Smashburger and Blue Nami Sushi

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I've started an Evernote list of restaurants I want to try near my house, and in the Bay Area. B and I try to check these off every time we see each other, depending on where we go. The difficulty with this list is that we add places just as fast as we check them off! We started this tradition with our first SF Food Tour, and we've been adding places to the list ever since.

Part of the problem with this, is that B and I tend to want to order the same item from the menu. (This is partly my fault, I don't want to toot my horn too much, but I'm very good at picking the tastiest menu items. He capitalizes on this, by getting what I recommend. Hah!) Since, I usually post these excursions to the blog, I try to diversify what we order, so as to try as much variety as we can. I let B order what I would normally want, and I try to order something else that is on the menu. That way, I have photos for various menu items, and you guys get to see as many different items as possible. It's all for you guys! ; )

This was another day we checked some places off the list, two in fact; Smashburger for lunch and Blue Nami Sushi for dinner. B ordered the Smash Fries, which are tossed with rosemary and garlic, and the Spicy Baja burger, with spicy chipotle mayo, and jalapeños all on a spicy chipotle bun. (This was what I wanted to order, but let him get it, and instead I ordered something else. Aren't I a wonderful girlfriend?! Of course, I stole many of his fries. Usually, I agree to order something else, on the premise that we will trade tastes of each other's food. He ends up liking his meal too much, and then doesn't want to trade! The nerve!) The fries were very good as well as the burger. I think this would be something I would order every time when I inevitably return. 

I ordered the Fried Pickles and the Classic Burger. The fried pickles were an interesting change from fries, which I pretty much order every where I go. They weren't better than the fries though, so next time I'll probably stick with the Smash Fries.

Here's the Classic Burger, you can see where the derive their name "Smashburger" from, by the smashed, caramelized burger patty. The burger was very good, but I found the American cheese to be a little overpowering in flavor in contrast to the fresh veggies. Perhaps a different cheese would be a little better for this burger.

For dinner, we went to a newish sushi place that opened up, called Blue Nami. As with most sushi places, their rolls are all 50% off, making it a pretty good deal. You can get 2 rolls for about $10. B wasn't really hungry after eating lunch, but I was feeling "snackish" as B and I put it. So, we went to Blue Nami. We each had a beer, and he ordered the vegetable tempura, which is his favorite, and I ordered the fried gyoza (or potstickers) and a deep fried spicy tuna roll, which is my favorite. Blue Nami's gyoza was quite good, the sauce was vinegary, sweet and perfect for the gyoza.

I had ordered this deep fried spicy tuna roll to-go before, when I was at work, for lunch. I found that when you order it to-go, they give you a container of the spicy sauce they put on it, which is very good. When I ordered it in the restaurant, there was barely any sauce on it, and I couldn't get the waitress to come back to the table to ask for more. I think next time I order, I'll make sure to ask for some on the side, as it makes the rolls even better. It still wasn't better than my favorite sushi place in San Diego, Ki Sushi. I have yet to find a place as good as Ki Sushi, no one quite does it justice. But, as far as sushi places go in my neighborhood, Blue Nami is pretty good.

I'll definitely go back to both Smashburger and Blue Nami again. They're great standby places to get lunch at work, when fast food gets old. I'll be coming back, mostly so I can get a Spicy Baja burger to myself! : )

*Here is a photo from a different visit to Blue Nami, and it was also quite delicious!