Fukumoto ~ Austin, Texas

514 Medina St, Austin, TX 78702

Found ourselves with an evening uncommitted and my dining partner has a thing for sushi. She would eat it every night given the opportunity. This place showed up on the map as walkable from our hotel, and we later got a confirmation as rock solid from some other locals. As walk-ins / travelers, we were completely on board for a seat at the bar (eventually took bar-seats after a beverage on the patio). Sushi joints are hard to gauge in RJG terms - especially if you are unimpressed by overpriced / over-engineered and (dare I say) COOKED rolls popular in some 'see me' places like Sushi Den in Denver. Fukumoto impressed with chef/owner Kazu Fukumoto (Japanese, from Fukuoka, not some generic Asian guy with a knife like some places I've been), service (gal behind the bar - clearly of Irish descent - lived 5+ years in Tokyo and speaks fluent Nihongo), and the food. Example: we told server we like spicy but not cooked, and she wrestled up a sashimi plate of yellowtail with thin-slice Thai peppers that was outstanding (as was everything else we had - rolls, drinks, etc.) There are a number of other options on the menu - yakitori, tempura, a couple different Japanese beers on tap. An excellent place - will return next time in town!

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