Craving sushi in Belltown, I dropped into Shiro’s for dinner one Sunday night, and was reminded of why I both liked the place and also why I hadn’t come back in a long time – the food quality is high, the prices are high, but the service is unfortunately spotty.

Though I didn’t have sashimi this time around, I was quite pleased with the selection of small plates that we ordered – each was well prepared and quite tasty. Part of the reason we got small dishes instead of full meals was the price – 20 bucks is a steep price to pay for a chicken teriyaki dinner in my opinion, regardless of where you’re having it.

The service was the most troubling part of the meal. Our waitress was either hot or cold, coming by far too often to check on us, or totally ignoring our empty tea and water glasses. Worst of all, she let out a giant sigh of exasperation when asked for more wasabi. I understand that being a waitress is a tough job, but I’d expect more professionalism in a higher-tier establishment such as Shiro’s.

Overall, the experience was mixed. I’d come back next time if I felt a craving for high quality Japanese food, and wasn’t expecting matching service.

Unlike Xuster before me, I had more hot dishes than sushi while dining at Shiro’s. In fact, the closest I came to sushi was the spicy tuna roll, which numbed my tongue (in a good way) whenever I popped one in my mouth. I also had their “poke”, which was tuna chunks topped with green onions and marinated in ponzu (citrus dressing)—this one was unique because I am used to soy sauce and garlic flavored poke . Both were excellent tuna dishes.

Perhaps the reason why I didn’t order sashimi was my delight at seeing dishes that I’d find in restaurants in Japan: kimpira (burdock roots), agedashi tofu (deep-fried tofu in a broth), and mozuku (vinegared seaweed). I wouldn’t say that they’re spectacular, because they’re simply considered home cuisine in Japan, but it felt good to be eating “comfort foods” at Shiro’s.

All in all, I had a good experience from the moment the sushi chefs welcomed us in to the moment the servers arigatou-ed us out. It may be slightly pricey but worth it for the service and quality and authenticity of food.

Next time I’m getting sashimi… =p

Having just come home from Japan where I ate quite possibly the best sushi of my life at a restaurant adjacent to Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market, I was depressed that I’ll never find anything to satisfy my fine sushi crave.

If there’s one place that can satisfy that crave, it would be Shiro’s Sushi in Belltown. The decor is simple but the focus is on the quality of Sushi. Chef Shiro can often be seen behind the sushi bar chatting with his clientele. He has undoubtedly mastered the two main aspects of sushi making, great quality fish (both in cut and freshness) and excellent sushi rice (both in texture and taste).

The Toro is not to be missed here, nor are the Amaebi and Geoduck. If sushi is not your thing, the always good Blackcod Kasuzuke and Spicy Squid are also excellent. Price is definitely on the high end but if you’re a real sushi lover, you save money by not having to fly to Japan for the same quality sushi.

If you like great authentic sushi with non-pretentious atmosphere and you have a generous budget, Shiro’s is the place for you.