Hama-Ko Appeal
I ran into a good friend today who is close with the owner of Hama-Ko. He told me that business has not been good there and Hama-ko may be gone in the not too distant future (1-2 years). For all you Hama-Ko fans- get your butts in there! I know my wife and I will be trying to step up the frequency of our visits. For those interested in trying Hama-Ko but worried about getting in the door mentioning Chowhound should do the trick.
Sushi Hama-Ko
108B Carl Street
SF, CA
415-753-6808
Ken Rich
Jan 03, 2003 07:34PM
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Well, Hama-Ko better get friendly fast ! I wanted to try the place but worried that I may get cold shoulders and get mediocre stuff.
Lets see more people (newcomers) try the place and I would like to see good inputs from them. Couple of good inputs from chowhounds who never visitted before should encourage me greatly.
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We used to go to Hama-Ko frequently when we lived on Cole Street, but now that we live in Berkeley, we go much less frequently. We have encouraged local friends to go there, and no one has reported a cold shoulder, quite the opposite.
Please do try it, and ask if they have ankimo (Monkfish liver), a treat when they have it. I also love their spicy Kaki (oysters).
They are just a Mom and Pop operation, but they deserve a good clientele and more frequent visits from all of us!
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We love Hama-Ko, and would go back more often if we didn't live on the Peninsula. When we go it's usually a special treat with friends from out of town.
I think the thing with the owners -- Tetsuya and Junko -- is that they are very set in their ways and they expect a certain "standard" from their clientele. While we do go with some fear and trembling and warn our friends to be on their best behavior in advance, every time we've gone we've been bowled over by the owners' politeness and friendliness.
We've figured out that what works is to be on our best behavior, to smile, and to be humble. We're Asians (not Japanese) in our 30s, and basically we go in and treat the owners respectfully as if they're our elders (which they are, since they're much older). We ask them for their recommendations, what's fresh, and they're happy to oblige. I think what wouldn't work is to walk in and "expect" a certain level of service, a la a regular American restaurant. It's all in the attitude. Hama-Ko is a bit of a different world culturally, and we just defer to it and have a great time.
As for the food, it's absolutely excellent. Tetsuya is one of the few Japan-trained fugu (puffer fish) chefs around and really knows his stuff. We've had a "chef's choice" set meal before with our parents and felt like we were in an Imperial palace. And they really only keep a few kinds of fish around every day, only what's fresh.
I'm surprised to hear that their business has been that poor. When we went in June with my parents, it was so crowded that they had to close early because they couldn't cope (it's just the two of them after all). When we went just before Christmas, it was really empty but we thought it was because of the storms. We'd hate to see this place close down!
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What do you mean? The owners are really friendly. You just have to go with the flow. It is only the two of them running the joint, and they don't give mediocre fare to anybody. My first visit there several years ago was just as amazing as my most recent visit -- incredibly delicious, fresh sushi.
This place can't be beat.
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Sushi bars in general are suffering from the recession, and I'd imagine high-end places are affected more than cheap places.
I know I've cut back to once or twice a month from once or twice a week. My friend Yo of Yo's Sushi Club on Mission has commented on the same slowdown.
Two of the city's most popular bars, Ebisu and Hamano, have had coupons in the SF Bay Guardian, the first time I can remember seeing those, and Yo just started a frequent diner's discount. As a plus, this is a good time to get to know your neighborhood sushi chef.
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Tetsuya is also saying he's going to retire in about a year -- last time I was there he gave me a Roger Clemens-type speech about going out at the top of his game. I think he's kidding, but not 100% sure.
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