El Cerrito Sushi update: Taki and Yusan

[nja]

I tried Taki Sushi for the first time on Saturday. I was very impressed. I had the following nigiri: yellowtail, scallop, bluefin toro, albacore, saba, and another which I am now forgetting. Fish was all very fresh except for the saba (a little too fishy). Cuts were quite large, too large for a single bite, but in the end it makes it a good value. Nice selection of sakes. I plan to return. They seem to do a very good to-go business.

I learned that the chef/owner is the son of the man who owned Yusan. The elder passed away about a year ago and the family sold Yusan, but the new owners kept that name. I have eaten there a few times since the change and it's definitely not very good anymore.

Taki is a very good option in the East Bay, especially given the decline of Yusan and disappearance of Sushi-Sho. But I wouldn't go so far as to say it's worth a journey from the city when you've got places like Hama-Ko, Koo, and Ino.

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Yusan Sushi
11866 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Taki Sushi
10877 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

[sashiman]

First an ownership correction: Kazuyuki Sasaki, son of Yusan is not the owner of Taki; Thomas, whom Kaz trained at Yusan, is while Kaz works there Thurs through the end of the week. Both are very good sushi makers & very likeable men.

However, the reviewer nja does an injustice to the new owner of Yusan Sushi, Osamu Watanabe (Sam-san). As a customer of Yusan since shortly after it opened in Dec 1983, I find that Osamu is a worthy successor to the Yusan tradition -- fresh fish "cut big" as Yusan used to say the major draw but it is also a restaurant space designed to be a Japanese restaurant from the beginning, not a converted fast food space; unfortunately, the over-cooked edamame tradition also continues...

[Missmoo]

Has Sushi Sho closed then?

[nja]

Yes

[nja]

I forgot to mention that Taki serves real wasabi!

[calalilly]

I'm glad to see a post about Taki. We go here at least once a month. The guys are really friendly and the sushi is very fresh and affordable. The trick is to sit at the sushi bar. We've sat at the tables before back at Yusan and it's not not the experience. I agree, it's not a destination restaurant, but definitely a perfect neighborhood joint.

[Melanie Wong]

That's notable.

Glad to see your return to the boards, nja!

Still time to sign up for the Oct 3 picnic in Tilden Park
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/652687

[gordon wing]

Thanks for reporting on Taki and for the Yusan updates. Good information to have.