ICHI Sushi Restaurant News

Pick ICHI for your next date

2012-02-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Heart cookies and photo by Daisy Chow.

Just can't stop sharing all the super awesome ICHI news, like winning 7x7's Reader's Choice award for Best Sushi. Woweee! Thanks so much for bearing with us as we gush!

Who knew, folks consider ICHI a "go-to date place"? Chef Stephanie Hibbert recently gave ICHI this honor in her interview with The Bold Italic. She also added, "Tim has such creative items on his menu. We like to sit at the bar because he’s a fun guy to chat with during dinner. The fish is always super fresh and they have a great sake menu too." Awwww, thanks so much Chef Stephanie!

Maybe that explains why we recently had an engagement happen in our restaurant! We are so honored to be chosen as the place for such a special moment. Our best wishes to the happy couple!

Speaking of The Bold Italic interviews, check out the interview with our friend and neighbor Josh Donald of Bernal Cutlery!

And we can't go without thanking Jonathan Kauffman for mentioning ICHI recently on SFoodie, where he wrote: "in San Francisco, you can also find people behind the bar like ICHI Sushi's chef, Tim Archuleta and Sebo's Michael Black, who may have been trained in this country but respect the most important elements of Japanese tradition: the fish and the rice." Read his entire article, asking "Is American Sushi on the Decline?" right over here.

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow! Still looking for a V-Day gift? How about a gift certificate to ICHI? Avail online via Treatful.

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street (at Godeus)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Can't hardly believe it: ICHI wins again!

2012-02-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

Image from 7x7's Facebook.

Be still my pounding heart! We can't hardly believe it, but 7x7 magazine recently announced their 2012 Eat + Drink Reader's Choice Award winners, and ICHI Sushi has won for Best Sushi! (Click here to see all the winners.) We give all the credit to you, our wonderful and loyal customers, friends, family, and fans. This would never, ever in a million years have happened without all of your votes. Please accept our sincerest thanks: domo arigato.

Hope you'll join us to raise a glass of sake to celebrate, and to congratulate all the other winners!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street (at Godeus)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Happy Lunar New Year!

2012-01-25T16:46:00.000-08:00

Photo of oysters from TheFoodieRunner.

With all our best wishes, Happy Lunar New Year! The new year (calendar and Lunar) is off to a great start, considering all these great mentions ICHI Sushi has gotten recently. We're so honored!

Writing for The SF Examiner, Patricia Unterman called ICHI's tuna tataki "delectable" recently in an article about Japanese eateries in SF. Aw shucks, we're blushing. You can read the whole piece here. (Also mentioned on Eater SF!)

We also received the sweetest write-up from TheFoodieRunner, who wrote this: "ICHI was by far some of the finest & freshest sushi I have tasted in SF thus far." Whoa, thanks so much for the high praise, indeed! Read more here.

W. Blake Gray of The Gray Report noted his encounter with Dewazakura Oka 30th anniversary sake at ICHI. He describes it as "fruity, with nice melon notes, and a creamy mouthfeel." Thanks for coming in!

And can't believe we almost forgot about when Erik Ellestad of blog Savoy Stomp named our own Tim his favorite 'bartender' in SF because "Tim runs his Sushi Bar more like a neighborhood Sushi Tavern". Sounds like Erik's a fan of omakase too. How awesome is that? (And we gotta give a shout out to trusty neighborhood blog Bernalwood for mentioning this.)

Again, wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year, and our sincerest thanks for your continuing support!

Happy Holidays and another chance to vote for ICHI

2011-12-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from the ICHI team!

First things first: to all our customers, friends, family, and fans, we wish you Happy Holidays and lots of love, laughter, and happiness for the New Year! Will all our hearts, we thank you for your support.

And now, a favor por favor: please consider voting (yet again!) for ICHI Sushi. Right now, 7x7 magazine is taking votes for their Eat + Drink Reader's Choice Awards. If you like ICHI and think it's the best Japanese, please click over and vote! We would be absolutely honored if you chose us. Voting ends January 9th, 2012, and winners will be announced at the end of the month. So nervous! This is a big one!

Also, here's our holiday schedule:

Sat. Dec. 24th–Mon. Dec. 26th: closed
Tue. Dec. 27th–Fri. Dec. 30th: open with regular hours
Sat. Dec. 31st–Sun. Jan. 1st: closed
Mon. Jan. 2nd: open with regular hours

And finally, just a little reminder that you can now purchase gift certificates to ICHI Sushi online with Treatful!

Happy Holidays!!!

Awesome graphic review of ICHI Sushi by MariNaomi

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

See MariNaomi's full-size graphic review at SFBay.ca.

This is the coolest graphic review we've ever seen! and it also just happens to be about ICHI Sushi! Author and illustrator MariNaomi's comic series Frisco al fresco appears on SFBay.ca, and her latest installment is a review in comic form of ICHI Sushi. So cool! Please click over to check it out!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

P.S. Don't forget, ICHI gift certificates are now available instantly through Treatful's online service!

ICHI gift certificates via Treatful

2011-12-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

Here's a super easy holiday gift idea: ICHI Sushi gift certificates! And it just got even easier because ICHI gift certificates are now available online via Treatful. Just purchase online, and the gift certificate is emailed instantly to your favorite sushi-goer. Recipients print the certificate and bring it in to the restaurant whenever they're ready. There's no fee for shoppers or recipients, and no expiration date.

Pretty cool, right? No need to schlep down to the restaurant with your full shopping bags to pick up gift certificates, just buy online. (But if you wanna stop by ICHI Sushi anyway, we'll be happy to help you!) If you're the last-minute shopping type, well, you might wanna keep this in mind. =)

Purusha Yoga fundraiser

2011-12-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Photo from Purushayoga.org.

Just wanted to pass along the word about the Purusha Seva Project Bhakti fundraiser event this Sunday December 11th, 2011, 3:00pm–7:00pm, at 3729 Balboa Street in SF. There's an ICHI Sushi gift certificate up for auction! The Purusha Seva Project is a non-profit with lots of great community programs. Please consider joining the fundraiser fun!

Get your tix online here.

Erin meets Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi at a small business round-table

2011-12-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Photo copyright credit to Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office.

As you may know, we're pretty big on being involved in the local community here at ICHI, so when Nancy Pelosi's office called to ask ICHI to join a round-table discussion about small businesses on October 20th, you bet we jumped at the chance. Erin was honored to be able to meet Congresswoman Pelosi, not only the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, but also the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House.

Read more about the meeting at Mission Loc@l, which reports that "Pelosi has asked nearly 200 other congressional representatives to speak with small business owners in their districts about how the federal government can better serve small businesses." The blog mentions that "Erin Archuleta, co-owner of ICHI, a sushi company, said she felt that real change could come out of the meeting, since similar meetings are happening all over the country." And check out the photos from the meeting: look really close, and you'll see Erin on the right side of both!

ICHI will NOT be closed Saturday December 3rd

2011-11-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

Update: we spoke too soon, ICHI Sushi will in fact be OPEN on Saturday December 3rd! We apologize for the confusion. Please come on down!

~~Just a quick note to let everyone know, ICHI Sushi will be closed for one day on Saturday December 3rd. So sorry for any inconvenience, please do visit us another time! Here are our regular hours:~~

Monday 5:30pm-10pm
Tue/Wed/Thu 11:30am-4pm & 5:30pm-10pm
Friday 11:30am-4pm & 5:30pm-11pm
Saturday 5:30pm-11pm ~~(closed 12/3/2011)~~

Thanks, and Happy Holidays!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Thanksgiving hours at ICHI

2011-11-21T13:20:00.000-08:00

Photo from Gastronautsf.com

Hard to believe the holidays are already here! As we're thinking about all the things we have to be thankful for this past year, we'll especially be thinking of all our loyal fans and customers. Yup, even though we're taking the day off on Thanksgiving Thursday, November 24th, you'll still be on our minds as we send you a big Thank You!

ICHI Sushi's hours for the Thanksgiving weekend:

Thursday November 24th - closed. Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday November 25th
Lunch - closed
Dinner 5:30pm-10pm

Saturday November 26th - regular hours
Dinner 5:30pm-11pm

Sunday November 27th - closed (as usual)

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Bernal Heights (and ICHI!) in VIA magazine

2011-11-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

AAA's VIA magazine recently ran an article featuring our own Bernal Heights neighborhood, and it mentions ICHI Sushi by name! The article notes this about ICHI: "This culinary hit impresses with traditional fare such as salmon nigiri sprinkled with bonito shavings, and a somen noodle salad bathed in shiso pesto." Check out the whole article online here.

Our ever-vigilant local blog Bernalwood jumped right on the VIA story, posting about it here. Read the comments section, and you'll notice that there's more to the original VIA article. Author (and fellow Bernal resident) Karen.Zuercher posted a follow-up on the Road Journals blog with additional details on Bernal's great art galleries.

Speaking of Bernal, we also got an awesome shout-out from neighbor Stephanie (@31RAX) on Scoutmob's The Curious SF Project. Thanks Stephanie! Shop at her vintage clothing store, 31 RAX, at 3309 Mission Street.

One last note, Gastronaut—the catering company from our good friends Mirit Cohen and Nate Keller, who are also Bernal residents (small world!)—is offering spectacular Thanksgiving meal deals and à la carte options for your Turkey Day. Deadline to order has been extended 'til 11:59pm tonight. Hurry, order now!

Have your Turkey Day the Gastronaut Way

2011-11-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

As much as we love sushi, we still plan on having an old-fashioned Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings at home. But it's a lot of work to prepare. If you'd rather spend more time relaxing with your family and less in the kitchen, consider ordering your Turkey Day meal from our good friends at Gastronaut.

