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Categories: Asian Fusion, French, American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Pacific Heights, JapantownMon-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"I came here with friends to celebrate a birthday over the weekend, we had a BLAST and left with a huge inferiority complex because the…" read more »
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Winner: Most Intelligent Bathroom in the city!
Now I tend to eat at holes-in-the-wall, so I don't know what the WCs at most higher-end places are like. But Bushi-Tei's WC has both brains and beauty, and wins in my book in SF. Some people may be freaked out by the Japanese technology. (No, I did not opt for the butt-wash.)
But you're not reading this to use the bathroom there...onto the other stuff. This is a LUNCH review. (Eew! Food and bathroom in the same breath!)
Food:
Potato & leek soup - creamy, subtle and smooth: B
Sardine Niçoise salad - OMG FRESH sardines. Delicious. What would make it even better: touch less salt, and more interesting bread. B+
ABC sandwich: my darling, fussy companion gave it a B+.
Service: Charming, attentive and efficient. Tall Euro dude who looks like he's from a 60s-band is mellow and sweet. He and the Japanese dude--the owner/manager?--made a great pair. The latter explained all the plates knowledgeably and with care.
We didn't have wine, but I would expect we could have gotten some good stuff there. One of the parties there had an assortment of bottles on the table along with a dump bucket.
Ambiance: Small, intimate, understatedly swanky. Not too many parties there at around 1pm on a weekday, which was wonderful for us because it was quiet and we didn't have to fight for attention from the servers.
Relaxing piano jazz sounded like it could be playing live downstairs.
There was a small off-putting stain on the otherwise pristine table cloth. It was only dime-sized and looked like soy sauce or coffee that didn't wash out...but I noticed as soon as we sat down.
I could imagine the balcony being a cozy/hip place to share dinner with a date.
Date or sans date, I look forward to coming back and trying fusion.
What I expected: Asian food, more along the lines of Japanese & simple decor.
What I got: French food w/o the rich savoriness of the classic or modern form. And goodness me, the interior of BT was so naturally stunning.
Staff: a cute Japanese woman in a traditional kimono and ONE server. Professional service, but the plates were not cleared in a timely manner b/c of the lack of staff.
Sake selection: Only TWO junmai daiginjos, one by the glass, the other bottle.
Portion sizes: were pretty darn tiny. We had an amuse, two apps, two entrees and petit fours. We were 80% full, just like the Japanese philosophy.
I wasn't blown away by the subtle flavors, but enjoyed the cleanness of them:
-Crabcake amuse, not much flavor or oil, the relish on the bottom should have been placed on TOP, it was very difficult to get everything in ONE bite. Also it was room temperature, leading me to believe it was just sitting waiting for guests.
-Pork belly skin should be CRISPED in my opinion, the fat was less appetizing.
-Beef tongue, cooked nicely, but just not enough development of flavor.
-Orata, again, okay, I did like the crisp skin, the corn underneath was odd, something not really present in Asian or French cuisine.
-Petits fours were very good
Some of the dishes were really lacking in color, BT could use some garnishes. Slightly disappointing, BT is caught in the middle of two cuisines & as a diner I'm confused.
Compared to other restaurants of this caliber, I'd say it's a solid 3 stars!
Bushi-Tei is beautiful and surprisingly cozy! Sleek and modern decor everywhere, frosted curtains that divide the tables, beautiful candles that add a touch of intimacy.
And the toilet in the bathroom is the most high-tech thing I've ever seen. There were so many buttons, I just sat there for an extra 30 seconds, wondering which one to press until I gave up and left.
The service was polite and quick. They left us to our conversation and I really appreciated that. It gets a little annoying when it's overbearing!
We ordered A LOT of food because we couldn't decide!
Appetizers:
- Tuna amuse-bouche: The type of tuna you put in a sandwich on a piece of crisp bread. This did not get me excited.
- Tuna Tartare: Delicious! It was light and crisp. The wasabi-creme fraiche was so tasty! It was a very good first appetizer.
- Miso-Marinated Waygu Beef: Big letdown. I wasn't expecting it to be that flavorful and salty. It tasted like soft, salty beef jerky. I figured, for such a high quality and marbled meat, why would you want to marinate it for that long to the point of losing all of its natural flavors? It was a very interesting combination of flavors but I was hoping for something that highlighted the waygu beef - not kill it.
- Foie Gras: This was interesting. It was really sweet, almost like a dessert but the flavors meshed well. The foie gras is creamy and it worked well with the sweet sauce surrounding it. A great balance.
- Sonoma Duck: I really liked this dish, though, it didn't wow me. I didn't taste the mustard sauce that much since there was barely any on the plate but the duck itself was good.
- Tuna and Rock Shrimp Risotto: Flavor-less. The risotto was good but the tuna was bland. That's what we get for ordering something that should be sashimi instead!
