Tag: salmon

Izakaya by Sushi and Robata

This was my first stop in London. After the most stressful traveling 12 hours–stranded on the runway due to bad weather and waiting almost 2 hours in the immigration line to enter–I finally got to London.

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So, my international plan did NOT kick in, so when I first landed, I was confined to only the wifi. Which was shitty as hell. And then trying to figure out the Tube to get to my sister. And then trying to get to her. And then my parents were like “So, listen, you only have $175 for the week.” HAHAHAHAHA. Surpassed that day 3 into London. They were wild.

And then when I finally got to my sister, she told me that she had to take the Tube to go to a group meeting. So after napping for 3 hours, I ventured with her. We went into Whole Foods, where I had my pick of restaurants. I was feeling some raw fish, so the cute, expensive-looking Sushi restaurant ran by French men was obviously where I had to go. Partly because I really wanted sushi. Partly because my parents told me not spend money.

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Eating alone alone (so not doing any work while eating) is not a new thing for me in general, but I have not eaten alone since… freshman year college? So… 6 years ago? Sometimes I would eat alone and do some homework or catch up on emails. But I haven’t sat down and been conscious of my surroundings while eating alone. So this was a first, and it was pleasant.

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The aesthetic was pretty adorable. I loved the cherry blossoms paired with the more “modern” look of the place. I learned that “Izakaya” is a term for a Japanese pub, so I’m guessing that a traditional Sushi and Robata is more formal and less… izakaya-y.

To conserve my parents’ money, I decided to be kind and get the 2 courses for 15 pounds. My math is horrible and the conversion rates change, so I won’t even begin to figure out how many American dollars I spent.

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I got the dragon roll. It wasn’t on the actual menu, but it was on the pick-2 menu. It was… avocado, cucumber, topped with salmon. That’s really all I was able to get from that. It was a little spicy and very refreshing. Normally, I like my sushi with tempura flakes for a little bit of crunch and texture, but my paleo-ish self is opting out of tempura for the time being.

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I also got some spicy beef dumplings. Usually, I get them gyoza style, so this was the first time having an open top dumpling, and I really enjoyed it. Yes, dumplings made out of wheat. Yes, I’m supposed to be paleo-ish. Oh well.

I did learn how to use chopsticks better, so that was exciting. I always just used to eat sushi with my fingers, but your girl is learning! One day, I’ll be able to flip omelettes with chopsticks. Probably not, but we will see.

A friend told me a story about how one of her friends only posts pictures of empty plates. And I like that concept. An empty plate is a happy stomach. So watch for those end-of-post pictures with my empty plates.

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Mitchell’s Fish Market

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It was a series of twists and turns that lead me to Mitchell’s Fish Market. I wanted to help out a friend in dire need, so I took her phone to the Apple Store. They SAID it would take a little over an hour, so to kill time, my friend and I walked around the Eton shopping center, and we were deciding between B Spot Burgers and Mitchell’s. Since I had B Spot the first time I was ever in Cleveland (and man, the fries were good!) and my friend was feeling a lighter lunch, we chose Mitchell’s.

I was looking extremely bummy. Ripped jeans, my snow boots (because it’s April and Cleveland is still cold with snow drizzles), an over-sized sweatshirt, and a beanie hat. I wasn’t expecting to go to a nicer place for lunch, let alone anywhere outside of the Apple store. But, I had the money, the lack of shame at that time, and the appetite, so does it really matter? (No).

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The menu was extensive for lunch. I could have gone for the lunch options, but none of the fried options were really appealing to me. So I availed myself to the larger menu. I’m not sure why I was so shocked about the amount of fish options, and preparations, I could have had. I’m simple, so I chose pan seared salmon and opted to get a side of french fries.

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But first, we probably had the best sourdough bread I have ever eaten in my whole entire life. Ever. It was fresh out of the oven, light, melts in your mouth. And the butter was my favorite type: whipped! Bread was so warm that the butter just melted perfectly. Everything was perfect. Normally I don’t pig out on the bread, but we asked for a second loaf, which we also ate with a fierce intensity — even though we were already stuffing ourselves with our own plates.

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Back to the salmon. It was okay. I honestly make a better salmon. I think the pan seared could have been a little more darkened. Maybe I should have asked for broiled salmon or specified for a darker pan sear? Anyways, like I said, I make a better salmon. Maybe I should have gotten some swordfish or scallops, or one of the featured items. Or next time I’ll just go back for dinner, so I don’t feel some type of way about spending $30 or so on my meal.

My friend’s plate looked very good. Sesame crusted pan seared tuna with quinoa and pureed peas, with a side of rice. To me, it seemed more like a dinner entree than a lunch special, but to each their own. I’m more of a light lunch, bigger dinner type person anyways.

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If I go back, I’m definitely going to try their cocktails. And not the salmon. Being seagan-ish is hard when going out, mainly because I make my fish the way I like it. Salmon, scallops, and tilapia are three things I think I make better than most restaurants (and my friends who have tried them have yet to tell me otherwise).