They're offering lots of great package deals with ready-to-roast turkeys and all the sides, plus dessert. For example, get 20% off the REGULAR: it's $299.99 (a $375 value) and includes a complete appetizer display, 1 turkey ready to roast with gravy and cranberry sauce, 7 sides (1 stuffed winter squash, 1 beet salad, 1 sweet potatoes, 1 mashed potatoes, 1 sourdough stuffing, 1 braised kale and 1 green bean casserole), 1 pumpkin ice cream with gingersnaps, and 1 apple pie ice cream with snickerdoodles. Those ice creams sound so delish, and they're by local SF fave Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous!

Or you can order à la carte if you just want to supplement your homemade meal. Check out all the vegetarian and vegan options too. They're even offering centerpieces for the table. Click over to the Gastronaut website for more details, and don't wait to order, the deadline is Monday November 14th at 11:59pm.

P.S. Learn more about Gastronaut in this recent article from Inc. magazine.

ICHI Sushi Wins Best of Citysearch 2011

2011-11-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it's true! And it's all thanks to you! Yes, thanks to all of you who went out of your way and voted for ICHI Sushi in the Best of Citysearch 2011 San Francisco poll—your efforts have made us the 2011 winner for Best Sushi. How amazing is that? We were stunned by the news. We're so incredibly honored that you picked us as your fave, and we can't thank everyone enough for their support. Domo arigato.

Vote for ICHI on Citysearch

2011-10-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Whoa, can't believe it! We've been nominated for Best Sushi in the Best of Citysearch 2011 San Francisco poll. Friends and fans, here's your chance to share how you feel about ICHI!

To vote, just click here (may require a Facebook login), choose San Francisco as the city, then submit your vote for ICHI Sushi. Arigato!

The winners will be posted online on October 31st. 'Til then, we'll be keeping our fingers crossed and thanking our lucky stars that we've got your support.

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission St. at Godeus
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Indie Rockers at ICHI Sushi!

2011-10-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

WATERS, photo by Ashlie and Amber Chavez from SFGate.com.

Wow, is this cool, and we didn't even know it happened. Chloe Roth of SFGate.com's Culture blog had an interview with WATERS, the brand new project from ex-Port O’Brien front man and Bay Area native Van Pierszalowski, and Mister Heavenly—aka Nick Thorburn from Islands and The Unicorns, Ryan Kattner (aka Honus Honus) from Man Man, and Joe Plummer from Modest Mouse.

In response to the question "Favorite SF restaurant?", guess which SF resto Pierszalowski mentioned? Yup, you guessed it, ICHI Sushi! It's hard to believe, but see for yourself here!

More hardhats by Erin

2011-10-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

View from the SPB mezzanine level out toward the front of the building. Photo by Blair Sneddon Photography.

Wanted to mention Erin's hardhat pieces on two very exciting new spots coming soon to the Mission: Southern Pacific Brewing, a new brewery/restaurant slated to open late summer/early fall at 620 Treat Ave. (at 19th St.); and Tacolicious/Mosto, a second outpost of the Marina taco resto with accompanying tequila bar at 741 Valencia (between 18th and 19th Sts.). Read all the details over at tablehopper.com!

Hey, you guys remember this hardhat that Erin wrote about Sightglass Coffee? Brothers Jerad and Justin opened their doors in July, and Sightglass was recently featured in a photo shoot in the NY Times Style Magazine. Check out the NY Times entry here!

Keep up with Erin on Twitter @erinarchuleta, and read more hardhat articles and other food-tastic news on the tablehopper site.

Exterior of the future Tacolicious/Mosto location. Photo by Blair Sneddon Photography.

ICHI in the Chron!

2011-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tim plating tuna tataki. Photo by John Storey from SFGate.

Wow, we're speechless. We are just thrilled beyond words to have been reviewed in the San Francisco Chronicle by Janny Hu. It's something just to be noticed, but to be reviewed? It's a completely unexpected surprise for our humble little sushi spot. Huge thanks to the Chron! Read the entire article, "S.F.'s Ichi: Sushi bar boasts Bernal Heights vibe," on SFGate.

Hu writes that ICHI Sushi is "serving some of the most interesting sushi in San Francisco, and at incredibly reasonable prices." (Already blushing from all this attention.) Hu also notes that "what makes Ichi really stand out" is that "Archuleta serves most of his sushi pre-seasoned - a practice common in Japan, but rare in the United States." (More blush.) And of the cold somen with shiso, Hu says it's "a knockout, from the delicate yet springy noodles to the shiso pesto dressing - herby and refreshing in all the right ways." (Even bigger blush, as if that were possible!)

Yeah, speechless.

Please join us tomorrow...

2011-09-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that tomorrow evening, Tuesday September 20th, ICHI Sushi will donate 20% of dinner sales (100% of sales of a special one-night-only dessert) to the family of Stafone Jackson, a student who recently passed away in a tragic drowning accident. (Please read more about Stafone here, here, here, and here.)

We also want to thank everyone who has helped to get the word out about tomorrow's fundraiser. It's been mentioned on SFoodie's Buzz Machine, the Inside Scoop, SF Station's Yum blog, and Bernalwood. And many a tweet and retweet have also spread the word, including mentions from @willcraven, @foodie_keith, @urbanstomach, @sarahssung, @Bernalcutlery, @restraintofpen, plus many more that I'm sure I'm forgetting. Thank you all for your help--we truly appreciate it.

We've also set up a memorial fund in Stafone's honor. Please visit any local Wells Fargo branch through Wednesday October 5th to make a contribution to the Stafone Jackson Memorial Fund. You can also drop off your donation at ICHI.

We hope to see you tomorrow night, and thank you for your support.

Sunday Supper is Oct. 2nd

2011-09-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Save the date on Sunday October 2nd for CUESA's yearly Sunday Supper! Erin is an event chair, so you know she would love to see you there for an elegant four-course dinner prepared by superstar SF Chefs. And you'll get the chance to meet food luminaries like Michael Pollan and the Cowgirl Creamery gals Peggy Smith and Sue Conley. Here's the 411:

When: Sunday October 2nd, 2011, 6pm–9:30pm
Where: San Francisco Ferry Building Grand Hall
Why: Supporting local agriculture and educational programs
Tickets: $200 ($150 is tax deductible)
Website

More details posted on tablehopper! So see you there? Sure hope so!

Fundraiser for Stafone Jackson on Tuesday September 20th

2011-09-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

Photo of Stafone Jackson from the Mission Bears website.

Please join us at ICHI Sushi for dinner on Tuesday September 20th as we host a benefit for the family of Stafone Jackson, a Mission High graduate who recently passed away in a tragic drowning accident. Stafone was also a former student of Erin's.

From 5:30pm until close next Tuesday, we'll donate 20% of all sales to Stafone's family. In addition to ICHI's regular dinner menu, we'll offer a special dessert in Stafone's honor, and 100% of dessert sales will go to the family.

Stafone was an incoming sophomore at UC Riverside, and a 2010 graduate of Mission High School. A sports star and scholar, Stafone was a generous and kind student leader who embraced the spirit of volunteerism and was doing great work in the community. We hope the San Francisco community will come together with us to support his family.

On the Mission Bears website, one of Stafone's basketball coaches wrote a tribute to him, including these moving words:

Having worked with San Francisco kids for 19 years now, there has been no other like Stafone. Stafone has set the bar pretty high. Stafone is what we should all push our kids to be like. He was honest, hard working, unselfish, and dedicated. He hustled in all aspects of his life. He hustled in sports and in his schoolwork. He gave life his all. Stafone always put his best foot forward and because of that we have all become better people because he touched our lives. Stafone will never die because we carry with us his goodness whenever we try our best, whenever we sacrifice and put others first.

The world is a worse place without Stafone in it. Stafone was an outstanding athlete, an outstanding student, an outstanding leader, an outstanding friend, and an outstanding person.

Teachers, friends, and family will miss Stafone, a rising star extinguished far too soon.

We've also set up a memorial fund in Stafone's honor. If you'd like to make a contribution, please visit any local Wells Fargo branch now through Wednesday, October 5th, and ask to donate to the Stafone Jackson Memorial Fund. You can also drop off your donation at ICHI. Thank you.

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street (at Godeus)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Thank you Bender's!

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's a wrap for ICHI Sushi's pop-up Happy Hour on Monday nights at Bender's. We can't thank Bender's enough for providing a venue for the ICHI Sushi Happy Hour for the last two years. (Check out this past piece by Mary Ladd for SFWeekly about the ICHI Sushi Happy Hour at Bender's.) We especially want to thank owner Johnny Davis for inviting us to Bender's way back when. The Happy Hour at Bender's has carried us through some rough times, and it always buoyed our spirits to know we could set up shop every Monday night and look forward to seeing our loyal regulars and new fans. Arigato Bender's!

Don't worry, you won't be left hungry on Monday nights. Eater and Broke-Ass Stuart posted that Bender's is serving free, yes, free meatballs (with purchase) on Monday nights from 11pm 'til closing time. Go get 'em, everyone, and raise a glass to Bender's!

An update to ICHI Sushi's hours

2011-09-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

We've updated our hours over at ICHI Sushi. Hope to see you soon! Thanks!

Monday
Dinner 5:30pm–10pm

Tue/Wed/Thu
Lunch 11:30am–4pm
Dinner 5:30pm–10pm

Friday
Lunch 11:30am–4pm
Dinner 5:30pm–11pm

Saturday
Dinner 5:30pm–11pm

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street (at Godeus)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

ICHI in pictures

2011-08-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Couldn't help but share these Instagram pics from @whitsquared and @hernanp! Thanks guys for posting your pics!

hernanp tweeted, “Shiro Maguro, the Barbara Streisand of fish."

whitsquared tweeted, “That was yummy. I love @ichisushi. Thanks Tim and Jake!"