- Day Boat Sea Scallop: I've not one to order scallops as an entree but we ordered this 3rd entree dish because we were still hungry. The scallops were really salty, like the ocean. I didn't particularly enjoy this dish that much.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake: Overrated and overpriced (but you KNOW we devoured it anyway!!). Skip dessert, they'll give you little truffle-sized goodies :)
- Wine List (1 Bottle + 4 Glasses): Wasn't feeling the wine selection but we had got a bottle of Trefethen's dry riesling which was spicy! What a kick, almost like a cinnamon flavor. We each had a different glass of white wine, I think I had the fume blanc, which I didn't care for. We each also got a different glass of red wine. I got the pinot noir, which was okay.
= $230 (after tax, before gift certificate/tip)
The food was good, the portions were decent, service was good but, as a previous winner of a 1 michelin star, it definitely sets a precedence. I actually had a really great date night with the boyfriend at Bushi-Tei but I wish the food was a bit better. I wanted to be wowed with delicious flavors but they were just alright. It definitely helped that we got a $25 gift certificate. I wouldn't mind coming back for a 2nd round of different dishes but only if I had another gift certificate - which we do :)
I can't believe some of these reviewers ate in the same restaurant that we did. It was not bad, but I would not rate it very highly. We had a "groupon" coupon that made it relatively inexpensive, but we won't be back. It is a beautiful place and food was wonderfully presented, but the restaurant has a lot of problems. I guess that's why they're trying to lure people with a coupon.
The ambiance was wonderful Japanese, but we found little Japanese in the menu, except a few Japanese words thrown into French recipes. And this is in the middle of Japantown.
First of all, the service was horrible. Two servers were responsible for almost 35 people in the restaurant. We spoke to our server twice during the entire meal. Once the greeter had to come over to help us because we couldn't find the server in this small place. For the prices, one expects an attentive server. We even overheard the other server apologizing over and over to our neighbors for not being attentive. Ours never did that, but should have.
The food was beautiful on the plates and tasted fine (served by the busboy, btw), but I was not ecstatic. My three, small scallops were well cooked, but did not blend well with the runny, tart, "potato chowder" in the bottom of the bowl. And for almost $30, I expect a bit more than three small scallops. Serving a popover is a good idea, if it's not sitting in a watery sauce making it soggy. My partner had duck breast which was served without skin... dry and gamey. Who eats duck without the skin? It needed something to make it more flavorful.
We skipped the dessert because we didn't see anything that particularly appealed to us.
With the coupon, it was a relatively good experience, but I would not want to spend over $100 for that meal.
I went here for lunch and enjoyed one of the best burgers in the city.
This was a Kobe beef burger ($12) served with an optional foie gras/truffles topping (+$8) on a home made bun.
The perfect mix of flavors, coupled with high quality ingredients at a reasonable price moves this burger into my top 3 burger rankings.
The waiter also knew the wine menu well, offered free tastings to help us choose, and recommended a great pairing for the burger.
I've passed by this nicely decorated little gem for years and swore that one day I would venture in.
Today was that day. Before the meal even got started they served up a tuna-topped little amuse bouche and some of the most interesting bread I have ever laid eyes on.
Service was excellent and accommodating. The guy really seemed to be excited about describing everything, rather than just rattling off the night's fare. Everything is fancy and oozes class. Even the water is electrolyte treated!!
Started out with the chicken confit, and that little brie-covered potato crunch was reminiscent of my favorite bite of crunchy hash browns! Besides, let's face it - brie makes everything better. For the main course, I opted for the Orata, which was a nice light fish atop a bed of sweet corn, greens, whipped potatoes and the most delicious little chantrelle mushrooms! To top the evening off I ended with a lovely little flourless chocolate cake with the BEST organic milk ice cream on top. It was SO smooth & creamy, and complemented the rich cake quite nicely.
If that wasn't enough, they also give you an almond cake (with what I thought was a mini popsicle stick that actually turned out to be a thin cookie!) and homemade truffles. My compliments to the chef. The meal, in its entirety, was entirely awesome.
Didn't make it into the bathroom, just the idea of a bidet weirds me out. o_0
I had a nice dinner with my husband last night at Bushi Tei. My true opinion of this place is 3.5 stars, but we had a http://restaurant.com gift certificate which took $25 off the bill, so because of the discount I feel comfortable bumping it up to 4.
The location is very nice... in Japantown, easy to get to and find, easy and relatively cheap parking just across the street. As we walked in, we found a Japanese-style ambiance, with a very modern and clean feel. I really loved that, as most of the nice restaurants in the city are cute and quaint, because they are housed in old, traditional San Francisco style buildings. The man who filled our water and cleared our plates was very attentive, and everyone was quite nice and knowledgeable. We had to wait a bit to be asked if we were ready to order, which was a little strange seeing as we were one of 3 parties in the whole place. However, we typically do not mind waiting and truly enjoying every moment of a nice dinner. It wasn't ideal, though, when our wine (we brought our own bottle) sat on our table until we eventually asked to have it opened. If the wine had been opened, we probably wouldn't have even noticed the wait. Overall, though, a solid four stars for ambiance.
