Dancy Sushi

When our favorite Monster Sushi closed, I vas crying on my boyfriend's shoulder: I'll never come to your place in Mountain View again, now when we cannot go to Monster Sushi! It was not just a good quality working-class sushi place, with big friendly slices of freshest fish and good dinner-size rolls (dinner for two, that is). It was part of home. We walk to the Monster, then walk to Trader Vic's for drinks. Peninsula living.

Time passed, and the former Monster reopened under another name. When we walked in the empty, just remodelled restaurant, I was feeling like coming to a dead friend's house and finding some stranger living there. The place was almost empty, still smelling of fresh paint, and there were two totally unfamiliar smiling sushi chefs behind the bar. I sat at "our" table and didn't know what to do. Then the food arrived...

What can I say? The quality and freshness are such that I won't be surprised if people start coming there from San Francisco. I know just two other sushi bars on the Peninsula that get this type of fish (they probably use the same supplier). The fish is expertly cut.

There is a selection of seasonal exotic fishes that you don't get everywhere. And the chefs don't stick to the classical menu either, there is a number of unique creations on the menu, like this Sunrise Roll here, rice, tobiko and quail egg wrapped with red tuna - there's also a Sunset Roll, wrapped in salmon.

It's more California fusion than traditional sushi, they can add a cherry tomato to the salad of daikon with rice vinegar dressing, or decorate the Super California Roll with fresh strawberries, all with admirable imagination and elegant and delicious result.

I am sure the prices will go up, but right now it's no more expensive than any regular sushi bar. We paid something like $40 for a light dinner for both of us - no sake, remember, we go to Trader Vic's for drinks afterwards.

Now I'll have to come to Mountain View more often. We haven't tried one tenth of their menu.

Dancy Sushi, on the corner of San Antonio and California.