Don't Judge Miyuki by Its Cover

I didn't have high hopes walking into Miyuki for very shallow reasons—one of them being the unappetizing shade of green paint one sees walking down Solano Avenue. The second was the neglected window box that housed an ancient faded menu, some dead bugs, and even some trash.

But the inside tells a different story.

Our foodie source (okay, George) recommended the lunch specials, which we ordered—$6.95 for soup, salad, tempura, rice, and a teriyaki dish; $9.95 for all that plus sushi. I'm not a sushi eater, so I got the cheaper one while Dave relished the opportunity to get sushi. And since I was famished that particular day, we ordered gyoza to start.

Our miso came right away, which took the chill off, in addition to getting food in my stomach quickly. The potstickers were a pretty good deal, I thought, at 6 for $4.50, though Dave thought they weren't hot enough.

In the background we heard the sushi chef chopping, but other than that, it was quite peaceful, with only a few other diners sharing the large restaurant with us. I read the small promotional card that promised, "You can taste 3 kinds of sake!!!" I guess that's one exclamation point per type of sake. The menu also pictured several different colorful Han cocktails, but I had a lot of work to do after lunch, so I declined.

The salad suffered from what I have come to call "the obligatory salad" condition common in Chinese and Japanese restaurants, which is a sign that they just shouldn't bother. (Note that I did not lump all  Asian-inspired restaurants in this category because I have not noticed this in Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, or Korean dining establishments.)

The tempura was perfect—crispy and light at the same time. My teriyaki chicken was tasty, so I was happy. Dave got the beef teriyaki and was less pleased, but he's not a teriyaki fan in general. Dave, having been born in Japan and raised in a family who knows its sushi, was also unimpressed with the artificial crab in his California roll, although he conceded that this is common. He wasn't bowled over by the sashimi either, but hey, it's a lunch that includes sushi for under ten bucks—whaddya want?

The waiter was thrown by my attempt to pay with Solano Avenue Association cards but kindly asked management, who also didn't know what they were and therefore didn't accept them as payment. But it was a filling meal for two for only $23 dollars, so who am I to complain?

The bathroom was light, airy, squeaky clean, and modern. It looked as if it had just gotten a fresh coat of paint. It was the antithesis of the restaurant's sad outward appearance to passersby.

So don't write off Miyuki because from the street it looks slightly abandoned. A pleasant, inexpensive lunch experience is on the other side of those sickly green walls.