Osaka Grill

1217 Sutter Street

Tel: 415-440-8838

Just off the seamy bustle of Polkstrasse lies this tranquil and inviting Japanese Restaurant that looks calm from the outside yet once inside feels simply elegant, spiritual and almost serene. There is an honest simplicity to the Osaka Grill, a civility, and a graciousness that is truly welcome, yet hard to articulate. The exterior resembles a classic neo-Federal style of architecture, almost colonial like an Ethan Allen store, but once inside, there is scale and dimension that would seem foreign to the perception most Americans have of things Japanese. The rooms are off-white with architectural details from the floors, lighting and structural supports to the polished galvanized steel hoods draped and angled exhaust hood over each island table for six guests. On each visit the striking simplicity is breathtaking and gives this visitor a feeling of integrity and spiritual cleanliness. The feel is formal with enormous expanses of clear space between each of the cooking/dining table islands, yet is warm and inviting at the same time. The walls are adorned with a large black and white Soji screen with simple Japanese characters on the wall facing the street, and three dramatic porcelain bowls artfully arranged on another wall. Rich, large well-tended plants fulfill the decorative ambience of this dining room, and the overall feeling I get is of calm and aesthetic integrity.

The Osaka Grill is open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner seven nights, and although my dining experience has been limited to dinners of date, I hope to change that soon. I'm told the lunch menu is around 20% less than that served at dinner, so here is a reminiscence of my experience at dinner the several times I have dined here.

On each visit I have been greeted by kimono clad handsome young Japanese boys and girls who greet each visitor as a guest in a fine private home or five star Hotel. Presented with a simple menu and seated at the cooking island, I've grown fond of the items found on both the appetizer and side menus, which change about every 6 months. Among the items on those menus that seem constant are chicken yakitori at $4.00, gyoza (pot stickers) at $4.50, California roll and shrimp tempura both at 5.00 and assorted vegetable tempura at 4.50. Portions here are not bountiful, but that is more than made up for by the quality of ingredients and the cooking right at the table. Each of these items is superb. Side dishes consist of three fried rice variations at $3.00; mixed vegetable sauté at $5.00, shrimp sauté at $7.50 and scallop sauté at $8.50, again each delicious and prepared at the table. The heart of the menu is the dinners which all include shitaki mushroom soup, garden salad, shrimp appetizer, sorbet, steamed rice, sauté vegetables and green tea. The dinner entrees include garlic chicken at $15.00, New York steak at $17.00, filet mignon at $19.00, giant sea scallops at $19.00, calamari steak at $17.00, king prawns in lemon butter or spicy thai sauce at $18.00, veal scallopini at $18.00, Chilean sea bass in a heavenly cilantro-ginger soy sauce at 20, chateaubriand at $24.00 and on Friday and Saturday only a fabulous rack of lamb at $28.00.

In addition to what I've just shared with you, they offer some excellent combination dinners once simply called 'surf and turf' food but here it is a spectacle to watch prepared and to dine on. They also feature at least two vegetarian dinners and a host of specials. The staff who actually prepare the food at each table is gentle and informative, inviting each guest to participate in the whole experience offered at the Osaka Grill. Every person involved in serving each customer is humble, knowledgeable and dedicated to providing a truly entertaining experience.

I highly recommend the Osaka Grill.

Stu Smith

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