This review started with a conversation that a year ago I would have considered improbable to say the least.
First, let me tell you about my (almost) father-in-law, henceforth referred to as Daddy Actual. He rides a Harley. He's from a farm in Nebraska. Chinese food was banned in the Actual household for years. He thinks curry is an odd creation that's not exactly meant for human consumption.
He likes barbecue. He makes killer barbecue. His indirect smoker is larger than the engine bay of our Prius.
As far as we knew, the only thing that he had ever ordered at a Japanese restaurant was chicken teriyaki. And that's only if someone made him go to a Japanese restaurant.
So it was a complete shock to me when we were discussing heading up there to go out to dinner, and these words came out of his mouth:
"How about we go to my favorite sushi place?"
What???
Daddy Actual shouldn't have a favorite sushi place.
Just like I don't have a favorite gym. Or a favorite Olive Garden. Or a favorite place where I like to get waterboarded by security contractors.
We figured any sushi place that could make Daddy Actual happy had to be a great place. So we all went.
Now, we weren't sure what to expect. Daddy Actual knows good food, but does he know good sushi? And this place is in Placerville, and the odds of a good sushi place (by Chomple standards) in Placerville are about as high as finding a good soul food restaurant in Dubuque.
Amerikan Ichi is stuffed into a very small space in a strip mall. To the left there's a day spa. Of course, in Chomple World, this is a good thing. All the best grub comes from strip malls.
Amerikan Ichi is as small on the inside as the outside makes it look. Sushi bar has seating for about 15, and there are a few tables. The place was packed, which was a great sign. An even better sign was that the three chefs behing the bar were happily chatting up the patrons as they made sushi. Later on in the evening, a couple sat down next to us and didn't even bother ordering anything. The chefs knew what to make for them.
They have a steal of a deal. Order as much as you want for $22. Check out the rules of the all you can eat. I'm very glad that they say all this up front for people who have bad manners. When customers act stupid, the rest of us have to pay more for our food. I couldn't back up far enough to get a picture of the entire all you can eat menu. Probably 100+ items to choose from.
Apologies as I was too busy eating and don't remember what half of this stuff was with any sort of detail. It was that good.
This roll had fish and cream cheese inside, and was topped with more fish, some crunchies, onions and unagi sauce. They used just enough sauce.
Godzilla roll. Tuna and yellowtail (and more that I'm forgetting) in the middle, then deep fried, then topped with two spicy sauces. I usually can't stand deep fried rolls but this thing was amazing. Very happy that on this as well as the rest of the rolls, the chefs at Amerikan Ichi don't oversauce. Oversaucing sushi is a bad bad trait that runs deep in most sushi restaurants.
While the four of us were contemplating our next move, one of the chefs made us this platter of mussels baked in a mayonnaise based sauce. These were so good we forgot our plans for what to order next. Thanks a lot, chef dude! ;)
Some sort of rainbow roll derivative. Had two different kinds of tobikko. Girlfriend Actual was about to die from fish roe happiness.
Don't remember what this was, other than it had spicy crab and tasted amazing.
This is my Fuji Mountain roll. Huge. Packed with fish. Yummy. Similar to the roll we had earlier with the crunchies, except this one subbed out cream cheese for more fish. At this point I was cursing bringing a 50mm prime to a crowded sushi bar. Can you tell?
This is Actual trying to eat a piece of the Fuji Mountain. It sort of collapsed on itself. In a good way.
And now, the real curiosity of the night. Amerikan Ichi's Tropical Roll. Deep fried banana on the inside, with mangoes and strawberry sauce on the outside. I didn't try this one as I can't stomach rice used in a non savory application. Clan Actual said it tasted great. Kudos to Amerikan Ichi for being creative and still managing to deliver a tasty product. With most sushi places, you have to pick one or the other (or sometimes, end up with neither).
Because I can see the "WTF, REALLY?!?" look on your face, here's a cross-section shot of the Tropical Roll.
If you order off of the regular menu, you can get this large arrangement of sushi. Definitely a welcome change to the usual sushi boat. I want to order one of these with served with some sake bomb "trolls" underneath.
The best thing I ate all night, week, and month. Maybe for this entire culinary quarter. Spicy raw scallop hand roll. The scallops were hyper fresh and would have been amazing on their own. Add a simply sublime spicy sauce and this whole thing is so off the hook it probably bent the hook out of sheer awesomeness. Also available in a cooked version if you so desire. I may go back, order a dozen of these, and call it a night.
Note: That is Actual's hand. My fingernails only look that nice in the ten minutes following the nice Vietnamese lady at the salon telling me that I squirm too much and not to come back.
Final course! Tobikko with raw quail egg. Or as I unceremoniously call it, "The Eggo". Rich beyond belief. Any lingering hunger I had in my body was defeated Mortal Kombat style. Do not start out with this course if you're planning on having a long run at Amerikan Ichi's all you can eat.
RUN, DON'T WALK. RUN THERE RIGHT NOW.
That's right, folks. That's two RUN, DON'T WALK reviews in as many posts. I guess the food gods are making up for the month of McNuggets I endured earlier.
Now I'm waiting for Daddy Actual to recommend a curry place :)
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