Izakaya Blue Ocean Japanese Restaurant
9440 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
703-425-7555
Blue Ocean is a very traditional style Japanese restaurant, so anyone looking for Asian fusion, “new age” Japanese, or any of the other recent, popular trends in Asian food should look elsewhere. However, for those whose tastes run in the traditional vein, Blue Ocean is one of the best Japanese restaurants in the Northern Virginia area (which is at least partially evidenced by the sheer number of actual Japanese people who frequent the establishment). Blue Ocean’s staff of sushi chefs and waitresses are incredibly friendly and accommodating, and though the restaurant does get crowded during dinner rush on weekend nights, most of the time you don’t have to wait for a seat at all.
In terms of actual food offerings, Blue Ocean has several different menus. Those with a penchant for sushi can either pick out their own nigiri from an à la carte menu, or can order a mixed box of sushi or sashimi, with ingredients determined by the chefs depending on what’s in season. If sushi isn’t your style, you can order favorites such as teriyaki, tempura, or soup with buckwheat noodles. Besides the aforementioned options, Blue Ocean also carries dishes that are distinctly Japanese, but not necessarily popular with Westerners, such as beef negimaki (thin beef slices wrapped around green onions). Many of them are worth giving a try, if only to expand your horizons a bit.
Price at Blue Ocean is not prohibitively expensive, though some items run on the pricier side, as with many other Japanese restaurants. One great option is to order a combination box. Running around $16-18, boxes usually have some combination of sticky rice, teriyaki, tempura, sushi, soup, salad, and fruit, and are well worth the cost. As a final note – Blue Ocean’s own, unique Japanese salad dressing is so good they sell it by the container for those who wish to enjoy some at home.
-D.S. (07/21/08)
|