And another pic: the SFBG Best of the Bay winners photo! Look who's in the lower right-hand corner.... Big thanks again to all who voted for ICHI!

Photo by Pat Mazzera.

And here's a pic of Tim's seared shiro maguro tataki from blog Fer's Bite, taken at CUESA's Summer Celebration back in July. Click over to Fer's Bite to see more great shots from Summer Celebration.

Photo of seared shiro maguro tataki from Fer's Bite blog.

And here's another pic taken at Summer Celebration; it's from CUESA's Facebook page.

More ICHI mentions

2011-08-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Photo by Sabrina Modelle from Bay Area Bites blog.

We thought we'd share some fun ICHI Sushi mentions that have come up recently. It's always so awesome when we get mentioned around town!

Thanks to our favorite tablehopper, Marcia 'rhymes-with-Garcia' Gagliardi, for recommending ICHI Sushi on radio program Edible Escapes! Listen here.

Shout out to Sasha Wizansky—co-founder of meatpaper, the quarterly print magazine about meat in culture and ideas, and now its Editor-in-chief and Art Director—for her shout out to ICHI Sushi in The Bold Italic. To quote, "What's your go-to date place? Hands down it's the bar at ICHI Sushi on Mission. Go for the inspired omakase and the beautiful fish, and stay for sushi chef Tim Archuleta's charm and old-school music taste." Aw shucks!

We hit the number 2 slot on Zoë Ruiz's "What We Do With Our Eyes Closed" daily list with "Eat sushi at ICHI." Yes please.

Married with Dinner posted a portrait of the ICHI pork tonkatsu slider on Flickr. Now available on the lunch menu--come get it.

And last but not least, on KQED's Bay Area Bites blog, local food blogger Sabrina Modelle of The Tomato Tart recently said, "I'm currently in love with Ichi Sushi. I think Tim Archuleta is amazing -- both because he's very talented and I've enjoyed sitting across the bar and chatting with him." Aw shucks again!

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts on ICHI! If only you could see how much we're blushing.

Unbelievable!

2011-07-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Who'd have thought it'd be possible? We can hardly believe it ourselves, but we are super excited to share that ICHI Sushi won the San Francisco Bay Guardian's Best of the Bay 2011 Readers Poll award for Best Sushi! Once again, we have to thank our wonderful customers, friends, and fans--your love and support never cease to amaze us. You are the best! Thank you for voting ICHI Sushi!

Some of our near and dear Bernal Heights neighbors also won Best of the Bay awards. Bernalwood reports that Heartfelt won for Best Gift Shop, Chloe's Closet for Best Clothing Store (Kids), and El Rio for Best Dive Bar. Congratulations!

And a big congrats to tablehopper, who won for Best Food/Drinks Blog or Site. Congratulations tablehopper!

Congratulations to all the Best of the Bay winners! Check out the full list of food and drink winners here.

Sushi Chef Taka at Marin's Far West Fest Oyster-Off

2011-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Another piece of happy news from the tablehopper: ICHI Sushi's Taka Tozawa will be one of the participating chefs in the Oyster-Off competition at the Far West Fest on Saturday, July 16th. Hope you can attend to cheer on Taka, and to try his oyster motoyaki dish!

Here's more details on the oyster competition from tablehopper: "try five signature oysters dishes from these chefs for $10: Heath Haberlin, oyster tour guide/author; Tony Carracci, private chef and chef at Marin Sun Farms; Aram Danesh, formerly chef at Fish. and Anchor Oyster Bar; Jeroen van den Berg, Marin County 'foodie'; and San Francisco’s own Taka Tozawa, sushi chef at ICHI Sushi, with his dish, oyster motoyaki."

The Oyster-Off and the rest of the Far West Fest events are all happening at the Love Field, 11191 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Point Reyes Station.

Good luck Taka!

Sushi Chef Taka working so fast during the 331 Cortland party last November that the camera couldn't catch a sharp picture.

Some suh-weet deals for ya!

2011-07-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves a good deal, and we've noticed quite a few of them in the tablehopper newsletter lately, so we thought we'd share the bounty with you.

First up, there's a discount code to CUESA's Summer Celebration available to tablehopper readers. You know that ICHI Sushi is one of the participating restaurants, right? And Erin, as one of the event chairs, is really hoping to see you there this Sunday, July 10th! Just three easy steps: sign up for the free tablehopper newsletter, click here for the discount code, then buy your tickets (using the code) online here.

Next up, there's a super sweet deal on the Sonoma in the City San Francisco wine events next week, July 12th-14th. If you're a tablehopper reader, you can get the online discount on event tickets ($15 off!). Plus early-bird attendees get a free, signed copy of the tablehopper's book, The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco, at the Forks & Corks food truck event on Thursday July 14th. Between the discounts and the free book, it's a deal! If you haven't already, sign up for the tablehopper newsletter, then read up on the event details (and discount code) here.

Last but not least, there was a mention on tablehopper of a new seafood CSA called Siren SeaSA. Our fellow fans of sustainable seafood, you should definitely check this out. Here's more from their website: "obsessively curated seafood subscription service that sources only the finest sustainably caught local seafood. Our goal is to connect fishermen directly to consumers who will, through their enthusiasm, encourage the next generation of fishermen to use more sustainable fishing methods." The 6-week subscription starts July 16th, and spots are limited, so get it quick!

And we'll see you on Sunday at the Summer Celebration, right?

Happy 4th of July!

2011-06-30T23:40:00.000-07:00

ICHI Sushi will be closed on Monday, July 4th in observance of the national holiday, so how 'bout you head on over Friday or Saturday to get your fill of sushi, then get your fill of 4th of July BBQ on Monday!

Happy 4th! Have fun and stay safe!

P. S. Didn't have any photos of fireworks or anything red, white 'n blue, but here's Jerome Lu with a smokin' red drink at Sunset magazine's 2011 Celebration Weekend. (It's a 'volcano' cherry soda with dry ice in it.)

An epic anniversary meal at ICHI

2011-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tuna tataki photo from contrarycomet's Flickr album.

We've always been grateful for our fans and loyal customers (you guys truly are the best!), but two in particular really stood out recently: as reported on Bernalwood, sushi connoisseurs @MarriedwDinner and @contrarycomet came in to ICHI for their 9th anniversary, and to celebrate, they ate through the entire menu. Yes, everything. Sounds like a meal of epic provisions, er ... proportions!

If you don't believe it, just check out contrarycomet's "All you can ICHI" flickr album here, where they note, "In 28 courses over 4 hours, we sampled every fish that was on offer and all of the hot and cold dishes. All of the raw fish was presented as sashimi." Wow. Now that's Happy Anniversary for ya'. Big congrats, you two!!!

Vote for ICHI for SFBG Best of the Bay

2011-06-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again, and we hope that, like in years past, you'll vote for ICHI Sushi in the SF Bay Guardian's "Best of the Bay 2011" Readers Poll. Please, pretty please?

From the SFBG website: "Our 2011 Best of the Bay hits stands July 27 and will include our annual Readers Poll. This is your chance to give a shout-out to all the awesome, local, independent things you love best about the Bay Area. Voting ends at 5 p.m., June 29, and must include your name, email, address, and contact info."

That's just over two weeks left to vote, so if you're feeling so inclined, please consider voting ICHI Sushi! A couple categories you might consider us for: Best Sushi or Best New Restaurant.... Would be beyond our wildest dreams, but one can hope, right? Ready to vote? Click right here!

And a huge thank you to all our dear customers, loyal fans, friends, and family for your support all these years! Hope to see you soon at lunch (Tue-Fri) or dinner (Mon-Sat)!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

Join ICHI at the first-ever CUESA Summer Celebration

2011-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

We're very happy to share the news that we'll be amongst good company on Sunday July 10th at the first annual CUESA Summer Celebration. Tim and the ICHI Sushi crew will be participating in the event, along with our good friends Sean Thomas from Blue Plate and Nate Keller from Gastronaut. And look at the list of other Bay Area notables participating, Flour + Water, Comstock Saloon, Namu, Cotogna, The Village Pub, just to name a few. We are definitely in good company, and summer is an awesome time for local produce, so the Celebration's chefs are sure to highlight the best of what's local. Plus Erin is one of the event chairs!

The Summer Celebration is a walk-around tasting downstairs in the Ferry Building from 6pm to 9pm. Over 60 Bay Area chefs, regional wineries, local spirits companies, brewers and coffee roasters are teaming up with sustainable farmers from across the state to create memorable tastes of both food and drink. The Summer Celebration will also "feature a whole beast carving station presented by chef and butcher Ryan Farr; a raffle; a photo booth courtesy of Magbooth and live music from several jazz and blues bands." Hope you can join us for all this summer fun!

Get your tickets online here, with proceeds going to CUESA to support its "ongoing education programs, including free cooking demonstrations, low-cost kitchen skill-building classes, the new Schoolyard to Market program, and sustainability scholarships that help farmers become leaders in their field."

Win a gift certificate to ICHI

2011-06-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

Children in Crisis Primary School, before. Photo from Schools for Salone website.

Under construction: the roof from above, 2/11/2011. Photo from Schools for Salone website.

Please consider attending an awesome benefit for a great cause this Saturday, June 11th: it's the 3rd annual Schools for Salone Benefit, 4pm to 8pm at El Rio (3158 Mission St., 415-282-3325). Go for the live music, food from Bissap Baobab, and the amazing raffle prizes, but especially, go for the opportunity to support building new schools in Sierra Leone! Here at ICHI, we're big fans of education (after all, you know where Erin works), so we've thrown two ICHI gift certificates for $50 each into the raffle prize pool. You gotta attend if you want a chance to win!

