Hospitality's Sweet

Comments (0) By Matthew Stafford Wednesday, Nov 3 1999

...continued from page 1

Anthony Pidgeon

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Hama-Ko Sushi Restaurant

108 Carl
San Francisco, CA 94117

Category: Restaurant > Japanese

Region: Haight/ Fillmore

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Be His Guest: Ted Kashiyama offers a classic Japanese feast at Hama-Ko.108-B Carl (between Cole and Shrader), 753-6808.Open Tuesday through Sunday 6 to 10 p.m. Reservations: required for special menu. Parking: difficult. Muni: N Judah, 43. Noise level: minimal

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An elaborate array of sushi followed. I've had tastier sushi around town, but the offerings at Hama-Ko are nevertheless informed by the owners' singular care and their absolute dedication to seasonal quality. Outstanding among them was the hamachi (yellowtail), which Mr. Kashiyama obtains fresh from Japan six days a week. The others -- a virtual buffet of artistically prepared fish, resplendent in its bountiful variety -- included ikura (salmon roe), shimesaba (Spanish mackerel), ebi (prawn), maguro (tuna), mirugai (giant clam), a wonderfully crisp-sweet anago (grilled eel), and my favorite, sake, featuring the most supple smoked salmon this side of Scotland.

Concluding the meal was green tea ice cream, refreshing in its simplicity, served with a freshly made (if blandly indifferent) red bean topping. Bill paid, it was time to leave Hama-Ko's culinary cocoon for the real world of the Haight: the used record stores, the postcard shops, the revolutionary bookstore with Che in the front window, the head shops, the incense, the clove cigarettes, the pizza, and Danny Glover over there parking his car near Buena Vista Park. We eased into the Deluxe, a slick little saloon of wood paneling and black Formica entirely lit by red neon. A friendly bartender prepared and served a round of warming cocktails for our delectation. Cocoons come in all flavors, after all.