The decor at Shiso is cute and modern-looking, the service is good, and thats probably all this Old Town sushi spot needs to succeed--indeed, it was packed with trendy young urbanites the night we were there. Never mind that the goma-ae (steamed spinach with a sesame dressing) was still frozen in the middle, the gyoza were mushy and didnt taste homemade, and the salmon sashimi lacked flavor. Mayonnaise features prominently in most of the specialty maki and, along with the cream cheese, overwhelmed the "giant" roll, although the "crazy crump" maki wasnt bad. A spicy tuna tempura appetizer, though uninspired, ended up being one of the best things we had. And shiso, an herb common in Japanese cooking, was remarkably absent from the extensive menu. Our waitress looked confused when we asked if anything had shiso in it and finally explained that they just use it as garnish on the plates. It didnt appear on ours, however.
Price: $$
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