Now for the food. They brought out an amazing little amuse, which was some kind of chilled wagyu beef... it was delicious, and a true amuse size--a perfect bite! For the first course, we got the wagyu beef rolled over apple and fennel salad, which was truly delicious. It was also $20, and did not quite feel worth that price to me, despite how tasty it was. We also had the braised ton toro, a pork belly, which was really good as well. For the entrees, we had the duck and beef loin. The beef dish was good, and my husband was really pleased. The duck had a delicious crusting on it, but the meat itself was dry. I am not sure exactly what went wrong--it wasn't overcooked, but somehow came out dry. I have had better duck. For dessert, we shared the flourless chocolate souffle. It was really delicious, and really tiny. I could have eaten at least one on my own. The meal was completed by a complimentary pair of almond cakes and chocolate truffle of some kind. The chocolate was divine.
Overall, it was a nice dinner, but I have just had better. San Francisco has so many stellar restaurants, it needs to truly stand out in every aspect to be really noteworthy. Bushi Tei was good, and I would recommend it if someone were looking for a restaurant in that location, but there are better restaurants in the city that are more competitively priced.
The omakase here is fabulous, so I devote my 500th review to here. I think Japanese fusion is one of those things that can go incredibly well or incredibly bad. But here, everything was great, from the start to finish, and the price! The flavors are what I would expect Japanese and French flavors to taste together - alternately smooth and light, and heavy and robust, but not overwhelmingly so!
The restaurant is classy, with subdued lighting, and modern finish. It's really kind of unique in its location - in the heart of Japantown across from the Kinsetsu mall - you would not expect a chic restaurant with floor to ceiling glass fronts. We sat near the window, and I saw a lot of people peering in out of curiosity. The service is well meaning and reserved.
Here is what my boyfriend and I had:
- Started with housemade bread rolls with brown rice baked in, and thin cracker chips with salted butter - yum!
- First dish was a red snapper sashimi with sturgeon caviar - this is one of my favorite dishes here - refreshing, fresh, and a burst of flavor for the palate
- Second and third dishes were also different fish preparations - mackerel and halibut. The mackerel came prepared with an orange sauce that might have been squash or pumpkin puree and it was delicious. I especially liked the halibut, which came prepared on a bed of dainty risotto with green beans.
- To cleanse the palate, we were given a light lemon sorbet - precisely one spoonful
- The fourth dish was thinly sliced medium rare beef, on a bed of pureed potato - very savory and hearty
- Dessert was a fabulous way to finish - he got the chocolate souffle, and I ordered the apple dumpling, which was amazing - think of an apple pie but baked in a puff pastry, then drizzled with caramel and served with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream; by far one of my favorite meal finishers ever
- On the way out you get more sweets - little truffles and tiny cookies!
A great place for special occasions, I cannot wait to come back when the seasonal omakase menu changes!
Is there some other bushi-tei out there that everyone is going to? The place I ate at was horrible. Overcooked fish (how? ), bizarre flavor combos, poor service and expensive. It'd get a lone star, except for the saving grace - the toilet.
My recommendation is a hearty recommendation to skip this place.
omg this burger is one of the best EVER.
We started with a puree of who knows what veggie with potato topped with herbs and fragrant olive oil.
Next the Herb marinated Scottish Salmon, cucumber, uplandcress, coriander vinaigrette. I split this and there was still a lot, fresh in house baked griddled french bread on the side. The salmon was fabulous, very lightly marinated.
My burger was fantastic. I do love a good burger but this was one of the best ever. I had mine topped with foie gras and truffles. You could smell the truffle oil mixing with the juicy burger. The in house bun was a thing of joy, perfect for soaking up every delicious bit.
I can't belive I went this long without eating here.
Forgot to mention, lovely reclaimed wood interior and fancy toto toilet.
I am a fan indeed. I went here a few weeks ago, so my review will be kind of vague. I have passed this area a whole bunch of times in Japantown, but never noticed this place until that night! Overall I would return but a few details i remember are as follows:
Love the decor (I usually don't like darker restaurants, but BT still maintained the clean, modern feel), we sat the large corporate dining table in the main room but were spaced out nicely so we didn't feel cramped, the flat smooth rocks and gas lit hurricanes on the table were inviting.
Everything we ordered was consistenly good, flavorful, the right temperature. However, they kind of all came out at once, you would expect a 1 michelin star to kind of space out your dishes. Another drawback, was they did NOT clear our plates, we would eat the dish, then at one point, I think we probably had 5 empty large serving plates all piled high, weird! So, I would return again for the food, I would like to sit upstairs this time. But the service could use some serious improvement.
Try the plum wine, yummy. Beef tongue was super tender, the pork ehHh soso, the bread was unique.. could taste the rice cake, we ordered practically all the appetizers, first course...Skip dessert. We had the 7 spice cake of some sort? NOT good, and then also the black sesame pot decreme? not impressive either.
We went to Bushi-Tei for Sunday brunch. I had a http://restaurant.com gift certificate and then I booked an http://Opentable.com reservation.
I'm really glad I booked the http://Opentable.com and asked for a window table because another table was eating at a further away table that I might have gotten if I didn't book it.
Service is slow maybe because they only have 1 waiter. Took forever to get a menu, then order, get food, dessert, bill. It took 1hr20min and I'm a Fast Eater!
Sun brunch is $25pp so pricey, but with a gc that I paid only $2 I guess it was kinda worth it.
