Same Victim - Different Night

Told you I was an optimist :-)

Hapa Sushi on Pearl Street again. I didn't make many notes this time because it wasn't as "exciting" as our last visit. The service was more professional is what I remember the most.

What we ordered: Hawaiian Calamari - Panko crusted calamari with a mango chili dipping sauce
What we got: This dish was actually pretty good except for the slight fishy taste and smell. (STRIKE 1)

They used English/Hot House Cucumbers in everything. (STRIKE 2) I'm used to Japanese cucumbers at Japanese restaurants. In a pinch, like I state on my website, using English cucumbers is fine, but you never, EVER, leave a thick barely edible skin on ANY cucumber. If you're using cucumbers in sushi you never, EVER, make them into Huge Chunks. If you're into Huge Chunks of Vegetables by all means, visit Hapa! (STRIKE 3)

Sunomono Salad
Oily, huge chunks of cucumber, BAD shrimp :-(

Rock & Roll - Spicy rock shrimp in Hapa's secret sauce & cucumbers
Very Good... except for the huge chunks of cucumber :-[

Hamachi Sashimi
EXCELLENT :-)

Wild Salmon Sashimi
OMG-Melt In Your Mouth-EXCELLENT :-)))

(No strike since the Wild Salmon offset any other negatives!)

This visit was much better than the first. I may go again hoping it will be even better.

Sushi Review - Long Overdue

Today's victim is Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar (the Boulder location on Pearl Street)

First visit to Hapa (6/2005) and we sat at the Sushi Bar. The evening starts out with no hot towels (STRIKE 1), the waitress kept coming over and asking us if we needed any help (uh, yeah, stop interrupting me while I'm trying to read the menu; STRIKE 2), and one of the Sushi Chefs (looked like a kid from CU) kept cussing to his other Chef friends (STRIKE 3). We asked for hot Sake and asked if they put plum wine in it, and the waitress said yes. We were served Ozeki Sake, don't know what type of plum wine, and it was barely luke warm (STRIKE 4).

We were able to order from a non-cussing chef, but he did have his plastic pepsi cup with straw sitting on top of the bar, which I thought REALLY added to the ambience (STRIKE 5). What we ordered: Seasoned Edamame - Sauteed soybeans with Hapa's seasonings
What we got: Hard soybeans mixed with negi & sesame chili oil - VERY Messy & Spicy - Ruined our palate for the rest of our food & they don't serve hot towels :-(

New Style Hapa Sashimi - 5 piece sashimi seared in a garlic olive oil w/cilantro & ponzu
Sashimi was not seared, came in extra long & thin pieces, too oily :-(

Shinko Maki - Pickled radish roll
Largest chunks I've ever seen, soggy, tasteless :-(

Inari - Tofu pockets
Fresh from the refrigerator and tasted like it :-(

Maguro - Nigiri Tuna
I would say it was "fair"... barely. Had a dull sheen to it and a ripe tuna aftertaste :-/
Shake - Nigiri Salmon
Slighty fishy taste :-/
Tombo - Nigiri White Tuna
Very Good! :-)

Overall food STRIKE 6.

While we were still hungry and trying to discuss if we should chance ordering anything else, we were distracted by 2 things; 1) The Kitchen Cook looked.... under the influence, shall I say?... and 2) The waitress shows up WITH CHECK IN HAND and asks if we want anything else. What, no offer of dessert? And we're supposed to bother you after you've obviously gone to so much trouble ringing up the check already? (MAJOR STRIKE 7 and I'm not including the cook since he could have been on cold medication)

I felt rushed (the place was about 1/4 full) and (since I'm used to traditional Japanese-run sushi bars) that the staff made it feel too collegey and that they were inexperienced.

I was hoping it was an off night for them... all of them... including the person who buys the fish. I AM an optimist, you know!