I was in Hayward for the day, and looking for a place to have lunch. I stopped in at this restaurant, having eaten here many times when it was Ray's Sushi.
The exterior of the restaurant looked nicer than when it was Ray's, which was...promising. But the food was a little disappointing.
When I walked in, I noticed a slight fishy smell. Shouldn't be a surprise in a sushi restaurant, although the better restaurants don't seem to have that smell.
The service was prompt, and the server was very polite and helpful. A dish of boiled edamame was provided while I was perusing the menu. The menu itself was quite worn and frayed, but it was extensive.
I ordered the sashimi lunch special, and was served 6 generously-sized pieces of fish - salmon, ahi tuna, and hamachi - plus a six piece spicy tuna roll. It would have been helpful to have the fish sliced into smaller pieces; each piece was too big to eat in one bite. One of the pieces of hamachi was fishy tasting. The rest of the fish tasted fresh, though the texture was a little mushy. The spicy tuna roll was very tasty, but the seaweed wrapping was chewy, making it messy to eat.
The meal came with miso soup, and I ordered a glass of iced tea, which was freshly brewed and delicious.
Overall, I had a pleasant dining experience. I didn't feel rushed, and the atmosphere was quiet and calming.
I noticed that they have a traditional Japanese dining area towards the back of the restaurant, with low tables and seating on the floor. That looked like a nice option. If I lived in the area, I'd be inclined to give this place another try at dinner time.More