Sushi Ichiban

Sushi Ichiban isn’t just a sushi spot; it’s a place with wonderful oxtail ramen (considering both price and quantity).
OXTAIL RAMEN $ 10.50
The ramen noodles used are Sun Noodle noodles! If you like udon, you can sub for only $ 1 more. But try the ramen bc Sun Noodle is
.
I appreciate that I didn’t just get spoonfuls of peanuts… and that there were more than two pieces of shiitake mushroom in there. Also, I liked that the broth was actually flavorful without being overly salty.
SERVICE
Not exactly the greatest, but I feel like they try.
PARKING
There are limited street stalls and ample parking spaces in the 11^th-​12^th Avenue pay lot.
VERDICT
Sushi Ichiban’s Oxtail Ramen is perfect for my Saturday and Sunday morning /​early afternoon hangovers. They also serve alcohol — beer, Iichiko and sake, I believe. I encourage the hungover and not-​so-​hungover alike to give this place a try, or at least the Oxtail Ramen.

My first review of 2012 has to be good, after all it will set the tone for all of my future reviews this year right? Oh wait. sorry, that is other things… but wait, why can’t it apply to my reviews? In either case, I digress away from what I was going… I think I might have A.D.D. since I tend to have the attention span of a goldfish. What was I doing again… oh yes, writing a Unilocal review of a great establishment that will set the tone for this year.
Well, a co-​worker suggested that we have lunch at Sushi Ichiban and after looking up its three star average on Unilocal,I began to cringe. After all, why bother going to an «a-​ok» establishment when you can go to places that are great and make you want to go back over and over again. Well, after much thought (and after scaring my co-​worker a bit since she knows how I can be) I agreed that we should go and check it out. In the end (and after much pursing of the lips and channeling the Devil Wears Prada), I found Sushi Ichiban to be a delight! It offers a stellar menu, reasonable prices, great menu items, and good service.
The menu is your Japanese fare and sushi rolls that you would come to expect of a Japanese establishment. It’s not an izakaya style establishment, however the items could certainly be shared if you wanted to. The chicken katsu was well done, nothing wowing, however well done with moist chicken and the perfectly browned crust. The broiled butterfish a delight with well cooked and perfectly charred skin complemented by a slight twang of miso that complements the fish rather than overwhelming it.
I rate my Japanese eateries partially by the quality of their miso soup. Sushi Ichiban is pretty stellar with just the right amount of miso and dashi complementing one another rather than overwhelming it like some establishments. After all, you don’t want too much miso, nor do you want too much dashi. The sashimi is also an item that shines with well procured fish cut beautifully and shows the level of care they would take in their sushi and their menu.
Menu prices are rather reasonable with sushi running from about $ 7 for nigiri and $ 10-​$ 15 for rolls. Dinner entrée running about $ 18-​$ 25, however they do offer smaller portioned lunch selections for about $ 9 or $ 10. Parking could be a challenge, however that is anywhere you go on Waialae. Best bet is the municipal lot to the rear, and they offer a rear entrance that makes entering easy.
Ambiance is comfortable. While it shows some signs of wear, it reminds me of the traditional mom and pop Japanese restaurants that used to dot our fair city. Tables are well-​spaces for conversations and it is certainly light and cheery. It isn’t anything romantic or high-​end, it is just that comfortable neighborhood establishment.
I could understand the notes about service from my other reviewers, however I failed to experience it. It was ok when I went. Nothing special, however my water glass never went empty and food arrived hot and in an expected orchestration that satiated our hunger. That being said, it was brisk, but not busy when we went. I could certainly understand the complaint if it were busy and similarly staffed.
All in all, Sushi Ichiban is definitely a good choice for Japanese food. The menu items are well executed and priced reasonably. The ambiance comfortable and the service decent. I for one think it stands out from its competition in small, yet noticeable ways.

I have a confession. I love sushi, but I was tricked but the yuzu ice cream on the «specials board». I could have just gotten sushi and ordered the yuzu ice cream separately, but I decided to get the salmon teishoku because I love salmon almost as much as I love sushi and teishoku entrees come with «dessert». Silly me, I thought it meant the dessert listed in the dessert section…
Definitely come here for the sushi, not the teishoku (It is called SUSHI ichiban after all…). I ordered the broiled salmon teishoku, and although it was good, I really could have made this myself super fast, at home, for half the price. The menu said it came with some kind of miso sauce… nope. Its just plain broiled salmon. They do give you two huge pieces. But I was hoping for something other than what I could have made at home… aka special miso sauce.
The teishoku sets come with salad, miso soup, rice, dessert (vanilla or orange dream ice cream only…) and a small plate of sashimi (2 quarter-​sized pieces each of taco, salmon and ahi).
I also tried the salmon nigiri and spicy ahi, both were good. Next time I come, I’ll just get sushi and maybe that yuzu ice cream. :)
Also, It is open pretty late (until 10:00pm I think). But don’t be fooled by the «open» sign. A few customers came in at 9:30 and were turned away because the kitchen was closed. I don’t know how late they will make sushi until, but it must be longer. Again, it is called SUSHI ichiban for a reason.

This place is near perfection. Their lunch specials seriously could not be beat. For $ 8.95, I had one of the best lunches. The sets come with a generous entrée, rice, miso soup, salad, and some pickled seaweed. My friend got the sushi set and I got the sashimi. Everything was fresh and filling! I love it!
Dinner is about doubled the price from lunch but it comes with quite a lot. Entrée, rice, soup, salad, California roll, and ice cream!
Yeah, I don’t have too much to say about Sushi Ichiban except it was yummy each time I’ve gone and service was good. Go search through the TGIF section of the newspaper and get the 15% off coupon for this restaurant. :)

Love this place! Can’t get over the Lunch Specials for $ 8.95. I often wonder if they’re making $, since it’s such an unreal deal.
My gf ordered the Nabeyaki Udon, which came with a nice, fat piece of shrimp tempura. She enjoyed it.
I decided to order ala carte sushi… the rice was too filling for me. I’ve got to stick to sashimi. Migurai was so fresh, it was still moving. A little squeeze of lemon juice is the way to go. I’m in love with their chopped ika with tobiko and shiso… so refreshingly delicious. We tried the dynamite oyster for $ 3 each. It was yummy! I love oysters and dynamite sauce, so having the two combined was like a match made in heaven. The oyster mixed with a little bit of cream cheese, tobiko, special dynamite sauce and KAPOW! It’s like a party in your mouth!
I mentioned it was my gf’s birthday, so Manny came out with crème brûlée. He bruleed it right before our eyes and decorated the plate with sliced strawberries and mint. Somehow, there’s always room for dessert… it was perfect. Silky custard that wasn’t too sweet, thick or tasting too much like eggs.
Manny and Annie will keep your entertained. Food is good and the prices will keep you going back for more. We even got a little Japanese 101 lesson and was kept busy trying to figure out puzzles he had behind the sushi bar.