Sustainable Sushi in San Francisco
After eight years as a fairly strict vegetarian, I became a picky pescatarian. More than any other meal, I missed sushi. It wasn't just the amazing taste of fresh fish anointed with soy sauce and dabbed with wasabi. I missed the protein and the other benefits (you don't need a master's in nutrition to know about all the brain and body benefits that come from fish, including Omega-3 fatty acids).
After eight years of abstaining from all the fishy goodness, a growing movement out of a neighboring city known for progressive eats with an ecological bent got me thinking, and yes, eating fish again.
The city was San Francisco, and the movement was sustainable sushi. Fishing is a big deal in this eco-friendly port city, which means overfishing has been on their radar for quite a while. Thanks to programs like Seafood Watch from the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, SustainableSushi.net, Fish2Fork.com and others, awareness is growing and so is demand for deliciously guilt-free sushi.
Sustainable Sushi in San Francisco: 5 Local Picks
There are other great environmentally sound sushi restaurants across the country--like Bamboo Sushi in Portland, OR, which was the world's first certified sustainable sushi restaurant--so keep your eyes open if you aren't in the Bay Area. If you are, don't miss these locations:
With three locations (the original in Pacific Heights, Tataki South in Noe Valley and Tataki Canyon in Glen Park), Tataki Sushi Bar is probably the best known of all the sustainable sushi joints in the area. But there's a good reason for that. They were one of the first in the area, and they make an open and concerted effort to provide sustainable menu options. Regulars are consistently impressed with the nigiri and say the quality and sustainability are worth paying for. Not only are they unabashedly eco-friendly, they're also kid-friendly, with a special bowl and utensils for the little ones.
Located just inside Temple Nightclub and sporting geisha pop art and color-changing walls, Ki is self-described as "comfortable yet chic, delicious yet sustainable and unafraid to challenge the status quo" and one of Gayot's Top 10 SF New & Notable Restaurants. Strict vegetarians can find plenty to eat here too, making it a perfect place to bring friends with dietary restrictions.
Over in Potrero Hill you'll find Umi, where the menu is based on sustainable fish from local vendors and flown in directly from Japan. Regulars rave about the service and the freshness of all the ingredients. It might not be cheap, but you're getting the quality you pay for at Umi. Their lunchtime bento boxes are a less-expensive way to try out try out the menu, and a hit with many regulars.
Sometimes described as the best sushi in SF, Sushi Zone is a hole-in-the-wall place that caters to everyone from the hyper-discerning students at colleges in the San Francisco Bay area to the uninitiated (meaning they've got great, sustainable nigiri, and you can get spicy mayo on something deep-fried if you want to). It's a small place so try to hit off hours; chance are great this Hayes Valley favorite will be packed.
Lesser known, tiny, loud and a little hard to find tucked off to the side of Bush Street and a little south of Chinatown, Akiko's Restaurant is known for producing the best sushi that locals have ever had--and that's including comparisons to Japan. The chef is very concerned about sustainability, and it shows.
With a little care, you can order sustainably harvested/raised fish from most sushi places, but the ones listed above are dedicated to the cause. If your favorite place doesn't carry sustainable products, make a fuss; let them know you care and that you'll pay for the good stuff. Eat the change you wish to see in the world.
About the Author: Karl Fendelander cut his teeth on web writing in the late nineties and has been plugged in to the newest technology and tuned in to the latest trends ever since. He doesn't have a culinary arts degree, but Karl loves cooking well, eating well and taking advice from food aficionados. When he unplugs, Karl can be found biking about town and hiking and climbing throughout the West.
*Photo courtesy of Ricky Audet
