Valerie F.'s Profile

If you're looking for good teppanyaki, this is the place.  I've been going here for years, ever since it was called Kingswood, and the food has always been really great.  The food is a bit pricey, and the service is sometimes spotty, but it's still worth it.  Definitely way better than Benihana!

Love, love, love this store!  Ichiban Kan offers a variety of Japanese goods, including household supplies, snacks, stationery items, toiletries, and dishes, and all at great prices.  I always enjoy looking to see what new items they have, and there's always something interesting to check out.  I especially like some of the stationery items they have, including origami paper, writing utensils, and other items.  They have a nice selection of dishes as well, in all sorts of sizes and designs, and the prices are quite good compared to other stores in the area.

They also have a location in San Francisco Japantown, but I'm more partial to the one in San Mateo, as it's not as far for me and the store is not usually as crowded.

After hearing plenty about Seto, I finally visited for an early dinner after work, and I liked it well enough.

I couldn't decide what to order, so I decided to try a noodle dish (can't remember the name, but not ramen or udon), along with some sake (salmon) nigiri.  The nigiri came first and were quite good.  The noodle dish was also nice, though a bit lighter than I expected.  It was a lot like angel hair in broth, and I was disappointed to find only one piece each of the chicken, scallops, and shrimp listed in the menu description.

The service was excellent, though maybe a bit too attentive.  It was early though, so there weren't many other people there.  The restaurant atmosphere itself is quite nice though; the decor is a bit upscale, including screened-off areas and private rooms.  It was a bit bothersome that the cars going by on the street outside were a bit loud though.

I think I'll go back, but I'll definitely try something a bit more substantial.  For now, my favorite is still Fuki Sushi in Palo Alto.

Touted as a Japanese dollar store, Lychee Tree offers a nice selection of inexpensive items, including household, craft, and other products.  Not all of the items are Japanese, but they seem to mainly be Asian-made at least.  They've recently added quite a number of craft items, including beads, origami paper, kids' craft supplies, and a lot more, in addition to the household, beauty, and food products throughout.  It's fun to wander through the store and see what you can find, as there's plenty to look at.  Some of the items are a little bit junky, but it's all pretty cheap and is standard dollar-store fare.  Not all items are exactly $1, but they're all fairly inexpensive compared to what you'd find elsewhere.