FREE pastries - I knew about them from a blog I read. Cake w/ something in it was dry, another mini pastry just ok, small chocolate croissant was pretty good, a tiny cake was fine.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
You can pick soup or salad & entree for $25 - brunch price.
We both got different salads:
B. got a sardine salad w/ potatoes, croutons, sliced hard-boiled egg, greens. he liked it ok.
I got an Artic Char salad served sashimi style w/ lots of greens & tiny round crunchy things. Was light & nice.
Entrees:
B. got a salmon entree - small w/ some greens & heirloom tomatoes. Just ok.
I got the scallops (only 3) and a soupy dish w/ fettuccine & green, red, yellow peppers. Just ok scallops, noodles not my fav too hard or something. blah.
Dessert:
Black sesame dessert $6.50 - it was ok, nothing special.
Passion-guava mimosa $9 for a small glass. Rip off! Don't do it!
Only good thing: 2 unisex bathrooms in the back - one on Left/other Right. TOTO toilets ($5,000 worth) - heated seats & it washes your rear or front & has dryer (optional) in English!! Seat cover is closed when inside, but opens up when you are near. Wow! BEST Toilets Ever!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Credit cards taken.
I hate to disagree with some of my friends who obviously are ecstatic about this restaurant (Beverly T. and Christina L.)..but I'll have to take it down a notch and really get down to why this doesn't warrant a 5 star.
In fact, I would have given it a 3 star if it were not for the complimentary dishes and the decor of the place. It certainly is an expensive restaurant, but the flavors are just not there. For $$$$, I expect some new exotic flavors especially from a place with a claim to asian french fusion.
I'm sure going in with a http://Restaurant.com GC was going to put a label on my forehead "cheapass" but I didn't care. i was there to enjoy the ambiance and what the food had to offer.
-Wagyu Beef - definitely my favorite as it was wonderfuly seasoned and the apple crisp and veggies added a perfect crunch to make each bite absolute heaven. What is it about raw beef I love so much.
-FoieGras and pot de creme - it tasted like overcooked foie gras baked in with a chinese hot dessert egg thing. sorry, just didn't do it for me
-Big Eye Tuna and Rock Shrimp risotto - a great flavor with perfectly cooked risotto. The tuna was although bland, it was really fresh and went well with the creamy shrimp and risotto.
In the end, I enjoyed the place and it was easier to swallow with the http://Restaurant.com GC, but I wouldn't come here for the heck of it.
I was warned that this place was expensive and not that good. I personally thought it was pretty good and not that expensive.
I enjoyed the risotta....very tasty and the tuna on top was excellent.
The decor was pretty nice too, definitely Japanese influenced.
The toilet in the restroom was cool...seat warmer! haha
In a world of bento boxes and combo A's, it's hard to find unique Japanese food. Luckily, I stumbled across Bushi-Tei, which merges American, French, and Asian cuisine into a compact, Japanese-friendly restaurant.
We ordered the following:
Foie Gras: ($20)
- Due to the fact that I live in San Jose, the closest thing I have to Foie Gras would be to beat up a hooker and gnaw at her organs - meaning...there is no such this as Foie Gras in San Jose!
The dish was very confusing and the flavors were robust yet mysterious. I couldn't figure out what was in the sauce! Unfortunately, the portion was a bit too small. But then again, if there was more, It might have been savory-overload for my taste buds. So I take that second to last sentence back: good portion.
Big eye tuna tartare: ($16)
- This dish was very tasty and also very familiar. I'm as big of a sushi fan as I am a porn fan, so raw fish is always up my alley (no gay pun intended). The fish was yummy and went well with the buttery avocado, the slight crunch of the tobiko, and the creaminess of the crème fraiche. Very tasty, although....something was missing. I'm not sure what it was, but It wasn't a complete dish (it was 89% finished).
Miso-marinated wagyu beef: ($20)
- Like Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, this dish was my least favorite of the three. And like Michelle Williams, I would still eat it because it was very delicious. The highly marbled beef was a buttery dream draped over the upland cress. Also, I thought the addition of the apple gave the dish a very playful (and unexpected) crunch and sweetness.
Overall, the food was great. The bread was warm, and the complimentary dessert was very delectable (truffles and almond cake). Service was good (of course) and the decor was fantastic. I loved the fusion of stone and wood, which blended classic yet modern Japanese decor.
Unfortunately, I think the price-proportion was just a hair above my liking ($2 over). But great food nonetheless.
I give Bushi-Tei a well deserved 3.7 out of 5.
Great meal and great service. I have nothing negative to say about food quality! Why I only put 3 start? BC I found tiny hair in my desert.... Bushi-Tei is not cheap, so I'm really disappointed that happened.
Sake flight during HH: $6
Salmon with dill: $9.50
Discovering another restaurant that's worthwhile: priceless
We had dinner there last night. Great decor, excellent presentation, and friendly service. The… Read more »
It was good. But I expected more since they have 4 stars on Yelp. The foie gras could be a bit bigger.... maybe big enough for just ONE MORE BITE,please?
