Ranzan

“Ranzan Redwood City is one of the best omakase experiences I’ve had in a while. I went with the Hana Kaiseki set ($98) and it felt very worth it for the quality and variety. The pacing was just right, nothing felt rushed, and each course was thoughtfully decorated! I enjoyed every moment during the experience. We started with warm house sake to warm up, and luckily it paired really nicely with the meal and made everything feel extra cozy. Then for the courses, I had: - Starter: Kumiage Yuba with light house sauce and wasabi, I'm so impressed!!! At first I thought I was eating some fish liver because the texture was similar, but turn out it's tofu and they makes it excellent! A very nice starter - Appetizer: Squid tempura, pickled radish, mushroom & veggies, and tamago. I really like the tempura, crispy but not greasy, nice mix of textures - Sashimi plate: 3 pieces of bluefin tuna otoro, very fresh and buttery, just melts in my mouth! Love it - Oden bowl: I'm so in love with the broth, sweet, umami and comforting. It had braised pork belly, radish and konjac jelly, and all taste amazing, could not find any words to complain - Grilled fish: a very simple dish with not much seasoning. Fish was paired with some salty pickled plum and sweet potato. - Steamed tofu with abalone: I really like abalone texture, they made it very tender and easy to chew. Also not much seasoning so that you can feel the natural taste of the seafood, love that! - Hotate scallop with persimmon sauce: I don't like persimmon that much, but the scallops taste fresh and sweet - Rice bowl with pickles and miso soup: this is the 2nd final course, they have 2 options to upgrade from the white rice, uni ikura (+$16) & A5 wagyu (+$26) - we have 2 people so we order both to try a little bit of everything. Both worth the upgrade, but I prefer a5 wagyu - Matcha yokan with red beans and hot tea: the dessert was a bit too sweet for me, even though they served with hot tea to balance. But still, a great dish! Overall, really solid omakase spot on the Peninsula. I’d definitely come back if I had the chance!”

“We went for lunch. Chose the 8-couse option, and had a wonderful time. Service, food, and the ambience were all superb. Pro tip, you can actually order dinner omakase during lunch!”

“The restaurant is unassuming on the outside. Once inside, its minimalist decor uniquely exudes a relaxation and peaceful dining experience. It serves Kaiseki Ryori. Kaiseki Ryori is among the top Japanese cusine, meaning the chef serves with his heart and use the fresh seasonal ingredients. The service is traditional, attentive and diligent. The 10+ dish course lives up to its expectation. Every dish is well designed, pleasing to the eyes and to the palate. Kaiseki Ryori is pricey: If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing zen and memorable place for a special occasion, we definitely recommend. We came here a few years ago and had such a memorable experience. We enjoy the same on this 2nd visit.”

“My wife and I love sushi and sashimi, so we picked this restaurant, thinking it would be just like any other sushi place. Boy, were we wrong. We had an hour to spare, so we went for the lunch menu. In that hour (and a quarter), we were served one dish after the other: a starter, some appetisers, a sashimi dish, a simmered dish, a grilled dish, a steamed dish, a vinaigrette dish, a rice dish, soup and a desert. The staff explained every dish in detail, first telling us the Japanese name, then translating it in English, with an eye for detail. I'll let the pictures talk. Everything was as tasty as it looked. This was a great experience. We might try this restaurant for dinner if we return to Redwood City during our travels.”

“The set menu was not to my taste / worth the money. Service was great but just not worth it for me. The wagyu and the tofu were really good though.”