Virginia Miller pays a visit to two new sushi spots this week, Sugoi Sushi in the old Spork/Rice Broker space, and Elephant Sushi in Russian Hill. At Elephant she finds “succulent and buttery” walu nigiri, a.k.a. escolar, a.k.a. Ex-Lax fish, which despite its bowel-moving properties is “among the best walu [she’s] ever tasted.” She also likes the whimsical maki rolls, and the flaming presentation of sizzling mango sea bass. At Sugoi, she says that all the plates, including the sashimi platter “border on works of art.” But she does find “a funky piece of fish or two.” [SFBG]
Michael Bauer just reviewed Amber Dhara the other week, so he decided to make an update visit to four-year-old parent restaurant, Amber India — which is one of only about a dozen ethnic restaurants on his Top 100. He finds that the restaurant has definitely “hit its stride,” and Yerba Buena Lane is no longer the ghost town it was when the restaurant debuted in 2008. He says the butter chicken is still great, and “much better than what I had in the Mission location.” He also likes the cauliflower bezule and the sea bass tandoori, but he says the service could be a little less brisk. All told: two and a half stars. [Chron]
And Sarah Fritsch gives Pig & Pie the Bargain Bites treatment, now that former Presidio Social Club cook Derek McCarthy has taken over in the kitchen. She espcially likes the banh mi with chicken liver, and the lardo-topped burger, as well as the chocolate peanut butter swirl pie. [Chron]