Special thanks to SF locals Pam Bohmann and James Mannah for sponsoring this event!

ICHI will be open Memorial Day

2011-05-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

Hope you all have a fan-ta-bulous three day weekend! Just wanted to let you know that ICHI Sushi will be open on Memorial Day this Monday, so come on in for dinner! And just a reminder, we're now open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, so that means beer, wine and sake all day. Cheers!

More good news, there's been quite a bit of exciting press on our good friends over at Gastronaut, who were featured recently on UrbanDaddy, The Wall Street Journal's Venture Capital Dispatch blog, and in this video from WSJ.com!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-525-4750

ICHI for take-out

2011-05-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

Salmon avocado roll and spider roll. Photo from Gow's Take-out.

Thanks Derek Hui of Gow's Take-out for blogging about the take-out meal you guys ordered from ICHI Sushi! We love to see folks from our neighborhood come in! Check out all their great photos on their blogpost.

Neighborhood-local or not, we hope you'll come by, whether for take-out or dine-in. We're also open for lunch from Tuesday through Friday, in case you hadn't heard, and, as always, we're open for dinner Monday through Saturday.

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Speaking of lunch...

2011-05-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

Beef tataki at ICHI Sushi. Photo from Perfect Spot.

Wowee, some blush-inducing praise from SF Bay Guardian''s Virginia Miller about ICHI's beef tataki: "All-natural beef is seared sous vide, then accented with radish, kimchee, white ponzu, and crispy burdock root. The meat oozes tenderness while the accompanying ingredients add dimension to the dish." Such kind words!

We're so grateful to everyone who's helping to spread the word about our new lunch hours. We're starting off this first week with a limited lunch menu, with more to come next week, and, oh my, is that curry wafting through the air in the near future? Come on in starting at 11:30am Tuesday through Friday to see what Chefs Tim and Taka are cookin' up!

Here are some of the posts that popped up about ICHI's new lunch service following the tablehopper mention! So cool!

Yum, SF Station's Food & Drink blog
Eater SF: "ICHI Adds Lunch"

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Let's do lunch!

2011-04-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

Salmon bento. Photo by Taka Tozawa.

ICHI Sushi will start opening for lunch in May. From Tuesday through Friday, the restaurant will be open continuously from 11:30am 'til close. Yay!

We were really sad to leave our friends and fellow food artisans at 331 Cortland, but now Chef Taka is focusing on the lunch service at ICHI Sushi. As mentioned on tablehopper, new lunch items to be added include "bento-style lunch combos and the ever-popular tonkatsu pork sliders." (The pic above gives an idea of what the bentos will include, but sadly we won't have such cute trays.) Let's hope Chef Taka brings back the yuba too!

And of course, we're still serving up fresh sushi for dinner 6 nights a week, Monday through Saturday. Hope you'll pull up a seat at the bar!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

331 Cortland turns one, and you're invited!

2011-04-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Entrance photo from Yelp.

As you may have read in the trusty tablehopper newsletter a few weeks back, the marketplace at 331 Cortland is celebrating its first anniversary, and the vendors are throwing a little party this weekend to honor the one-year mark.

Guess who's invited? You! The whole community is invited this Friday April 22nd from 6pm to 9pm for some tasty bites and sips as we party it up. Then on Saturday April 23rd, the vendors are putting on free demos and workshops starting at noon. Here's the Saturday schedule from SF Station:

12pm Making Chai with Spice Hound
1pm Pickling with Paulie's
2pm Knife Sharpening with Bernal Cutlery
3pm Knife Skills with ICHI Sushi
4pm El Porteño Empanadas Presents Yerba Mate

Also, we want to welcome new vendor Big Dipper Baby Food to 331 Cortland! The Bernalwood blog reports that owner Claire Hoyt will be opening up shop in late May to offer "fresh, organic, and delicious baby food." What a perfect fit for all the young families in Bernal Heights! Read more from the press release here.

Speaking of 331 vendors, check out Spice Hound in this Tasting Table piece, which mentions their "small batches of freshly ground spices"—such as "tabil, a Tunisian mixture that includes coriander, crushed garlic and caraway seeds"—and their chai—notably brewed with their own "vibrant" spices.

See you on the hill!

331 Cortland Ave. at Bennington
San Francisco, CA 94110

ICHI Sushi in tablehopper

2011-04-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

See more great photos at tablehopper.

Pinch me, 'cause I think I'm dreaming. Did you see the latest tablehopper newsletter with its review of ICHI Sushi? We're so honored to have so much praise lavished on our humble little sushi spot by San Francisco's one-and-only tablehopper, Ms. Marcia (rhymes-with-Garcia) Gagliardi. (By the way, did you know you can subscribe to the tablehopper newsletter for free to get the weekly low-down on the city's food news?)

Here's some of what was said in the review: "The sushi Tim is preparing here is phenomenal." "Overall, the flavor combinations were spot on, modern, and show such creative flair." And the omakase (chef's choice) dinner was likened to "an elaborate tasting menu of one-bite wonders, and could have been at a very high-end sushi restaurant. Instead, we are on Mission Street, hanging out with young and fun diners, listening to Girl Talk, drinking beers (there are three on tap), sampling sake (14 to choose from), and making jokes with chef Tim all night. Not a whiff of formality, chilliness, or sushi Nazi vibe here."

Yeah, so you can see why we totally feel like we're in a dream. Thanks tablehopper!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

ICHI in Meatpaper

2011-04-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of Meatpaper, the journal of meat culture, opens with an interview of none other than our very own Chef Tim Archuleta, complete with a photo spread of some very fresh fish at ICHI Sushi. Get your copy and read all about Tim's philosophy of sushi plating, his original inspiration to learn about sushi (he was trying to impress a girl), and his early days under an old-school Japanese chef (who, by the way, "didn't speak a word of English"). A great piece--read it to find out why Tim says, "I'm a ham" in a magazine all about meat. And it's an article Tim's mom was especially proud to see. Awwwwww.

A word to our vegetarian friends, issue 14 (spring 2011) is dedicated to "meat's visual culture," so don't say you weren't forewarned. It's a magazine about meat, after all.

Kid-friendly sushi at ICHI

2011-03-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Alex Hochman

So happy to see the next generation of sushi lovers eating away at ICHI Sushi! Alex Hochman recently called ICHI the "regular family sushi spot" he takes his daughters to. Check out the whole article here on SFoodie. We're so delighted to be known as a kid-friendly restaurant. It's always fun to bust out with the "animal-shaped rice bowls and kitty-cat chopstick holders" that are "especially appreciated by the third-grade-and-under crowd," and, as Hochman notes, Chef Tim is happy to oblige "requests for no wasabi or light tobiko" for the younger set.

Of course, even if you're dining without the company of minors, you can still come on in to enjoy what Hochman describes as "pristine fish free of silly names and cutesy rolls" and the "awesome mix of old- and new-school hip-hop" that plays in the background. Hope to see you for dinner tonight!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Thank you for the support!

2011-03-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

We are so grateful to everyone who has given their support to the disaster victims in Japan. You guys put the heart in I [heart] SF! For those who came out to ICHI Sushi and Lucky Cat Deli on March 11th and 12th, when we donated a portion of proceeds to the Red Cross relief efforts in Japan, a huge arigato!

And we owe another thanks to all the folks who re-tweeted and otherwise helped spread the word when we announced our fundraiser, including SFoodie, Eater SF, Inside Scoop, and 7x7. All-stars, all of you!

Here's a couple more ideas on how you can help.

Tuesday's tablehopper newsletter listed quite a few ways to eat, drink, and support, all at the same time!
There's a Hugs for Cash for Japan event going on Saturday in Japantown, 11am-2pm.
Donate directly to the Red Cross: text redcross to 90999 to make a $10 donation via your next cell phone bill, or click over to their website.

ICHI Sushi on Deep Dishing

2011-03-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

This photo and more can be seen on Deep Dishing.

Have you seen the new tablehopper companion website Deep Dishing? If you haven't had a chance to check it out, go now! Please. Why? So you can read and vote on ICHI Sushi's profile! Too bad you can't vote on Chef Tim's winning personality and cute smile, cuz that would surely fetch a ga-zillion votes. But what you can vote on is his omakase dinner, or you can nominate any of the other awesome dishes you've partaken of at ICHI. Not sure what to post? Just come on over to ICHI Sushi and give some new dishes a try to get some ideas!

You know what else is awesome about Deep Dishing? It's all about finding out what to order and what's good to eat, not sifting through endless kvetching and drivel. Read more about the Deep Dishing philosophy here. There's also a Tip Please! forum where diners can ask and answer questions. There are some excellent suggestions in there from the food-savvy tablehopper community.

Thanks for voting ICHI!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Win Neko Case's 1967 Mercury Cougar

2011-03-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

Photo from 826 National's website.

Wanna win a sweet ride? Yeah, us too. Well, here's your chance! Check out this awesome raffle to benefit 826 National (remember how Erin spends the other part of her working life on a pirate ship...). Here's more from their website:

Musician Neko Case has given 826 the keys to the ultra-cool, stunningly beautiful 1967 Mercury Cougar pictured on the cover of her Grammy-nominated album Middle Cyclone, and you could be the lucky one who ends up behind the wheel! Enter today and you could drive off with not just Neko’s beloved ’67 Mercury Cougar, but a slew of other awesome prizes including:

An Epiphone PR-5E acoustic/electric guitar signed by members of the Speaking Clock Revue including Elton John, Elvis Costello, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Leon Russell, and T Bone Burnett
Neko’s very own 1966 Gretsch “Silver Duke” Guitar signed by Michael Stipe (REM), Black Thought, Jimmy Fallon, John Wesley Harding, T Bone Burnett, Britt Daniel (Spoon), and many more
A Carr amplifier with a Rambler extension cabinet
A collection of pre-selected vinyl records from Sub Pop Records

Get more info on the prizes here. Raffle tickets cost $45.00 USD for one ticket, or $75.00 USD for two tickets. All additional tickets, beyond the first two tickets, cost $25.00 USD each. (So just go for broke and get three tix for a cool $100.)

