Nijo Sushi Bar & Grill

Sometimes, don’t you just feel like the White Rabbit from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland… “”Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!”  It’s one week from the last Thursday of this month and I meant to make this post no later than the first of this month (July) since the last Thursday of last month (June), my friend, Norita and I went to one of my favorite haunts in Seattle.

Tucked in between the corner of 1st Ave and Spring St., Nijo Sushi Bar & Grill is not exactly located on the busiest corner of downtown Seattle.  I probably find myself in Nijo Sushi Bar & Grill about twice a year.  Given that there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, any sit-down restaurant that anyone goes to at least twice a year has got to be a favorite.  So I admit that Nijo falls in my favorite list.  It may not be in yours, but it’s definitely in mine.

It’s Norita’s first happy hour experience and what better place to take her to than Nijo.  I have not had a bad dining experience at Nijo, and when I do, my visits will decline.  Losing customers is inevitable for any restaurants who do not give their customers the expected food and dining experience they come for.  Anyhow, so far at Nijo, all’s well.

My friend ordered a non-alcoholic Passion Flower cocktail, while I ordered Ty-Ku soju, but my drink order got mixed up and I was given Ty-Ku Citrus Liqueur instead.  Our server gladly corrected the error and even gave me the liqueur on the house.  But I didn’t take it.  (Yeah, I know. *Groan*, huh,)  The soju is more than enough for me, thanks.

The tamago sushi is always a good start.  We each had a share of one.  I wish we just ordered our own for this.

I am on a takoyaki whirl for some reason.  I’ve had takoyaki for lunch at Nijo before and it was just right.  Crispy on the outside and soft inside.  This time though the takoyaki was too doughy.  It was okay but I’ve had it better.

Agedashi tofu has become a must for me when I’m in a Japanese restaurant.  Sometimes I forget and it makes me the opposite of happy.  Then I get over it.

Here’s what I have to say about the fried calamari… where are the tentacles?  I want more tentacles. (I’m omitting the exclamation point because “I want more tentacles!” just sounds so demanding and I don’t want to sound that demanding. I want more tentacles! Oops.)

I like egg rolls even with non-traditional filling.  In the case of Nijo’s egg rolls, it’s avocado.  What can I say, but “avocado is yummo!”.

I grew up eating fried sweet potatoes as a kid.  I wish someone thought up to cut up the sweet potatoes into fries then fried them.  But nope.  That didn’t happen until many years in the future.  Yummy yam fries.  Crispy and slightly sweet.

Need a good place to go to for happy hour? Do you want a good reason for happy hour?  Go to Nijo.