hardwood and Japanese art and decorations. We were taken upstairs, which was cozy and well decorated. There were many paper cranes hanging from the ceiling. I did not get the sense that this was overflow seating (a feeling common for second floor seating). Please note that there is a large table at the back of the second floor with recessed seating (you sit on the floor but the area below the table is dug out so you can sit comfortably) that would be a great place for a large group-ish group (maybe 10-12 people).

We were given menus. We ordered a Sapporo (Japanese beer, $4), seaweed salad ($5), vegetable tempura ($6), a small sushi combination ($13, sushi sekiwake, 6 pieces of sushi and a tuna roll), and a "perfect trio" sashimi ($24, with 6 pieces each of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail). Service was good.

Both the seaweed salad and veggie tempura were standard but quality. I enjoyed them but both were similar to other goods that I had had. The sushi and sashimi were good but not amazing. They lacked the freshness and variety of Kawasaki. The tuna in particular was a little dry, low in fat, and not particularly fresh. The salmon and yellowtail were better but did not have the freshness of Kawasaki.

If I was in Federal Hill and felt like sushi, I'd be happy to come back to Matsuri. I would put the quality of Matsuri as similar to or slightly better than (but also more expensive than) Asahi and superior to XS. However, if asked I'd prefer to go to Kawasaki even if it meant an extra 10 minutes of driving.

Kawasaki

Kawasaki
907 S. Ann St.
Fell's Point, Baltimore
sushi
410-327-9400
Cost: $$$
Reservations: Varies
Date of meal: August 29, 2007
National Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It
Baltimore Price-Quality Frontier: On It

I had an excellent sushi experience at Kawasaki last night. When we arrived at 7:30 or so, there was plenty of seating indoors. All the outdoor tables were taken, but one opened up after a very brief wait. Kawasaki's decor is better than that of most Japanese restaurants, with the outdoor seating area overlooking the pier. This can also be seen from the tables by the window, which are low to the ground with floor cushions for the patrons.

We ordered the sushi and sashimi boat for two ($40, the boat for three is $55), as one in the group wanted vegetarian sushi (go figure). This was the most expensive thing on the menu, with other sushi combination in the $15-20 range; while I gave this a cost of $$$ I'd say it is a low $$$ and maybe even a high $$.

The boat took a while to be prepared (20-30 minutes), but was worth the wait. It had the usual combination of salmon, yellowtail, tuna, mackerel, red snapper (I think), and shrimp. The salmon and yellowtail were both outstanding. I was disappointed that it did not include unagi (eel) but was happy it did not include octopus, clam, or egg. It included two rolls, one with asparagus and (maybe) tuna, the other with a spicy sauce. The boat included a bit of seaweed salad, which was excellent, and some pickled vegetables. Everything was great, with fresher fish than either Asahi or XS. Asahi is slightly cheaper (but not much); XS has a slightly hipper vibe (but no view). Still, at this point I would go to Kawasaki over either of these options. The only better sushi I've had (except at astronomical prices) was at Oishii in Boston's Chestnut Hill.

One minor drawback of Kawasaki was service, which could have been faster and more responsive. Service was competent and polite, but they were understaffed both in and out of the kitchen.

Kawasaki has a rather sordid history of exploiting illegal immigrant employees and not paying taxes. This shuttered another branch of the Kawasaki brand on Charles Street. I understand that the Fell's Point Kawasaki is now under new management; I have no reason to believe current management engages in any illegal or unethical conduct, which is why I was happy to go. I guess the optimal number of employees went down once employees had to be legal, be paid more than minimum wage, and have taxes withheld and paid.

Asahi

Asahi
629 S. Broadway
Fell's Point, Baltimore
410-534-4255
sushi
Cost: $$
Reservations: Not Needed
Date of meal: June 2007
National Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It
Baltimore Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It

Asahi is a small, unassuming sushi joint in the heart of Fell's Point. The decor is extremely low-key; for example, they have a stack of books for patrons to read while they eat. I found all this pleasant but be warned that the vibe is neither romantic nor hip.

Service was good. We ordered a sushi combination and they were willing to make substitutions (who wants shrimp when you can get raw fish?). Sushi was plentiful and displayed nicely. Tasty and fairly fresh, it didn't blow my mind. However, the price point is very appealing (quality sushi entrees <$20). While I'd be willing to pay a bit more for higher quality fish, Asahi is a good value given the price and quality. To my mind, this makes Kawasaki (which is down the street) a better bet for Fell's Point sushi. Kawasaki has better decor/view, substantially fresher sushi, and is only marginally more expensive.

XS

XS
1307 N Charles St. (at Preston)
Mt. Vernon (technically in Mid-Town Belvedere), Baltimore
410-468-0002
Japanese
www.xsbaltimore.com
Cost: $$$
Date of meal: Thursday, August 16, 2007 (9pm)
National Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It
Baltimore Price-Quality Frontier: Inside It

XS is in a skinny building and has four floors. The first one is a coffee shop. The third one is a sushi bar, with additional seating for meals on the second and fourth (half) floors. There is a DJ booth floating at the level of the 4th floor looking down on the 3rd floor.

The sushi is somewhere between so-so and mediocre but is reasonably priced ($15-$20 for sushi dinner combinations). It's clear that food is a loss leader for alcohol sales (e.g., $9 mohitos). Given this, it was disappointing but not surprised to find that drinks were weak (literally as in low alcohol content and metaphorically as in of poor quality). After all, how can one be convinced to buy more alcohol if you feel tipsy after the first drink.

The menu is noteworthy though not in a good way for a foodie. They don't really have serve cooked entrees. They have a few Pan Asian noodle options (e.g., Pad Thai), some appetizers, and sushi. There was a cooked fish (Cod) dish on offer as a special. I suspect this lack of a cooked food menu reflects a dearth of kitchen space.

While I'm glad I went so that I could say I'd been there, this is not a good place for a foodie. They aren't shooting for that so this isn't really something to fault the restaurant owners. I suspect it is a good place to impress a 20 year-old club-goer. Even then, the scenester ambiance is too contrived and nakedly commercial to be convincing.