Appetizer, entree, now let's talk about dessert! Apple dumpling! We were pretty full from our meal so decided to order 1 and share. Next time I'm here, I'm getting my own. Warm crunch apple dumpling with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmmmmm
If your gf / bf happens tomake lot of bathroom runs, it's not the food that's giving them a stomachache ..... it's the TOTO toilet that they are having fun with!
Every once in a while you fall upon a restaurant where the chef has a reverence for food. Nothing can prepare you for the exquisite experience that Executive Chef Seiji "Waka" Wakabayashi will take you on. Bushi-tei is a Japanese French Fusion restaurant located in the heart of Japan town. The first "upscale" restaurant in Japan town, surprisingly.
The place is beautifully modern with hints of traditional Japanese artifacts. Clean glass windows, with high ceilings with warm wooden beams. There are semi private booths sections in the back and small room upstairs for additional seating for 6. But the BEST seat in the house is the community table that seats 16, perfect for a large group party. The community table is an extra large table made of half wood and half glass. Black stones line the middle of the table, with several tall glass pillar oil candles floating in water. It's magical. Come on a weekday and you'll most likely have the table all to yourself! You have all four elements here, fire, earth, water and air (the breathtaking food).
MUST TRY:
Miso-marinated wagyu beef with a bottle of TrueBlood Syrah 2004
This is an AMAZING dish and the prrrrrrrfect wine to accompany it!!!! Raw marinated Waygu beef, imported from Toyko, wrapped in upland cress, green apple, fennel, and french blue cheese. Coupled with the Trueblood, and you'll think you've gone to heaven. Is it worth it? YES, it's worth it. Usually when they serve Waygu, you pay $20 for a bite. This appetizer surprisingly comes in 6 large thinly sliced pieces. I loved this dish.
For the main entree, we had Grass fed tender beef loin, potato anna, perigourdine & the Big eye tuna, rock shrimp risotto, crispy shallot, coconut red curry nubé Both were incredibly amazing. You can't go wrong here. I would like to go back and have the Wagyu again, and try the Big eye tuna tartare, tobiko, wasabi- crème fraiche, coriander seed, herb oil & the Lobster and Crab, Chrysanthemum leaf, papaya, bacon, ginger cream, curry oil
The staff was very kind and knowledgeable. All authentic Japanese staff. You can smell the reverence for the food and the respect for tradition of both French and Japanese here at Bushi-tei.
Hands down the best Waygu I have had here in San Francisco.
My hat's off to you, Chef Wakabayashi. Very well done. Best Japanese French fusion in the city. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Love! Love! Love!
The food is amazing (meaning: I can't make it at home without really trying!) and the service (aka: Scott) is crazy good!
Been hear 9 times now and every time I know I will, and I do, have an awesome experience.
The lunch is cheap (because the quality is off the charts) and the brunch is a must. I have never been hear for dinner because as a SFUSD substitute, I don't make enough in one day to pay for my dinner. However, if I find a stack of money, I will definitely take it here.
I have had pretty much every single lunch dish here. Now that I don't eat meat, it is very hard because I end up picking shirmps and anchovies out of my salads, but the experience of eating here is well worth it.
It is so freaking good that I am coming there tomorrow with my mom for brunch.
I hope this place always stays in business because it is one of the best in the city.
oh, did i mention the cool bathroom? makes you feel so clean.
My night began with celery root soup... it was creamy and delicious with a delicate yet satisfying flavor.
Following that, was the most life changing flavor that has ever hit my mouth... Big eye tuna tartare layered with tobiko, wasabi- crème fraiche, coriander seed, herb oil. Life simply does not get any better while eating this amazing creation.
My next coarse was the Chilean Sea bass, a dish I have had on multiple occasions, but none as perfected as this.
My night was topped off with the sweet, well-balanced flavor of their apple tart. All the while, sipping on many of their house sakes.
This had to be one of my best meals.
Tip: Get there well before your reservation time to find parking. If you have extra time, visit the main shopping center across the street in Japan town... it's fun to walk around in.
Oh, and check out the robo-toilet in the restaurant!!!
How do I write a review about Bushi-Tei and do it justice? I knew upon walking in that I had arrived somewhere special. The space is gorgeous and so sleek with modern design and wood imported from Japan. Once we were seated, our server pulled down shadowy screens on either side of us, where we could still watch the ebb and flow of the restaurant and the flicker of warm candlelight.
The chef is Japanese, so I was expecting Japanese food with a French twist. Not so! Combine the rich, comforting quality of French food with a Californian dedication to using only the highest quality of produce and meats and a Japanese obsession with the simple and sublime, and you've got Bushi-Tei!
I thought I had died and gone to foodie heaven with the first spoonful of pumpkin with seared foie gras. The wagyu beef was another stand-out dish - frisee wrapped in strips of beef like a sushi roll, and topped topped with blue cheese. The black cod with lobster risotto was a delicious next course, with the wild fish contrasting perfectly with the creamy risotto. I'm afraid I may also have an ongoing passionate love affair with the beef, sexy and rare.
I cannot encourage you enough to check out the bathrooms. Sit down on your warm, techy Tokyo toilet seat and give that puppy a whirl. Just don't play with the buttons for too long... your food's waiting for you!
