It seems that more and more Japanese, as well as other Asian restaurants are dotting every neighborhood block from San Jose to San Francisco. While some are less than impressive, Naked Fish does typical Japanese Cuisine justice right here in Millbrae.
Naked Fish isn't the first Japanese restaurant in Millbrae, but it is one of the newest. The restaurant opened about a year ago and is tucked in the newest downtown building – 979 Broadway Ave.
The restaurant's appearance and menu are both subtle – there isn't anything that is truly authentic Japanese. You won't be able to have anything audacious like blowfish or thrilling like chicken tartare. They serve all the normal sushis, soups and meats. But this restaurants menu is a watered down version of Japanese food.
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The atmosphere is not particularly Japanese other than the fact they serve tea and eat with chopsticks. This doesn't mean the atmosphere is bad, quite the contrary, it's smooth. The decor has a contemporary feeling to it and fits together well. As with most Japanese restaurants, they have the itamaes cutting and hacking away with broad knives in a truly artful way to form sushi.
The bento box ($9) is the sole reason to frequent Naked Fish. Why? Because it's the best way to leave with a full belly without spending your child's college tuition.
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On a separate occasion, I ordered the Triple Threat ($12). The description lead me to believe that I would get a good hearty meal – tuna, albacore and salmon in garlic sauce. Although the quantity resembled three small ice cream bowls with tiny morsels of what I could only imagine was the fish I wanted, the fish quality was actually very good. It seemed to melt right in my mouth, but it left me starving for more. After $60, I went home and ate the left over spaghetti in my fridge to fill the void that Naked Fish couldn't fill.
Even though Japanese portions are typically small, most would expect to get a little more for their money.
What Naked Fish does well is the $8.99 bento box, three choices of entrée's along with rice, salad and soup. The items range from California rolls to salmon. My favorite combination is beef teriyaki, California rolls, and tempura.
The beef teriyaki is always cooked perfectly. They cook it medium-rare and it is probably the best thing they serve on their entire menu. It is not drowned in teriyaki sauce and not too salty, and combined with all the herbs and spices, the Japanese flavor in the meat can really be tasted. The California rolls, probably the most American thing to choose from, are fantastic. These rolls are seasoned with sesame seeds instead of tobiko, which really gives is a nice crunch when biting into it.
Overall, Naked Fish isn't bad. It isn't a great date resteraunt because it's a bit lackluster, and better suited for takeout. It's easy, convenient (even more so now that you can order online and have it delivered) and inexpensive.
