Drinks & Dinner: Tokyo Fro's Rockin' Sushi

With so many new and trendy places popping up all over town, the hubby and I have learned that we are creatures of habit. Located next to another old fav, Bandaras, Tokyo Fro's has once again not disappointed. This time, we decided to hit the sushi bar without the kiddo, although Tokyo Fro's is quite kid friendly. We went on Friday night and it was pretty packed due to their amazing 1/2 off happy hour. We usually sit a table when the little one is with us, so we switched it up a bit by sitting at the sushi bar. I think one of the reasons why we always go here for sushi is because of their fresh fish - it never seems like it has been sitting around and it doesn't have that funky fish smell --- something not appealing in fish, especially sushi. We shared the tuna poke appetizer, which was served in a martini glass and generously enough for two. We moved on to three different roles, the Captain "save-a-fro" (spicy tuna with lots of extras), The Coach T Finger (tempura prawns with lots of extras), and the Peeta Roll (all veggies with special sauce). Like most sushi places these days, Tokyo's has lists and lists of rolls with crazy names that are loaded with several types of fish, veggies, sauces, and beyond. Heck, they even have rolls with meat in them these days. We even capped it off with some citrus sake. So, the next time you are in the mood for sushi but are a little too scared to try the new hole in the wall down the street, check out Toyko Fro's instead.

DINNER: Frank Fat's

Frank Fat's Web site

Update - As of 5/29/09, Frank Fat's has a "recession" help-the-economy set menu for two for $38. We enjoyed every morsel, especially the potsickers and honey-walnut shrimp. Call ahead, though, in case they get rid of this deal soon!

DINNER: Dragonfly (take two)

Dragonfly's Web site

I sit up at night concerned about empty restaurants. Dragonfly is the source of my latest dose of insomnia. The restaurants around it (Zocalo, Paesano's) are always packed, but Dragonfly rarely has more than a smattering of occupied tables. If it weren't for Leslie's recent review, we probably wouldn't have tried it again. It was about 7pm on a Thursday, and -- sure enough -- Dragonfly was deserted except for two other tables: a family with three little kids sitting outside and a dour-looking couple sitting inside. We sat outside, next to Zocalo's packed patio, where the sounds of the busy restaurant next door wafted over to punctuate the utter stillness of our near-empty patio. I guess this would be great place to bring kids, or perhaps a very mean dog, since there are rarely any other patrons for them to disturb/maul. Right away after sitting down, a negative: I am (ahem) a touch under six foot, but the tables were too high for the chairs, so we felt like little kids. We ordered a couple of their delicious (and strong) mojitos. Mine was mango, which was a tad sweeter than Bernadette's classic mojito. For food, we liked the Dragonfly roll (very good), the bbq albacore tuna (tasty, but unexpectedly spicy) and the short ribs (highly recommended). I personally didn't care for the the Thai Chicken noodles -- it was basically salty chicken nestled in saltier, bland noodles. We had two bites of that and left the rest. On balance, the food is fine, and the service is good, but I still feel strange eating in an almost empty restaurant. Dragonfly needs to distinguish itself. Fast.

DINNER: Dragonfly

Dragonfly's Web site

After securing a babysitter for a long-waited and much-needed date night, we decided to wing it and make our final dinner choice selection once we hopped in the car on Sat night. We discussed tapas or Asian or sushi.... which led me to thinking about Dragon Fly on Capitol. It was second Saturday and we were already half way there, so we figured we check it out and if it was swamped we would try some place else. After the parking Gods smiled down on us with the perfect spot in front of Dragon Fly, we saw that there was still a table or two available on the patio. Why? Zocolo’s and Paesano’s were SWAMPED. Hmmm. Well, I had eaten there long before and recalled liking it and we were there, so why not check it out. We started with some mohito’s that hit the spot. Not mind-blowing delish, but not bad, either. Neither of us wanted full blown meals and Dragon Fly is a great spot to share dishes. We started with a tempura tofu dish that was topped with steamed spinach and mushrooms. It was light and cooked perfectly, not wet and soggy. We then got the ahi tuna blossom - very simple dish of Ahi tuna slices and avocado which tasted fresh and had non-fishy flavor. We rounded it out with two of their veggie sushi rolls – for some reason we are finding that we like veggie sushi rolls rather then the ones with the raw fish these days! Ah well. These were similar in taste with asparagus, cucumber, mushrooms and the like, but their unique sauces definitely made them different. We finished the evening off with a big piece of simple plain cheesecake. This was the perfect spot to people watch on Second Saturday. The down side to Dragon Fly, which is known to all, is that it was slow, just like the internet reviews had promised. There was only one person working outside, but since we weren’t in a hurry and it was a beautiful night we were fine with it. I hope that Dragon Fly stays around. After 7:30 there wasn’t an open table, but it still didn’t have the crazy lines like Zocolo’s and others around the area. Go check it out!

Dinner: Fat's Asian Bistro & Dim Sum Bar in Folsom

Fat's Bistro Web site

The hubby and I had a rare date night without our little one and after running a few errands, somehow stumbled upon eating at Fat's Asia Bistro & Dim Sum Bar in Folsom on Thursday night. Not surprisingly, it was packed. Overall, the service was pretty quick considering there were still people waiting to be seated when we left at the ripe hour of 8:00 pm. The decor is stunning, with its high ceilings and lush plants, but if I didn't have the menu in front of me stating the name of the place, I could have easily been sitting at P.F. Changs. We were starving so we decided to start with an appetizer sampler with calamari, veggie egg rolls, edemame and coconut shrimp skewers. I know! That really was a meal in itself! Everything was yummy, including the two dipping sauces. We didn't get very creative with our entrees, picking the standard sweet glazed prawns with walnuts and an asparagus and shrimp tempura dish. The husband and I both agreed that we liked the prawns, but they were very sweet and filling which over powered the rest of the meal. After just a few bites we had to call it quits! The shrimp tempura dish was good - a simple batter with sea salt and pepper that gave it some uniqueness. We also had a side of the veggie rice which was nice because it wasn't very oily and the veggies still had a crunch to them. Looking back, we should have switched out one of the heavier dishes with the ahi tuna and mango salad that I was eyeing. Next time I'm going with my gut! It would have brought some lightness to the meal. But, on the upside, we have some very yummy left-overs waiting for us at home. It's always better the second day, right?

LUNCH: Kim Restaurant

Props to this hole in the wall Vietnamese restaurant downtown at 1008 J Street (near the corner of 10th and J, the Grange, and Cesar Chavez Park). 2 coworkers know I like banh mi sandwiches (vietnamese sandwiches), and they have recommended this place in the past. I feel like I may have gone to it under different ownership, but that was years ago before I started packing a bag lunch everyday. All I have to say is that the banh mi was great- roll, warm bbq chicken, pickled veggies like carrots and cucumbers, and cilantro. What else could you ask for? The kicker- $3.50!! This place is interesting- everything is made to order right when you order it, so everything comes out piping hot. All the pho soups they were serving looked great! I was drooling and wishing I had more than a 1/2 hour lunch. The downfall- very very tiny locale and packed. It looks like it is very difficult to find a seat, and by the time I got my take out, it was almost past my lunch. It was fun, though, watching the pork and chicken being cooked fresh on the huge cooking ovens. All the veggies were extremely fresh and clean looking (not like some places where it looks like the lettuce is slimy). I think they have enough food turnover that they maintain the quality of their produce by ordering often. Other things on their menu: pho, noodle soups, lemongrass chicken, etc... I felt like I was in San Francisco or on Broadway with authentic fare. Only open M-F 10 AM-3 PM.