There's only 7 days left to enter. Go get 'em, cougar. Good luck!!!

ICHI Sushi in tablehopper

2011-03-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

"Rock star sushi at ICHI. See, it’s shiny." Photo from tablehopper.

Holy cow, seeing ICHI at the top of the latest tablehopper newsletter, it's like seeing our name in lights. Thanks so much to tablehopper for mentioning your Saturday-night ICHI Sushi "sushi feast" in the newsletter! And of our one-and-only Executive Chef, the tablehopper (Marcia rhymes-with-Garcia Gagliardi) writes, "Tim Archuleta is doing some awesome things there."

Feelin' over the moon right now!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Gastronaut in the Chron

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Nate Keller of Gastronaut sets up the lunch buffet at Yelp. Photo from SFGate.com.

SF Chronicle Staff Writer Sophie Brickman recently covered our good friends at Gastronaut in an article for the Chron titled "Gastronaut SF caters exclusively to startup firms". Read the article for a look at how Gastronaut keeps startup engineers happy by providing "fresh, local food"--some items mentioned include "heirloom yogurt", "sous-vide eggs", and "slow-roasted brisket". Since we've been there over the past year to watch how the "company has expanded from two employees to 20 to meet demand", we feel especially proud to see them covered in the Chron.

Go Gastronaut! (By the way, in addition to catering for startups, they also do a superlative job catering weddings and special events, on occasion with ICHI's sushi on the menu!) See additional photos here.

ICHI Sushi Happy Hour Mondays at Bender's

2011-02-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

The ICHI Sushi Happy Hour at Bender's on Monday nights is mentioned on the SF Bay Area on the Cheap website. Coolio!

"Bender's Bar: Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7 pm: Specials include $1 off draft beer, $3 well drink specials. Always: $2 cans PBR, $5 Margaritas. Mojito Mondays $5. Mon: ICHI SUSHI Happy Hour 6-9pm."

Hm, note the sushi service overlaps with Mojito Mondays between 6pm and 7pm. Sounds like a good combo!

ICHI Sushi Happy Hour
Mondays 6pm-9pm
Bender's, 806 S. Van Ness at 19th St.

The Force is strong with the Gastronauts

2011-02-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

Just wanted give a shout out to our good friends at Gastronaut: congrats on winning the Photographer’s Choice Award at last Saturday's SF Food Wars Competition! The event's theme was "Return of the Mac: Battle Royale w/ Cheese" (aka mac 'n' cheese cook-off). The Gastronaut team's prize-winning dish, the Jedi MacTrixx, consisted of a mac and cheese ball with a house-cured bacon center, cheese mousse, and bacon cone. Sounds bacon-y delicious!

ICHI Sushi in The Perfect Spot

2011-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Beef tataki at ICHI Sushi. Photo from Perfect Spot

We love being able to say "ICHI Sushi" and "Perfect Spot" in the same sentence! ICHI Sushi was mentioned in the latest Top Tastes newsletter on the Perfect Spot website. Here's a bit of what was said: "Archuleta keeps it seasonal and unusual, while also affordable. Many sushi spots charge more for less interesting slices." Plus, "Value for the quality here is higher than most." Wowee! Thanks!

Alvarado Elementary School Auction

2011-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

When we were asked to donate a gift certificate for the Alvarado Elementary School's fundraiser auction, we couldn't say no, not to those adorable little kids. If you're a business owner of a like-mind, please consider making a donation to their auction. It's a great cause.

The event takes place Saturday March 12th from 6pm - 11pm at the Janet Pomeroy Center, 207 Skyline Boulevard, San Francisco, 94132. Support local schools and consider attending! (You'll be able to bid on the ICHI gift certificate, just look for the picture of the Lucky Cat! ;-) Tickets are available online for just $25 before March 5th, or $30 from March 5th-12th.

New Hours at ICHI Sushi

2011-01-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

ICHI Sushi's new hours are Monday-Thursday 5pm-10pm, and Friday-Saturday 5pm-11pm. ICHI will be closed on Sundays from now on. Chef needs a day off!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Tim & Erin on KQED's Bay Area Bites

2011-01-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Rebecca Hinsdale

This is the absolute cutest interview ever with Tim and Erin! Please click over to see Mary Ladd's piece "Food Secrets of ICHI Sushi’s Tim and Erin Archuleta" on KQED's Bay Area Bites blog. You'll read all about how Tim and Erin came to be the twin forces behind ICHI, their favorite places to eat (aren't we all just a bit curious about where and what chefs like to eat?), and how the two of them met. Awwwww. Ok, that's it, I'm officially nominating Tim and Erin for cutest couple in sushi! Someone second the motion please!

331 Cortland in Specialty Food Magazine

2011-01-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

Check it out, 331 Cortland, home of the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli, was one of the stores featured in Specialty Food Magazine’s 2011 Bites by the Bay feature: Bites by the Bay – San Francisco Dining 2011. And can you believe our little collective was profiled alongside other notables like Baker & Banker Bakery, Fatted Calf, and Mission Minis, among others?

The profile describes us as "a space where entrepreneurs can work together toward success." We like that. And did you know that the building is solar heated? So cool, err, warm. Read the full profile here at specialtyfood.com. There's a little update to add though, Wholesome Bakery is no longer at 331, but we're happy to have the awesomely delicous Special Request gluten-free/vegan bakery join us!

Welcome Special Request to 331 Cortland!

2011-01-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hot off the tablehopper press, the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli has a new neighbor at 331 Cortland: Special Request, a gluten-free and vegan bakery offering beautiful and tasty desserts. We want to send out a warm welcome to our new neighbors, pastry chef/owner Vanessa Morales and husband/co-owner Freddie Colombani! (Fyi, Special Request took over the spot that used to be Wholesome Bakery, who're now over at La Victoria.)

We hear that Vanessa's coconut tapioca pudding with pineapple salsa is to die for, but there's a ton more deliciousness available too, like pies, cupcakes, and cheesecake. More menu details here on tablehopper. Mmmm, how about a fresh fruit tart, a perfect dessert to go with a bento box lunch from the Lucky Cat!

Winter fish specials at ICHI Sushi

2011-01-05T14:59:00.000-08:00

Come grab a seat at ICHI Sushi because Chef Tim's serving up some great winter fish! Here are some of the offerings:

wild hamachi (yellowtail)
shima aji (striped jack fish)
sagoshi (mackerel)
kinmedai (snapper)

You can order these fish as nigiri and/or sashimi. Other exciting items also coming soon: new hot food specials, and dessert!

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

2010-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hello again,

We're writing once again to wish everyone a very, very HAPPY NEW YEAR, and may 2011 bring you all that you hoped for!

And as a little reminder, ICHI Sushi and ICHI Lucky Cat Deli will both be closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but please stop by for a visit in the new year—we've got lots of exciting new stuff coming soon, like the early bird prix-fixe dinner at ICHI Sushi, and more bento specials at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli.

With best wishes for the new year,
The ICHI Team

Schedule changes at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli

2010-12-25T00:07:00.000-08:00

Temporary change: in addition to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli (actually the 331 Cortland marketplace as a whole) will be closed Sunday Dec. 26th.

Long-term change: the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli will now be closed on Wednesdays. We're sorry for the inconvenience, but you can still have dinner over at ICHI Sushi on Wednesdays. Thanks for your understanding!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli
331 Cortland Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 285-3700

Happy Holidays from ICHI!

2010-12-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

We wish all of you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! And we'd also like to thank you for all your support this year as we debuted the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli back in April and the ICHI Sushi restaurant in September. It's because of your friendship and patronage that this year has been so amazing, so from the ICHI team to you—our friends, family, loyal fans and customers—we extend our humble gratitude. Thank you!

And just a quick note, both our locations will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day so our crew can enjoy a few well-earned days off.

With warmest holiday wishes,
The ICHI Team

Veggie bento is here!

2010-12-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

Chef Taka is now offering a vegetarian bento for $8! It features nasu (eggplant) and 3 sides of your choice: sweet potato, seaweed salad, oshinko pickles, sunomono, edamame, and/or tamago, plus miso soup for $1.50 more. Bento boxes are in addition to our full roster of fresh sushi, so stop on by the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli and grab lunch, whether it's vegetarian, pescatarian, or meat-atarian!

Speaking of veggie meals, you can easily accommodate those who don't eat meat at your Christmas table this year with a veggie entrée from Gastronaut. How's this sound? "whole stalk of Brussels sprouts stuffed with butternut squash, asiago cheese, smoky shallots, mushrooms and breadcrumbs. Ready to 'carve' at the table as a beautiful vegetarian entrée." Pretty kick-ass, methinks.

And... the order deadline for a tasty Christmas meal from Gastronaut has just been extended to noon on Sunday, December 19th. There's no minimum order, so you can get your entire holiday meal, or just a couple tasty dishes. Order here.

(Sorry there's no picture of the veggie bento, but here's a little eggplant edition Ninja Monkey from Hyperactivemonkey to remind you to eat your veggies, especially those that come in Lucky Cat bento boxes.)

