Rumble Fish

I don't like fish. I don't know why really. Perhaps it was the fish sticks growing up.
I keep trying it, and I keep not liking it. I think it's the "fishy" taste. So why the hell do I like sushi so much? I know that doesn't make any sense at all. It's true though. And when the sushi is good it's really good. In other cuisines the difference between good, and OK can be subtle. Good Italian is fabulous, but so-so Italian is not bad. It's so not that way with sushi. Anything other than really good sushi is awful, and when it's good. It's really really good.

This little sushi joint opened up near my house, awhile ago. I walked by it for months, without going in. It had been a sushi restaurant before, but it changed hands, and was renovated. It looked modern, and fancy inside, and I thought it didn't fit in the outer Richmond sleepy neighborhood so I didn't really pay it any mind. There are many good sushi places out here. I don't know why there is such a concentration of good sushi joints. People come from all over the bay area to eat in this neighborhood. I don't know where they park when they come here, but come they do. I don't remember what motivated me to first go in, but I thought it was pretty decent the first time around. I've now been back several times, and each time I walk away thinking "I can't believe I live this close to great sushi" This place could bankrupt me.

What is it that makes a great sushi joint. Simply put: fish. You can make a place look great with fancy art work, and pretty decor. You can make a place stand out with themed settings, and sassy waitresses, but in the end if the fish isn't fresh the place isn't any good. So When I say Rumble Fish is a great sushi joint it's because first off the fish is fresh. The first couple of time I went there I wondered how could this little neighborhood joint get access to such fresh fish. In case one didn't know there is a whole world of politics when it comes to getting access to the highest level of fish. You see fish is graded when it comes off the boat. There actually a group of people that touch and smell every fish, and give them a rating. The higher the rating the more expensive, but there usually aren't very many in the highest level. So who gets to buy those highest rated fish? That's where the politics come in. If I wanted to open a sushi restaurant, and I went to the fish market not know anybody I'd be lucky to buy fish that was worthy of BBQ. So how was it that this start up no name restaurant was serving delicious fresh fish? Last week when I was at Rumble Fish I met a lady that gave me the dish. The new owner had worked, and trained at Ebisu, and that restaurant is like the sushi training grounds for the bay area. So that explained the fish.

Beyond the freshness is the style. I'm told it's very Japanese style but
California cuisine. The chef uses minimal rice, and large portions of fish, unlike other restaurants where the opposite is true. Everything is very delicate and lite.

At first I didn't want to go there because there wasn't anybody in there, but now I know the food is so good it doesn't matter if I'm the only person. Besides I'm starting to like listening to old 50's rock and roll while eating sushi. You see the chef plays these oldies tunes while making the sushi, and the music spills out of the kitchen into the dinning area. You can see his reflection in the window rocking out to oldies. It's fun.