Life-altering! Bushi tei has now become my most favorite restaurant in San Francisco for a hedonistic treat or a special occasion! We were here last year for a friend's birthday for a three person dinner and all had Waka's Omakase with wine pairing. It was awesome! maybe a little expensive to do all the time but definitely worth the $150 per person when you're feeling extra special!
Last week, my wonderful fiancé treated me to dinner on a Thursday during a particularly long and busy week at work. While the a la carte menu looked really tasty, we both decided to order the Waka's Omakase (Chef's tasting menu) at $80 per person and added the most delicious seared foie gras over kabocha pot de creme for an extra $20. We left it to the chef to determine when he would serve this to us during our fantastic meal.
I also told them I was eating low carb and they were so nice to me and accommodated my dietary request and did not put any starches in my food! Yay!
The food is fabulous.
Amuse Bouche: Wagyu Carpaccio over soft crostini. (Flavorful and a great appetite opener)
First: Sliced Scallop and Ankimo Sashimi with Aged Balsamic Baby Mizuna, and Seed Mustard (Fresh, sweet, balanced and I would love to have it again!)
Second: New Zealand Striped Jack with Turnip and Veggies (Sweet and fresh)
Third: Sauteed Orata, fennel, chanterelle (fish, the chanterelles were amazing - great dish)
Fourth: Not part of omakase - Seared Foie gras, kabocha pot de crème, pistachio, red onion marmalade (MDJ said it was life changing. This is really really good. I wanted to lick the bowl.)
Intermezzo: Yuzu Sorbet (Palate cleanser makes everything better!)
Fifth: Wagyu filet seared over haricots vert and turnip (Yummy - wagyu filet?! Delicious!)
Sixth: Homemade Vanilla Bean ice cream (i had a bite - it just looked to good for me to pass up! and it was really really good.)
With our coffee and tea: 2 petite almond cake and 2 decadent rich chocolate truffles.
The restaurant is intimate and cozy. The restaurant pays attention to little details. Good water service. Big rectangular bread plates. Homemade bread. A place to rest your chopstick, spoon, knife and fork.
The only drawback were the guests two tables from us who didnt shut off their really loud cell phones.
Bushi-tei is fabulous!
Bushi-tei was fantastic. This small, cozy (yet spacious) location is perfect for a celebration… Read more »
This place is mediocre at best. The miso soup tasted like chicken noodle. The rainbow roll had room temperature tuna that looked a few days old. The fried shrimp roll was pretty good, and the gyoza were decent. But for what you're paying, you should be eating a lot better, a lot more and not in a mall. You'd be better off at Sushi Rock, so I give Bushi-Tei two stars.
Wow....this restaurant was amazing. We purchased $50 gift certificates on http://restaurant.com a while back and decided to use it on our wedding anniversary since we were going to be staying in SF.
I made reservations on http://opentable.com and had to continue to change the time, since we were so full from lunch. We finally pushed it to the latest reservation available, which was 10pm.
The food and ingredients were simply spectacular. We ordered the following:
* Lobster and Crab, Chrysanthemum leaf, papaya, bacon, ginger cream, curry oil $18
* Foie gras, kabocha pot de crème, pistachio, red onion marmalade $20
* Big eye tuna, rock shrimp risotto, crispy shallot, coconut red curry nubé $32
* Sonoma duck breast, baby mizuna, mascarpone mustard, dried chutney $28
The food wasn't quite fusion. It was just really good food. The foie gras was off the hook. It was the best I ever had. It had a crisp outer shell with flavoring like Chinese roast duck, and it was meaty and chunky but super tender. So good! The service was superb! :) The waiter even ran down the street to flag a taxi cab down for us so we wouldn't have to do it ourselves!
Total for the bill was $80 after the $50 gift certificate from http://restaurant.com. This included the $20 corkage for our wine. :) We even received free dessert at the end that had these shaved ice fig (only in season now), truffles, and almond cake.
I would definitely come here again, and would recommend it to my friends.
What's better than spooning Black Sesame blancmange chilled with a layer of Coconut Milk reduction? Why. Devouring each -ful yourself. Preceded by the delightful salt and chew of Bushi Tei's Crispy Skin topped salmon. Introduced with a generous bowl of House Cured Sardine Nicoise Salad. Prepped, first, with a mildly flat Guava Mimosa. Drawn in for $25! For 2 courses! Only! To of all places, Bushi Tei. "Of Michelin Star?" Left with the imprint: brunch food, not perfect; service and feel -- Definitely TO BE CONTINUED.
food taste = 3.5
price / value = 4
service = 3.5
environment = 4
any time you hear japanese being spoken by the customers and the workers, you know it's authentic. value of the price you pay is good. you get a decent amount of food and the taste is pretty good. it is asian fusion, so it did not taste like 'regular' japanese food at all. (probably to keep prices down) they only have one waiter, so the time for service can be a bit long. went there on a weekday for lunch and armed with a http://restaurant.com cert that they accepted with no problem.
this place is good and it is a high three, but i can' quite give it a four when compared to the other places i've given a four.
I really liked the way they combine different tastes and cultures to make some interesting dishes. It's not your usual Japanese food- which I like as well, but this is a nice change.
