Domo Arigato! Do You Want Fries With That?

A Japanese restaurant opened this week in my touristy mountain town. My wife and I went to celebrate the end of our move; or to celebrate father's day; or just to eat some sushi.

As we ate and discussed the experience, I kept coming back to this comment. "It's not that kind of Japanese restaurant."

I knew things were wonky when I stepped up to the counter and said, "Table for two," and the "hostess" replied, "For here or to go?"

I had never been asked that question at a Japanese restaurant. Perhaps that is my small town orientation. When we go to a Japanese restaurant, nobody asks McDonalds questions.

The walls were painted in orange sherbet. The entree was on a styrofoam plate. The sushi was in styrofoam to-go boxes. Plasticware. Most of the sushi was bland. The shrimp was almost good--it did not taste like freshly cooked shrimp. The tempura was good, though.

On the plus side, steak and shrimp generally costs $18 bucks or so at the usual restaurant. They cost about $8 at this place. So in my town we now have disappointing Japanese food at low prices.