Valentine’s Day at Osake Restaurant
Entrance of Osake Japanese Restaurant (Photo: Parece Morovat, The Puma Prensa)
By Parece Morovat, business manager
Looking for some X’s and O’s? Take your Valentine to dinner at Osake Japanese Restaurant. As Osake approaches their 25th anniversary, having first opened their doors in late January 1988, it has surpassed the borders of the traditional techniques and flavors of Southeast Asian cooking. It has flourished into a beloved restaurant of Santa Rosa, and chef and owner, Gary Chu, describes this growth as a result of hard work, an open-minded supportive environment, and some luck.
The menu selection is expansive, providing flavors from a multitude of Southeast Asian countries, including their Crab Taco and Thai Red Curry Prawns, perfect for you and a loved one to try out. I ordered the Rainbow Roll, a California roll topped with avocado and fresh seafood including salmon, tuna, and shrimp. The combination of the smooth seafood texture, creamy avocado, and crunchy cucumber paired together nicely. Additionally, the different flavor components in the roll were refreshing. However, the presentation of the roll was fairly standard, nothing too sophisticated.
This particular dish did not necessarily stand out to me in comparison to other Japanese restaurants; however, their Martini Prawns left a lasting impact. The dish took more inspiration from Chinese than Japanese cuisine, and the spicy aioli sauce paired with it complemented the dish nicely. I could tell that the more American and Chinese-influenced cooking style, as Chu mentions, has to do with his motto of “not wanting to serve the same dish as everyone else” and wanting to truly “have fun with the cooking.” Taking a spin on traditional tastes and techniques had the biggest impact on me by far, definitely something you should get the chance to experience with your crush. Overall, their commitment to using fresh ingredients was apparent through the good quality fish and refreshing vegetables.
Despite the strengths of the food, I was slightly displeased by the customer service. We were not treated with much kindness and warmth when we were greeted at the front as one might expect. Additionally, as we were ordering our food, at two in the afternoon on a Saturday, the service was especially slow even with a few tables being serviced.
On the other hand, the ambiance of the restaurant was quite nice. The atmosphere is a semi-formal dining experience—no need to worry about wearing a suit or a fancy dress. As you walk into the restaurant, you are greeted by a large aquarium and a bar that displays fresh fish. Further inside, paintings that align with Japanese culture nicely are displayed against the walls. For the price of the meal, the experience is definitely worth a try, as it is budget-friendly for high schoolers to try out once to impress that special someone in their life.
The dining experience at Osake is one of the best options for enjoying a meal with a Valentine for this upcoming Valentine’s Day. As the season of love is approaching, you should enjoy it with refreshing sushi and good company. Chu makes a point of absorbing all different cultures into [his] cooking.” That touch, or as he puts it, “that fun aspect,” makes it different from the other Southeast Asian restaurants I have tried in our local area. Looking onward and moving forward from the twenty-five-year mark, customers are eager to come back with loved ones, contributing to further success in fostering deeper connections among Sonoma County residents.