So I might be slightly biased here since I eat here literally once a week... but Station Sushi is my absolute favorite sushi restaurant in San Diego. It is actually my second favorite sushi restaurant in general (my favorite is Michi Sushi in Campbell, CA) but that will have to be a different post...
Anyway, getting back to Station... I was actually introduced to this place before I moved to San Diego by my awesome brother and sister-in-law and it was love at first bite! The place is what I would call "dive sushi" because it is a small place and reminds me somewhat of a beach shack-type place (it has recently been renovated and lost a little of that "charm" as I would call it, but the food is still exactly the same). Between the three of us we ordered edamame, miso, multiple rolls, sake and beer and the total cost was around $100 at the end of the night. Seriously! And we couldn't finish all the food because the rolls are HUGE! Needless to say, when I moved to San Diego 2 years ago this place became a staple in my diet and I have dragged everybody I know to this place. Oh, and a great thing to note about this sushi joint -- it NEVER has that "fishy" smell when you walk in, and I have NEVER had a bad meal there. The fish is always SO FRESH I honestly wonder how they manage to do it and other places don't...
The restaurant is always packed (even on a Tuesday night, although during the week you usually will not have to wait for a table), but on weekends be prepared to wait for up to an hour for a table if you have a party of more than 2 or 3. Don't worry though -- they do have a patio where you can sidle up to the counter on the sidewalk and have a drink while you wait (as long as you are not drinking outside the restaurant on the sidewalk of course)! Once you get seated, here is my suggestion of a few things to try (my faves of course!):
1) The Monkey Stick. This is a signature roll for Station. It is basically crab, tuna and avocado wrapped in seaweed and deep fried with a yummy sauce drizzled over (don't ask me what is in it because I have no idea -- it just tastes FANTASTIC!). Below is a really bad photo taken from my iPhone so I apologize.
2) Fried Gyoza. Maybe I just love fried stuff, but this is a great appetizer -- fried pork dumplings with a soy-vinegar sauce is a perfect start to your meal.
3) The Matrix Roll. This is a relatively new addition and is designed for people who like to eat REALLY HOT stuff (if you don't like hot stuff, stay tuned for my recommendation to tone this down - you won't regret it...). So the roll is spicy tuna and asparagus inside out with tuna on top plus another yummy sauce and habanero masago. The heat sneaks up on you and starts to build so the first piece will be hot, the second will reach fire-engine levels as it sinks in. I love the freshness of the tuna/spicy tuna combo so in order for me to manage a full roll on my own (like when I get take-out), I ask for them to make the roll without the habanero masago and it is like a whole different piece of heaven.
4) The Luv'n Tuna. Now this is a perfect compliment to something spicy. This roll combines spicy tuna on the inside with albacore on the outside and a garlic/scallion type sauce. The result is a very light, refreshing roll that appeals to just about anyone.
Other items on the menu that make the "honor roll" are the Cajun Tuna Roll (this was replaced by the Matrix roll when it was added to the menu), the Shrimp Tempura Roll, and the Protein Roll. I also like to get the sashimi platter every once in a while because the fish is SO FRESH it just melts in your mouth (I know I said that earlier but I really wasn't kidding). Oh, and to finish it off, I always get some strawberry mochi for dessert. It is just the cherry (or strawberry) on top of a wonderful meal!
Location:
125 N. Hwy 101 (just north of Lomas Santa Fe Road a couple doors down from Pizza Port)
Solana Beach, CA
Tel: 858.481.9800
Hours: Monday - Sunday Lunch 11:30 - 2pm and Dinner 5 - 10pm
A second location opened up about a year and a half ago in La Jolla, but I haven't been there yet because I am loyal to the Solana Beach location... Go figure! :-)
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