We have been to TGI Sushi’s store in Campbell, where the food was great, but the restaurant was small, holding about 30 people maximum. So there is often a wait during meal times. When we saw TGI Sushi opened another restaurant off Saratoga Ave in San Jose, we wanted to try it. The San Jose restaurant is much larger with a couple dozen tables, with a large sushi bar in the center of the restaurant. We did not have to wait and was seated immediately.
Portions are generous, with their specialty rolls being sufficient for an entire meal. We decided to order and share amongst the four of us at the table, ordering the sashimi dinner, rolls, and a couple of nigiri.
Sashimi was the standard tuna, salmon and himachi, with each of the 12 cuts being very large and thick. Was fresh, although the hamachi was a bit on the “too cold” side, indicating either it sat in a cooler for too long or perhaps experienced some freezing during the shipment process.
Nigiri was standard fare, nothing special
What differentiates TGI from other Japanese places is the variety of rolls and the spin that it puts on them. And the fact all their specialty rolls are huge. Someone ordered the Gangham style roll last time, so we decided to go with it. The roll has hamachi on top and surrounded with tempura flakes and drizzled with a Srirachi/Ponzu sauce. The Hailstorm roll (in the background) was spicy tuna, salmon and cucumber.
Kevin’s Special roll with avacado, tuna and Macadamia nuts and topped with unagi. I was expecting the nuts to be sprinkled on top, but they were wrapped inside the roll. The nuts added a nice texture contrast and unique flavor to the roll.
Prices are reasonable given the amount of food you get. In addition to sushi/sashimi, they offer the standard bento box fare for those who want cooked food. The menu is extensive and it will take a number of visits before you make a dent in it. Would recommend ordering and sharing so you can taste a variety of their food. The service staff was not as well oiled as the Campbell store, as sometimes it was hard to flag down our server. But I expect it to improve as the staff gets more settled in and things settle in after opening.
