Is It Just Me...?

since i've recently become a blog whore, i've been reading other mid-missouri blogs, mostly those that pertain to columbia and well...food (since i'm also a self-proclaimed food whore).

here's what i am having difficulty understanding in most of the blogs i have read that aim to review and criticize local restaurants, and that is, what qualifies as good asian food. and since i've just very recently bitched about this, i will try not to go overboard with my rant (especially because my blog isn't targeted at reviewing restaurants). also, i was suppose to work and was then told i was not needed this evening so i have a lot of unexpected time on my hands, (and i've done all the internet "window" shopping i've cared to torture myself with today). so i'm just going to premise this post by saying that my intention is not to offend anyone but i'm also NOT going to apologize to anyone if i do.

i was recently reading a food blog and i have to admit that i agreed with a lot of the restaurant reviews that the author had to offer. but what i cannot just wrap my brain around is the perpetual ravings i've heard about "osaka" since i moved to columbia. okay. admittedly, in my very humble opinion, osaka does not suck - it is not bad. in fact, i would say that it's decent, above average, if you will. however, it's not that fucking great. i'm sorry columbians. that is just my opinion. again, i will say that i'm rather spoiled having lived in denver for almost ten years and also for having had the opportunity to try sushi all over the country. perhaps my sushi eating experiences have made me into the sushi snob that i am. but i've tried a lot of fucking gotdamn sushi in my lifetime. in fact, an ex-boyfriend and i use to make a point to try a different sushi restaurant almost every instance in which we were craving rolls and sashimi. so i think i can honestly say that my scale level in which i rate sushi is pretty gotdamn fair.

maybe what i'm not understanding is what people are actually trying to say, and that is, if you want good sushi and/or japanese food in columbia, you should go to osaka but the bigger picture is, is that it will never compare to the best sushi you've had somewhere else in the country. maybe that's the point that is trying to be conveyed? i don't know. then again, i hear people also rave about how great "sake" is and while i would admit that it is also pretty average, it's also not that fucking great, and if i'm paying that much for sushi it better be gotdamn fucking good. because i can find a whole helluva lot better and cheaper sushi in chicago.

i have yet to try "kampai" but have heard very good things about it, and therefore, being the pessimist i am, have my doubts. i have been to "geisha" and was very pleased and would say that it rates well above osaka and sake especially where taste and value is concerned. is it the best i've ever had? fuck no. but i'd definitely eat there again before anywhere else. "kobe" is a chain and so in my opinion, it's useless to factor them into the picture but honestly they suck (or at least the one and last time i was there it was totally shitty). i know very little about "kabuki" (my gut instinct and also something i recall reading somewhere leads me to believe they are a chain), what i do know is the sushi is average. i would also like to give notice to "jina yoo's" but i'm going to refrain from doing so for personal reasons. and before "bamboo" changed they were also on the list of average. lastly, "kojaba" a blend of korean and japanese cuisine is not worth the drive to i-70 business loop and it's definitely not worth your time or money.

so there my fellow readers, foodies and bloggers...that's my take on sushi in columbia.

p.s. whenever i go to chicago i always make a point to go to one particular sushi restaurant and that is "bob san" in the infamous wicker park area. go if you're ever in the area. you will not be disappointed. again, maybe you will go and you won't be that ecstatic or impressed. perhaps (like i often do), i've just come to associate bob san with certain experiences and/or memories and that's why i'm convinced it's so great. you be the judge.