Sushi Gaku

I really enjoy sushi and love trying new restaurants, so I was excited to visit this place. The entrance was a bit difficult to find. After opening the door and walking down to the lower level, you find the sushi bar and a bright, beautifully designed dining room. The atmosphere was excellent and probably the highlight of the experience. However, there were several issues: The host stand is located too far inside the restaurant, making it difficult to tell whether the restaurant is open or whether anyone is available to greet arriving guests. The photo below is the Sunomono, which was priced at $20. It included two small pieces of mackerel, one shrimp, one piece of squid, seaweed, and a few other ingredients. I honestly questioned whether the portion justified the price. The fried oysters seemed undercooked, which left a strong fishy taste. The sushi itself was decent for the price, but the rice felt overly compressed, as if it had been pressed too firmly by hand. In addition, the fish lacked the fresh, chilled texture that I would normally expect from sushi. I also noticed a server looking at their phone and touching their face and nose, then continuing to serve food without washing or sanitizing their hands. This was concerning from a hygiene perspective. Overall, the atmosphere was wonderful, but the food quality, value, and attention to sanitation left room for improvement.