Bushi Tei rocks! It's my new favorite restaurant. Great ambiance, pleasant staff, and AMAZING food. We tried the chef's Omakase set (chef's choice of the day). Not only were all the dishes excellent, the presentation was beautiful. This may sound silly, but even the way the bread was presented is like a piece of art. What a delightful treat!
I am surprised to see many people actually like this place or giving 5 stars...
my husband and I usually don't eat in J-town because a lot of them are americanized...Bushitei looked ok and its new so we wanted to give it a try.
INTERRIOR/ENVIRONMENT-weird...nice or maybe not...
I thought it was modern style but the owner (?)/host-- the person took us to our table was not fitting to other servers. everyone else was black/black which looks very professional, but he was wearing a old bb hat, dirty t-shirt, look very much like Japanese farmer.......that wasn't good...
FOOD
wasn't the worst or the best, was very creative, i used to live in Japan and had been a couple places like this, they are a OKEY....SO CLOSE TO GOOD BUT NOT THERE YET
SERVICE-
we ordered scallop and we got salmon, but they gave us a free dessert for that. even though we got there after 7, we still got happy hour price which was good.
A LITTLE PRICY FOR THE QUALITY...? probly won't go back only if that was my only choice?!
I was reading over the Samurai code, i.e. Bushido, the other day. It's kind of a personnel manual for my night job, you know. I noticed a particular credo that made me giggle.
"I have no tactics; I make Emptiness and Fullness my Tactics."
Hmm, doesn't everyone do that, except the massively obese and force-fed geese?
So seeing that I was one step closer to being a samurai, I recently dined at Bushi-Tei to perfect that empty/full balance.
My meal was rich and nearly impeccable...and indulgent. Perhaps I need more practice to cross that samurai qualification off of my list.
Started with the celebrated foie gras and kabocha pot de creme. Wow !@?!?!? It was like butter, and probably worse for me than a pot de butter. But delicious, and possibly the best combination of flavors I've had in sometime.
Second course was a Sonoma duck breast with baby mizuna, mascarpone mustard, and dried chutney. It's hard to follow foie gras with anything without it losing its luster, but so it goes. Another piquant combination of flavors, though. Interesting texture as well with the crunchy chutney atop the mascarpone mustard. Apparently samurai taste ranges from Sonoma to India and back.
With these plates I was satiated, but my friend and I pushed our limits by ordering and sharing dessert(s). Carmelized banana with black sesame pudding was powerfully delicious, and the epice chiffon cake with yuzu mousse was nearly flavorless, it was a light palate cleanser and nice foray into digestion and eventual temperance. Or, it would have been, if it weren't for the tasty petits fours that then came along!
So bushi-tei may not provide the most balanced meal, but fine dining isn't about equilibrium in my personal culinary code of ethics.
The food here was good but not amazing. We used a coupon, and if it wasn't for that, I don't know that I would go (even though again, the experience was good!).
Started off with an amuse bouche that was a crab croquette on top of a potato and tomato sauce that was good (even though I expected the crab cake to be warm and was disappointed when it was cold). Then we got the waygu beef appetizer and even though I don't enjoy bleu cheese, it was pretty good. We also go the foie gras appetizer. I've never had foie gras before and it tasted pretty fatty but delicious.. It was atop something that tasted overwhelmingly like butterscotch (even though it doesn't mention butterscotch in the sauce) and it might've been a bit too much.. nevertheless, it tasted pretty good and was one of the better dishes. and I liked it. We also got this lobster and crab salad which tasted like it could've come from a can and was bland and not that good.. The last appetizer our group shared (we used them like mini-meals) was the tuna tartare. The tuna was pretty bland and could've used some acid or something like that.. any forkful of it tasted mainly like the avocado that it was on top of. One of my favorites was actually an entree, the pork was well-cooked and really good.
All in all, food was good, service was fine, decor was fine, and make sure to check out the nice bathrooms haha. 4 stars!
OMG . . . not only is Tak the owner a peach, and so is the host, but they are hip to alkalized water. Reason enough for me to be in luv luv luv.
Organic food, grass fed beef - and drop dead gorgeous decor make for the perfect dining experience. Oh, and a spotless kitchen. All of my requirements in one place !
Bushi-tei = my favorite restaurant in San Francisco.
Sure, it is a little pricey but 1) it's worth it, 2) http://restaurant.com coupons, 3) it's worth it!! When we went in at 7:30 the entire restaurant was empty and remained so until 9:00. Granted, it was a Tuesday night but it made me sad to see that my favorite restaurant may not be doing so well. There are a lot of delicious places in the city but few that come out with creative flavor combinations like Bushi-tei.
All in all, the entire experience went a little something like this:
1. Amuse-bouche of baby mackerals which was a nice little surprise
2. Baguettes with toasted rice very effectively symbolizing the whole asian/french fusion concept
3. FOIE GRAS to DIE for. Grilled and crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful inside...at my first bite I kind of wanted, a little bit, to cry.