Recent ICHI Sushi coverage

2010-12-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Photo from Tasting Table

Just wanted to share some more of the coverage we've been getting about ICHI Sushi, our humble little resto at 3369 Mission Street. Hope you can come in soon!

Mission Loc@l features Chef Tim and ICHI Sushi in their article From Pop-Up to Sit-Down: The New Restaurateurs about "a new generation of chefs who’ve taken an increasingly common street-to-storefront journey to open their own restaurants." (Also seen here on SFGate.)

It's official, we're a cheap date! That's per 7x7's Jessica Battilana, and seconded by the Bernalwood blog. Why don't you add an order of sake to our cheap date, eh?

And hold the presses, did we get mentioned in the same Tasting Table article about yuzu kosho as Michael Mina's BOURBON STEAK and Jason Fox of Commonwealth? Wow, are we honored to be in such great company. Here's what Tasting Table said about ICHI's use of the flavorful condiment: "chef Tim Archuleta accents the singular brininess of raw oysters with a dot of yuzu kosho, along with pearls of tobiko and a ponzu bath."

Wowee.

ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 525-4750

Planning ahead for the holidays

2010-12-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

Lookin' to cut back on the stress of cooking for all those holiday get-togethers? Aren't we all! We've got a couple great ideas to help you out on the food front (but shopping for gifts and decorating the house, that's all you).

Order sushi platters from the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli or ICHI Sushi--they're a great way to contribute a beautiful and finger-food-friendly platter to any holiday party. And the Lucky Cat Deli is now offering bento boxes, featuring mains like pork katsu, grilled salmon, and nasu (eggplant)--check in with the Lucky Cat for the week's specials! Grab a couple for your Santa's helpers; bento boxes are a super convenient way to fuel up fast for a long day of holiday prep!

Here's another way to really kick back and relax: let our friends at Gastronaut do all the cooking for you this Christmas. They're offering uber-tasty, complete holiday meals or à la carte dishes that you just click to order, then pickup, re-heat, and enjoy! Order by Friday December 17th, then pickup on Thursday December 23rd. Here's the menu:

Gastronaut Holiday Meals

Sous Vide Prime Rib
Rib eye, slow cooked to 57 degrees Celsius; served with horseradish cream
4 Portions (2#) - $50

House Cured Whiskey Ham
Brined leg of pork studded with cloves and honey persimmon glaze
4 Portions (2#) - $50

*Stuffed Brussels Sprouts Stalk
A whole stalk of Brussels sprouts stuffed with butternut squash, asiago cheese, smokey shallots, mushrooms and breadcrumbs. Ready to “carve” at the table as a beautiful vegetarian entree.
4 Portions (2 Stalks) - $23.00

*Cauliflower Soup
with cream, garlic confit cloves and paprika breadcrumbs
4 Portions (3 cups) - $16.00

Dungeness Crab Salad
Mixed chicories with grapefruit, braised pork belly dressing, and sourdough croutons
4 Portions (18 ounces) - $33.00

**Winter Succotash Salad
Christmas lima beans with hominy, roasted peppers, fennel, and parsley with a Meyer lemon dressing
4 Portion (1#) - $18.00

**Slow Cooked Cippolini Onions
With parsnips and carrots, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garnished with ruby pomegranate seeds.
4 Portions (1.25#) - $18.00

*Potatoes Au Gratin
Thinly sliced potatoes layered with teleme cheese and cream with rosemary and garlic
4 Portion (1#) - $12.00

*Heidi’s Ginger Cake
Apple compote and spiced whipped cream
1 Cake (Serves 8-10) - $25.00

Packages

Prime Rib Dinner for Four - $172.00
Prime Rib, Cauliflower Soup, Dungeness Crab Salad, Winter Succotash Salad, Slow Cooked Cippolini Onions, Potatoes Au Gratin, Ginger Cake

Whiskey Ham Dinner for Four - $172.00
House-Cured Whiskey Ham, Cauliflower Soup, Dungeness Crab Salad, Winter Succotash Salad, Slow Cooked Cippolini Onions, Potatoes Au Gratin, Ginger Cake

*Vegetarian Dinner for Four - $112.00
Stuffed Brussels Sprouts Stalk, Cauliflower Soup, Winter Succotash Salad, Slow Cooked Cippolini Onions, Potatoes Au Gratin, Ginger Cake

Donate a Meal for a Family In Need this Christmas - $145.00
Includes everything in the Prime Rib or Whiskey Ham meal for four. Spread the love! Everyone should have a Tasty Christmas this year.

Bento boxes are here!

2010-12-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

Photo by Taka Tozawa

We're pleased to announce that bento boxes are now available at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli at 331 Cortland! Choose from pork katsu ($8), grilled salmon ($8), grilled yellowtail collar ($9), and soy-marinated tuna ($9) boxes. Included are two sides of your choice: sweet potato, seaweed salad, oshinko pickles, sunomono, edamame, and/or tamago. And you can add miso soup for $1.50. A vegetarian bento box is coming soon too!

In more 331 Cortland news, listen to this podcast featuring our co-vendors El Porteño, Paulie's Pickling, and Bernal Cutlery as they discuss the "331 Cortland Marketplace, a unique collective of artisan food vendors who have joined forces to save money on retail space and support one another as they learn to run a small business."

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli
331 Cortland Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 285-3700

(N.B. Though the dishware in the picture is quite lovely, your bento box will actually come in eco-friendly to-go packaging. Don't worry, it'll still be just as delicious as it looks here!)

ICHI Sushi Gets Scouted

2010-11-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

Photo from Scouted SF.

There's another great review in on ICHI Sushi—this one's from Scouted San Francisco! They described Chef Tim's style as "sushi for foodies: fresh, simple and elegant.... a moist, buttery but firm piece of fish that allows the clean flavors to do their work: just the way it should be." We concur.

Read the entire review here.

New Specials at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli

2010-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Photo by Taka Tozawa

Great news, Chef Taka has created a couple of exciting new items at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli. Please come by and give these new dishes a try!

Fresh yuba made in-house (it's tofu skin, pictured above)--vegetarian, nutritious, and delicious (quantities are limited, but don't be afraid to call ahead: 415-285-3700)
Cold soba noodles with dipping sauce--a welcome dish for the hot weather we've been having lately
Udon noodles with soy-miso dipping sauce--chewy, toothsome noodles with housemade sauce

We're also offering some sushi specials at the deli so you can pick up a complete meal for your lunch or dinner:

Sushi Set: 1 roll, 4 pieces of nigiri (tuna, albacore, salmon, yellowtail), $12, add miso soup for $1.50
Vegi Sushi Set: 1 vegetarian roll, 4 pieces of vegetarian nigiri, $10, add miso soup for $1.50

And bento boxes are in the works, so they'll be available soon. We'll keep you updated here!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli
331 Cortland Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 285-3700

Party On, Bernal!

2010-11-09T12:30:00.000-08:00

Photo by Daisy Chow

The party last Saturday at 331 Cortland was a blast! We were celebrating the grand opening of Spice Hound, and also the 6-month anniversary of the original vendors, Bernal Cutlery, El Porteño, Dezy's Drinks, Paulie's Pickling, Wholesome Bakery, and our own ICHI Lucky Cat Deli. There was so much delicious food and drink, I wish all my pictures had not turned out blurry so I could share with everyone. D'oh! Many thanks to all the wonderful friends, family, and neighbors who came out to celebrate!

Some of the deliciousness included Spice Hound's kickin' curry-spiced chicken plus chips and guac doctored with adobo spice, Paulie's pasta salad and seriously addictive pickles, ICHI Lucky Cat's okra with miso sauce (plus some rolls that ran out early, so I missed out, boo), El Porteño's hot-hot-hot empanadas (sweet and savory varieties!), and a remarkable vegan dessert from Wholesome Bakery. There were drinks too (like three kinds of chai and a mulled cider), and tons of other stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting. But it was all delish!

And there's more, Alex Hochman of SFoodie wrote up the event--read it here!

7x7 First Bite on ICHI Sushi

2010-11-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

7x7's Jessica Battilana recently posted a First Bite review about our new ICHI Sushi restaurant at 3369 Mission St. (cross street Godeus). Here's an excerpt from what she wrote about the food:

"well-executed—pristine sashimi and nigiri, a small selection of cold dishes (including an excellent, crisp Japanese cucumber salad with miso dressing and cold buckwheat noodles with shiso pesto)".

Wowee!

A Warm Welcome to Spice Hound at 331 Cortland

2010-10-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli has a new neighbor in the 331 Cortland marketplace... We want to give a warm welcome to Spice Hound! As reported on tablehopper, they are "offering a full selection of unique spices and gourmet salts in the space formerly occupied by Della Terra Organics." They've been softly open since October 16, and there's word that a Spice Hound grand opening/331 Cortland 6-month anniversary party will be going down on Saturday November 6, 6pm-9pm. Please save the date so you can come celebrate with all the wonderful folks of the 331 Cortland marketplace!

You can keep up with other Spice Hound news on Facebook and twitter.

ICHI Sushi in the news

2010-10-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

Photo from TastingTable

Our new restaurant, ICHI Sushi, has made a few appearances in the news lately. We're so thrilled!

TastingTable says of our Kumamoto and Beausoleil oysters, "the oysters were a revelation, the garnishes harnessing and complementing the bivalves' singular oceanic pop." And they added, "that sushi was mighty fine, too."

The Citysearch blog also took a look at ICHI Sushi, and found that Chef Tim "crafts simple, elegant and just plain good dishes."

Come on in and taste for yourself! The restaurant is open nightly for dinner at 3369 Mission St. at Godeus.

