Nicole "nicmcc" M.'s Profile

Ahi Sushi is a new addition to San Marcos Town Center located by the San Marcos Civic Center.  This relatively new shopping center has provided this area with several much needed dining choices.  I wasn't sure what to expect from Ahi Sushi, since it seems to have taken a while for them to open their doors.  Upon entering the establishment, we were greeted & seated by a hostess immediately.  The music was blasting with current hits, though it was not too loud to hold a conversation.  The decor was warm with about 10 seats at the sushi bar, numerous 2 top tables, & several 4 top tables, which could easily be pushed together for larger parties.  The capacity is 52.  There are also several tables outside, which may be really nice in the spring & summer.  They did a really great job with the space.

Our waiter took our drink orders.  They have the typical Japanese beer selection (Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin), plus some domestics.  I got the hot sake, which was pretty much what you get at any sushi place.  We started with some miso soup.  It tasted "beefier" than most sushi places, with a little seaweed & small chunks of tofu.  We decided to start out with the Deluxe Sashimi, 12 pieces of chef's choice sashimi.  We were not disappointed.  The plate consisted of ahi, salmon, yellowtail, octopus (the best I've ever had), & some other fish.  All were  fresh & flavorful.  I would certainly order it again.  We also ordered some baked mussels (yummy & not too saucy) & a grilled salmon roll.  The grilled salmon roll was a nice change, since I do not usually order warm rolls, & was a dynamite style roll.  I tried a spicy scallop hand roll, which I find to be a good measure of a sushi restaurant.  The roll was very spicy, how it should be, yet not too creamy.  The scallops were fresh & silky.  They have an eel handroll on the menu, which I have never seen before.  

I am glad to see this shopping center fill out & it appears that a salon is going in next door to Ahi, as well as a financial services company.  My only suggestion for Ahi is that they cover the door in the back of the restaurant that faces out to San Marcos Blvd, as well as removing the vacuum cleaner sitting off to the side in the dining room.  I don't want to see the behind the scenes of a restaurant, unless it is meant to be part of the experience. (à la Bucca di Beppo's kitchen table)

We had a wonderful meal & I definitely plan on returning soon.  The service was attentive, though not too "in your face".

I needed to get some shoes dyed for my brother's wedding.  I ordered dyeable shoes from http://Zappos.com, then took the dress & shoes to Chito's based on prior Yelp recommendations. The lady at the counter helped me choose a color to dye the shoes to match the dress.  We took the dress outside in the natural light & compared it with the swatch book.  I chose 2 colors that looked best for the dyer to test on the swatch that came with the shoes.  I stopped back several days later, again with the dress to compare with the swatch test.  Neither color I had chosen was a match.  I chose another color & the dyer created a test on the spot & it matched perfectly. I picked up the shoes several days later.  They did a fabulous job!  The shoes looked beautiful.

I really appreciated the time they spent to get the color right.  I would definitely go back to get shoes dyed or repaired.  They have some nice, pre-owned shoes, mostly men's, for sale, plus they have any shoe polish color you could want.  The debit/credit minimum did not bother me, especially since the service was friendly & personal.

We were craving Chinese take out & wanted something other than Chin's.  We remembered Panda Garden. Currently they do not have a website with a posted menu.  We called & asked for Szechwan Beef.  They said it wasn't on the menu, but that they would make it.  We also ordered mixed Kung Pao & combination fried rice.  Our meals were excellent!  Everything tasted fresh & not too salty.  There was a nice amount of vegetables in the dishes  -  good veggie to meat ratio.  

We also picked up a menu & I was impressed by their lunch specials, which included 27 options to choose from.  They also offer three Chef's Special Family Dinners ranging from $11.50 - $13.50/person.

I look forward to the next time we go to Panda Garden & highly recommend checking them out especially if you live in the San Marcos/Vista area.