4. Wagyu beef - yum!! Can totally taste the quality of the meat considering it's raw and the little bit of blue cheese complemented the flavor of the apples and fennel
5. Seared tuna with risotto - usually I hate risotto...I loved this one!
6. Complimentary desserts!!
7. Used http://restaurant.com coupon with no problem and found the remaining bill to be very reasonable.
Another great dining experience at Bushi-tei - I really can't say enough good things! Really, the foie gras is amazing...I think I'm tearing up now again just thinking about it!!
If you're ready to break your wallet, you are welcome to this restaurant. This restaurant is NOT for those on a budget. It will kill your whole month's allowance.
I came here for a friend's birthday, just 3 of us... and so mind you, only 2 people paid. I almost had a heart attack when I saw how much each dish cost. I think appetizers alone were from $15-25. We got the foie gras in pumpkin mousse. It was REALLLY good, and prior to trying it, I have never had foie gras and was really hesitant on getting it... but the birthday girl wanted it. But I'm relaly glad I tried it. We each got 3 dishes, and just shared it all. We ordered a scallop dish, and when it came out... it only came with 3 scallops. =( I was starving, and quite disappointed in the fact that the dishes didn't come with much food, but I guess that's gourmet for you!
Overall, the food was reallllly good, but cost $180 for 3 people, 1 appetizer and 3 entrees. When you come here, you'll probably see tons of business people who can afford the meal. It was a small (seats like 25 max) and cute place. Their bathroom even has the japanese toilets that cleanse your butt for you =P
My girlfriend invited me to join her for lunch during Dine About Town. She chose Bushi-Tei, which I was admittedly unexcited about. I am so glad that I decided to join her because the food was a treat and the service was truly exceptional.
Our waiter, Scott, was very friendly and knowledgable. He really cares about the restaurant and it shows. The manager was also very friendly, and spent time talking with us and ensuring perfect service. The chef is Japanese, and the amount of care placed on each dish was amazing.
The ambiance in the restaurant is very unique. When you walk in, the first thing you notice is the table for 16 in the middle of the room. It takes up 40% of the restaurant. The wood in the restaurant was all imported from Japan. Some of it is rumored to be as much as 200 years old. The theme is past meets future.
The reason I normally don't like fusion restaurants is due to the fact that I like reasonable portions. I hate eating an expensive meal with a tiny bite here and a tiny bite there only to want something else to eat an hour later. I left here comfortably full and stayed that way until a late dinner.
The first two courses (soup and salad) were relatively small portions, but both tasted fantastic. The main course (I had the pork) was a very large portion. It was served with french fries and I could barely finish it.
The location is in Japantown, just across from the Miyako Hotel. You can park in the Japantown Center Garage or on the street (if you are lucky). The restaurant provides one-hour of validation for JCG.
Sigh. It didn't quite do it for me..
I think it's highly overrated 'cuz it's pretty sparkly fancy. The food was just OK for being pricey. It's one of those hidden places that not too many people know existed. We were in there from about 6:30-9:30pm, and it was dead. Boring dead. And though it wasn't crowded, It felt cramped. Something just wasn't right, which made dinner feel awkward.
Our server was nice and knowledgeable. We had the 3 course omakase. It seemed rehearsed, but our server did well explaining what was being served. He also helped us well with wine pairings. Like I said, something just didn't click right and I can't seem to put my finger on it.
I don't think I will be coming back here. I would rather splurge some place livelier, a place with more charm. Hey, that's it! That's what's missing! Chemistry.
Well, I went to Bushei Tei for my birthday and the restaurant was pretty much empty. It may be because it was a b-day lunch. Anyhoo, the main things that stood out for me were the desserts. DO NOT order the infamous "flourless chocolate cake" Let's just say they should of kept the flour. The sorbet's were great and the bean pudding was so delicious. The bathroom was neat. The seats are heated. Nice touch!
If you ever wondered how the Japanese do fine dining, Bushi-Tei is the place to find out! This pricey treat is where the East meets the five course meal. Hidden among the Karaoke bars and Asian mall of Japan town, Bushi-Tei is one of the few restaurants in this part of the city that really gets what fine dining is all about. The Experience!
Everything from the appetizers and bread to the mini chocolate truffle desserts are homemade and freshly prepared. The plating was beautiful and, most importantly, the food was delicious! Both the owner and executive chef came out and spoke with us for awhile and they are nicest guys you'd ever meet. BUT with all that said, I would have liked to see a bit larger portions for the price.
Come on Bushi-Tei, I am dropping a few hundred here can't you put on a little extra?!?!
wa-wa-wee-wa... that foie gras with pumpkin pot de creme is TO DIE FOR! so rich and smooth and waiting to give you a heart attack... and i loved it!
my experience with bushi-tei was excellent. i took my boyfriend here for his birthday dinner last night and both of us could not have been happier! we started off the night with the wagyu beef carpaccio and the foie gras for appetizers (eat the beef first, clean your palate with the electrolyzed water, and then attack the foie gras!); had the big-eye tuna/rock shrimp risotto and day boat scallops for mains, and accompanied our meals with a fine pinot gris and bordeaux. everything was delicious and oh so filling, actually!
for dessert we shared the caramelized banana on a decorated plate wishing my boyfriend and happy birthday... a nice touch that scott at bushi-tei had arranged for me earlier in the day. very nice!
would love to come back and visit again!
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