Help a Brother Out fundraiser

2010-10-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a message from Mandy Harper of Wholesome Bakery (fellow 331 Cortland vendor) about a rad fundraiser this Saturday, October 16th:

Help a Brother Out!

Come eat yummy food all the while helping to support Nick Harper (my bro) who was just recently diagnosed with brain cancer.  

11am to 3pm - Bake Sale at 24th St. & Alabama, in front of La Victoria Bakery

Mission Mini's 
Fat Bottom Bakery 
Wholesome Bakery 
Bike Basket Pies 
Mad for Madelines 
MaliNumNum Treats 
Alfajores by El Porteno 
Sour Flour 
And More  

6pm to 10pm - Street Food Party at 24th St. & Alabama - Live music by Uni 

Soul Cocina 
Slow Jams 
Hapa SF 
El Porteno Empanadas 
Gumbo Cart 
Adobo Hobo 
Dezy's Drinks 
Chai Cart 
Smitten Ice Cream 
Sataysfied 
And More  

Come and eat till you explode!  

Please tell everyone you know. 

Your support will help him so much!  

Proceeds going to Nick's Rad Recovery Fund!

Mandy Harper

Wholesome Bakery

331 Cortland Ave.

San Francisco, Ca 94110

415-343-5414

www.WholesomeBakery.com

Pictures from Sunday Supper 2010

2010-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from CUESA's Sunday Supper 2010 that were taken by Mirit Cohen of Gastronaut. Thanks for the great photos Mirit!!!

Tim awaits the rush of reception attendees.

Looks like fresh salmon was on the menu.

Taka strutting his stuff.

Tim and Jake.

The Gastronauts made a beautiful dish for Sunday Supper: pistachio-crusted duck terrine, date pudding, calamansi foam, raspberry paper, and pistachio crumble. Comme c'est beau!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli and ICHI Sushi on Foursquare

2010-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli and the new ICHI Sushi restaurant are on Foursquare. We're ready for you to check-in. Who's gonna be the mayor? Drop by for a visit--it could be you!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli on Foursquare: check-in at 331 Cortland, and get a small container of our housemade oshinko pickles free with every 5th check-in!

ICHI Sushi on Foursquare: come on down, we're at 3369 Mission St., cross street Godeus.

Some news to share

2010-09-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Photo from SFoodie

Slow Food SF's Convivial Table Tour recently visited 331 Cortland, and Club Dine In wrote a cool write-up about their experience. Look closely at the first photo, and you'll catch glimpses of our lovely Erin and a very busy Sushi Chef Taka. (By the way, don't mind the little hiccup in the report, the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli does accept credit cards.)

Also, SFoodie reviewed our newly opened restaurant ICHI Sushi at 3369 Mission St. Check out why Alex Hochman says, "ICHI Sushi Pleases Like an Old Pro", then come on by for dinner!

Private event at ICHI Sushi tonight

2010-09-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, ICHI Sushi is closed tonight (Wed 9/22) for a private party, but just head over to the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli before 7pm for your sushi fix. Thanks!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli

331 Cortland Avenue

San Francisco

(415) 285-3700

Thank you for the warm welcome for ICHI Sushi restaurant

2010-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

We really do have the best customers in the world! This past weekend was the soft opening of ICHI Sushi, our very own brick-and-mortar restaurant, at 3369 Mission St. in Bernal Heights, and we were floored by the positive response from our wonderful, loyal clients. Thank you so much for your support! You guys are the best!

Check out more details posted on tablehopper, 7x7, UrbanDaddy, Grub Street--where you can see the menu--and on many other local websites. We're so grateful that so many folks found the opening of our little spot newsworthy.

If you get a chance, please come by and say hi to Tim and the crew at ICHI Sushi (3369 Mission St. at Godeus). Oh, and in case you were wondering: Yes! the ICHI Sushi Happy Hour at Bender's (every Monday night) and the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli (at 331 Cortland) are still here too.

2010-09-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tim will be one of the stellar chefs participating in the 8th Annual Sunday Supper reception, a yearly gala event that helps support CUESA's mission to promote a sustainable food system through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs for urban eaters.

The reception will feature cocktails, wine, and hors d’oeuvres (including ICHI's contribution!) in the Ferry Building Marketplace. The seated supper to follow includes a four-course supper, served family style in the Ferry Building's Grand Hall, including whole-beast tableside carving, live auction, and farmer presentation.

This is a great cause and a wonderful event every year. Please consider attending! You can even buy a ticket for the reception alone. Buy tickets here.

Only 2 Days Left to Bid...

2010-08-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

You've got until 2pm August 26th, 2010 to bid on a special chef's menu dinner and sushi demo with Tim at the upcoming ICHI Sushi restaurant. It's all part of La Cocina's SF Street Food Festival Silent Auction.

OHMYGOD-OMAKASE AND ICHI SUSHI PREVIEW

Starting a restaurant’s not easy, but there are few people in the world that we have more faith in than Tim and Erin from ICHI Sushi. Tim has moved from Google to the Knock-Out to 331 Cortland and now into his own space, and he’s going to need your help to do it. With this item you, and three of your friends, will join Tim for a short sushi demo (yes, you get to eat it), followed by the chef’s omakase menu at ICHI Sushi… before ICHI opens. It’s the best way to see a place, and maybe you’ll see the sushi you create on the menu!

Place your bid here!

Bid on ICHI at SF Street Food Fest's Silent Auction

2010-08-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

This Saturday August 21st is La Cocina's 2010 San Francisco Street Food Festival. It's gonna be a blast! Hope you can attend! Take your support of street food and La Cocina one step further by bidding on items in their silent auction. You can even bid on a chef's menu meal at the upcoming ICHI Sushi restaurant! Here's more info:

OHMYGOD-OMAKASE AND ICHI SUSHI PREVIEW

Starting a restaurant’s not easy, but there are few people in the world that we have more faith in than Tim and Erin from Ichi Sushi. Tim has moved from Google to the Knock-Out to 331 Cortland and now into his own space, and he’s going to need your help to do it. With this item you, and three of your friends, will join Tim for a short sushi demo (yes, you get to eat it), followed by the chef’s omakase menu at ICHI Sushi… before ICHI opens. It’s the best way to see a place, and maybe you’ll see the sushi you create on the menu!

Estimated Retail Value: Infinite

But If We Have to Put a Price?: $200/person

Bid here.

"What to Have for Lunch"

2010-08-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

Have you read what Tamara Palmer of SFoodie wrote about the Pork Tonkatsu Slider from our ICHI Lucky Cat Deli?

"... if you're in the mood for something hot and decadent, a pork tonkatsu slider might be in order. Crowned with beige tonkatsu mayonnaise, the pork patty bears a magnificently dense and grease-free crunch... It might look small, but big things come in small packages, and this is plenty satisfying for lunch."

Read the article here!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli

331 Cortland Ave., SF

(415) 285-3700

Bernal Heights Hillwide Garage Sale This Saturday

2010-08-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick heads up, on Saturday August 14, the Bernal Heights 'hood will be holding their annual "Hillwide Garage Sale". So, come on over, browse for buried treasure, then re-fuel at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli with a delish sushi lunch! If you haven't had a chance yet to check out all the great vendors in the 331 Cortland marketplace, well, here's your excuse!

More info on the garage sale here, here, and a map here. See you there!

Benu in the hardhat

2010-08-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Corey Lee's Benu is slated to open August 10th, but before you make your reservations, read about the buildout of the former Two space in Erin's latest hardhat column (it just came out in last Friday's tablehopper newsletter).

331 Cortland Seeking a Vendor

2010-07-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a message from Erin about the 331 Cortland marketplace:

331 Cortland ... [is] seeking a sixth vendor. Della Terra Organics has closed up shop and we need someone to join our little family here offering prepackaged goodies for the neighborhood. This vendor would need to complement, not compete with the other offerings in the building. As a group, some possible vendor ideas that excite us are: a local bread baker or a local cheese maker. We are not limited to any ideas, and know that with the richness of the food scene here in SF, there are probably a million great ideas and people we just haven't thought of or connected with yet.

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone whom you think would be a good fit. Thank you for being such a friend to us already, and for taking the time to take a peek at this message.

Debra Resnik is heading up the search and can be reached at: debres@mac.com or by phone at (415) 699-9059 with more details.

Sending much gratitude for all of your support and friendship,

Erin

"Bernal Heights Incubates Deliciousness"

2010-07-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

EcoSalon recently wrote up the 331 Cortland Marketplace, and here are some of their kind words:

"The food... is thoroughly modern, healthy, and entirely unexpected. You won’t find the usual tasteless grocery store prepared pasta salads, or ho hum sandwiches, or really anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s like inventive street food invited indoors, with every vendor offering a unique selling proposition."

Read the full article here.

Erin has been nominated for W.I.S.E. Entrepreneur of the Year

2010-06-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

A big congratulations to Erin! She's been nominated for W.I.S.E. Entrepreneur of the Year. Check out the news here on the SFoodie blog. SF Weekly's Tamara Palmer writes, "The honorees have been chosen for their contribution to the local economy as well as their power to inspire other female would-be entrepreneurs." Sounds like Erin to us!

Of course, our wonderful and humble Erin thinks it's a huge honor just to nominated. But did you know you can cast a vote for Erin to let the judges know that our community supports her? Go to the official ballot to vote!

And here's more about W.I.S.E.: "Women's Initiative for Self-Employment is a not-for-profit agency. Our mission is to build the entrepreneurial capacity of women to overcome economic and social barriers and achieve self-sufficiency. Women's Initiative has proven that women create jobs for themselves and others, access the mainstream economy, and increase their economic self-sufficiency when they are given business planning and financing support."

