Kirala, Berkeley (Lunch)

Rachel and I decided to get some sushi during our lunch break, and since the actual sit-down Kirala is closer to Nolo we went there (they have a different location for take-out only in Epicurious Garden). We started out with the seaweed salad...I wanted to order agedashi tofu as well but apparently they don't make that until dinner time. Unfortunately, the "not at lunch" issue came up quite a few times when I tried to order. They don't do the robata grill during lunch either, and the only sushi that you can order is on a tiny little check-off menu provided at the tables (No amaebi and shrimp heads! Noooooo!!).

Eventually, we decided to get some salmon nigiri, a rainbow roll, scallop nigiri and tuna nigiri. The seaweed salad came first, and it was delicious. It was a much larger portion than the dinner size, and had little pickles and a reddish seaweed in it which I've never seen before. The salad was dressed with a sesame sauce, but it wasn't drenched in it. Overall, it enabled us to get a taste of the dressing and of the seaweed itself. My favorite part is just the texture of the salad, which was very crunchy.

Next, the sushi came. It was beautifully presented, and all of the fish was very fresh. I'd never had a rainbow roll before, so I'll describe it now. Basically, it's a California roll with tobiko and three different types of thinly sliced fish laid across the top. Very tasty.

Basically, the reason why I'm putting this post up is because I always rave about Kirala--I still do--the food is great, always fresh, and I love the atmosphere. However, one of the main reasons why I love going there is because of the robata grill, which is a no-show for lunch, as are most of my favorite dishes. Still, for a very satisfying and filling lunch, it ended up being only $20 bucks per person, including tip, so I can't really complain.