Jorge's Last Day

2010-06-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

We're sad to report that tonight (Monday June 28th) is Jorge's last night with us at Bender's. We hope you can make it over to Bender's tonight to say goodbye and wish him all the best!

Bender's, 6 to 9pm
www.bendersbar.com
806 S. Van Ness, SF

Wayfare Tavern in the hardhat

2010-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Photo from eatersf on flickr.

Tyler Florence's Wayfare Tavern is now open in San Francisco--but, before you head over, be sure to read all about it in Erin's newest hardhat column, featured in last Friday's tablehopper newsletter. Now you'll have all the background info on the historical touches and know what cool old-school features to look for in this newest SF destination.

We won! SFGate.com's 2010 Best of the BayList

2010-06-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

It's official, ICHI's Sushi Happy Hours earned the top slot for Great Meals - Japanese on SFGate.com's 2010 Best of the BayList. We are truly thrilled to be named the #1 Best Japanese in the Bay Area. Thanks to everyone who voted for us!

No Happy Hour Monday 6/14/10

2010-06-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

So sorry, everyone, for the last minute notice, but we have to cancel tonight's Sushi Happy Hour at Bender's. Just some minor health issues. We'll see you next Monday for delish sushi 'n' sliders!

Exciting ICHI News

2010-06-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

The good news just broke in the latest tablehopper newsletter: "ICHI Sushi Will Now Have Permanent Digs"! That's right, we're going to open shop in the Outer Mission in the late summer or fall. Is that cool or what? Get all the details over at tablehopper.com. FYI, the address will be 3369 Mission St. at 30th St.

Of course, delicious ICHI sushi and pork tonkatsu sliders are available right now! 7 days a week at the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli in the 331 Cortland Marketplace, or on Monday nights at the ICHI Sushi Happy Hour at Benders.

Thanks for all your support!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli

331 Cortland Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 822-4024

ICHI Sushi Happy Hour

Mondays at Benders, 6 to 9pm

806 South Van Ness Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94110

331 Cortland in The NY Times and Tasting Table

2010-05-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our apologies, but we can't help basking in all the attention that the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli and the 331 Cortland marketplace are getting. Gosh, we're blushing.

Check out Tasting Table, where they report, "For years, Mission dive-bar lurkers perked up when ICHI served its sushi and pork sliders during happy hour. Now, along with sushi, sandwiches and salads, ICHI Lucky Cat Deli sells superb sushi-grade fish for the home cook."

And The New York Times recently published a story about the "edible renaissance" happening in the Bernal Heights neighborhood. In fact, they're calling it "an epicurean destination." Read the article and see what they say about the marketplace and our deli!

The Final Round

2010-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday May 12th will be the final Godzuki Sushi Happy Hour at The Knockout. Hope to see you there for one last round of ICHI sushi and drinks!

Wed. 5/12/2010, 6pm-9pm

www.theknockoutsf.com

3223 Mission Street

San Francisco

(415) 550-6994

Final Two Rounds at The Knockout

2010-05-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

If you haven't heard the bad news, we're sorry to report that the Sushi Happy Hour at The Knockout is coming to an end. Tonight, Wednesday May 5th, and next Wednesday, May 12th, will be last two ICHI Sushi Happy Hours at The Knockout.

We hope you will continue to enjoy ICHI's Sushi Happy Hour on Monday nights at Bender's. And, of course, the ICHI Lucky Cat Deli in the 331 Cortland Marketplace is now open for your sushi, sandwich and salad enjoyment.

All the best,

ICHI

Lucky Cat in the Press

2010-04-29T17:09:00.000-07:00

We're happy to report on the latest coverage of the 331 Cortland Marketplace:

The tablehopper was "pleased to learn ~331 CORTLAND MARKETPLACE~ in Bernal Heights is currently in its soft opening phase."

DailyCandy writes, "Nosh on insanely fresh sushi at Ichi Lucky Cat Deli".

And Thrillist has a fun video where you can get a glimpse of sushi rice in action!

The Cat is Out of the Bag!

2010-04-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, the 331 Cortland Marketplace held its soft opening. Check out the coverage from bloggers Married with Dinner. About ICHI Lucky Cat Deli, they write, "ICHI Lucky Cat Deli, the new home of ICHI’s itinerant sushi-makers, offers nigiri, maki, and sashimi, as well as some specialty snacks (katsu-sando sliders, oh my!)."

And so, the cat is out of the bag! Stay tuned for news of a grand opening party!

ICHI Lucky Cat Deli on CHOW.com

2010-03-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

The ICHI Lucky Cat Deli opening is getting closer and closer! Check out how we're part of "The New Cottage Food Economy" in this article from CHOW.com.

Also, we want to thank all of you for supporting our ICHI Sushi Happy Hours. Please keep supporting the Happy Hours by voting for ICHI on SFGate.com's Best of the Bay List!

Vote here.

Are you hungry yet?

2010-03-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

Tim and the ICHI crew have been working hard to develop more menus and expand our offerings. We hope you'll find these new, mouth-watering menus as tempting as the tasty Japanese-themed fare we've always offered. Read on and get hungry! Then give us a call to order: 415-822-4024.

Lemon (Herb) Drop

Roasted lemon herbed chicken thighs

Roasted herbed seitan

Mushroom and chive polenta

Fennel and red onion mixed green salad with citrus-shallot vinaigrette

My Thai

Yellow coconut milk curry with chicken, shrimp and seasonal veggies

Yellow coconut milk curry with tofu and seasonal veggies

Jasmine rice

Thai peanut noodle salad

Southern Comfort

Mac 'n' cheese topped with bacon bits and fresh herbs

Mac 'n' cheese topped with vegetarian bacos and fresh herbs

Roasted seasonal veggies with roasted garlic

Mizuna beets and feta cheese with balsamic vinaigrette

Vote ICHI for Best of the Bay

Don't forget to vote ICHI's Sushi Happy Hours for SFGate.com's Best of the Bay list. Thanks for voting! Vote here: http://baylist.sfgate.com/ichi-sushi-happy-hours/biz/165816

New Spring Menus

2010-03-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

The kitchen here at ICHI is buzzing with activity. We've been busy expanding our offerings beyond the Japanese-themed foods we've been known for. Of course, we'll always have restaurant-quality sushi whenever you have a craving for it. We're just adding exciting new cuisines to our repertoire. Check out these sample menus!

Taco Tuesday (or any day of the week you feel like it!)

Taco bar featuring pollo asado, el pastor, and tofu & Soyrizo tacos
Mexican rice and beans
Iceberg salad with cilantro-lime dressing

Pasta Paradise

Spicy pork sausage bolognese with rigatoni
Soy sausage bolognese with rigatoni
Roasted eggplant and bell peppers
Caesar salad with garlic croutons

Scrumptious Skewers

Chicken and mushroom skewers
Tofu and mushroom skewers
Grilled artichokes with lemon aioli
Orzo and cucumber salad

Give us a call at (415) 822-4024 or email us at info@ichisushi.com for more info!

The Latest Hardhat: Comstock Saloon

2010-03-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Erin's latest Hardhat column covers the upcoming Comstock Saloon. Find out all about the fascinating history that has passed through the building at 155 Columbus Avenue (it's classic San Francisco), and discover the mother lode Jeff Hollinger and Jonny Raglin of Absinthe uncovered during the excavation. Err... build-out, that is.

Read the Hardhat: Comstock Saloon on tablehopper.com.

Get the Latest Hardhat Scoop

2010-02-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Check out Erin's Hardhat article in this week's tablehopper for the latest scoop on Bar Agricole, an independent, destination bar and restaurant joining the SoMa landscape this spring. Read about the architects turning the historic building into a LEED-certified Gold building and Bar Agricole's plans to serve local, seasonal food and drinks, including hand-crafted cocktails made with herbs from their own garden.

The Hardhat: Bar Agricole

Photo by Daisy Chow

Baking Baguettes at the SFBI

2010-01-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Epi Baguettes

We made a variety of shapes and types of breads.

Hi Everyone,

Last week, I was out of the office to take an artisan bread class at the San Francisco Baking Institute. The class was awesome, and I absolutely recommend it to anyone with an interest in baking bread, whether at home or professionally. The instructors are incredibly knowledgeable and the other students were all great to work with. Here's some pictures I took of our beautiful breads.

Cheers,
Daisy

ICHI Happy Hours, Back in the New Year

2010-01-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hey there friends,

We're back in action for our weekly ICHI Happy Hours:

Mondays

Bender's • 806 S. Van Ness at 19th • 6-9 PM

Wednesdays

The Knockout • 3223 Mission Street at Valencia • 6-9 PM

You can always check out our Happy Hours on the SF Cart Project site via Thrillist

It's worth giving a click, Matthew Cohen, of Tabe Services put the whole list together and is a super-power force of excellent street cuisine on twitter @sfcarts

Come on out and tell us how many resolutions you've already broken!

Happy New Year,

Erin, Tim & Daisy

331 Cortland in the Press

2009-12-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

Newcomer Della Terra Organics Wants to Bring Farm-Sourced Produce to Bernal

"Della Terra will join caterer ICHI Lucky Cat Deli the sixth and final vendor at 331 Cortland. Co-owner Erin Archuleta said she and hubby Tim will sell made-to-order sushi (named Best Traveling Sushi by SF Weekly), Japanese-inspired sandwiches, and some traditional Japanese salads for takeout. Expect items for home sushi makers too, including sushi-grade seafood, maki-rolling kits, sauces, even, possibly, cooked and seasoned sushi rice. Bar hounds might know ICHI from its weekly Monday happy hours at Bender's, and Wednesday happy hours at The Knockout." For the full SFoodie article, December 28, 2009, click here.