Chronicle Critic Adores the Easy Sushi at Ebisu

Chronicle critic Jessi Cape reviewed North Austin Japanese restaurant Ebisu this week, and found great sushi, approachable sushi. She noted on all three of her visits, she was able to walk in without a reservation.

On a first visit, she went in a large party with mixed sushi knowledge and was “genuinely pleased with every offering.” Her favorite was the lobster roll:

...the lobster roll – an incredibly decadent platter, served warm, of baked “baby” lobster with crabmeat and masago wrapped with soybean paper and slathered in unagi (eel) sauce and mayo – is memorable to say the least.

While Cape praised the size of the rolls compared to American servings, she also found some to be too large, and thought many of the bold rolls were “too saucy for my liking.” Outside of sushi, she found a favorite in the “wonderful” sake mac n cheese, blistered shishitos, and pork katsu with “a lovely golden fry.”

She also appreciated the “solid” cocktail menu. She closed by praising the restaurant’s focus on excellent food.

Statesman critic Matthew Odam weighs in on the chicken sandwich war, declaring the sandwich at Pollos Las Abuelas better than Chick-fil-A and Popeyes.

The truck comes courtesy Matt Reinert, former executive chef at Snap Kitchen, and features:

a thick fried chicken breast that’s been brined in a solution that includes buttermilk, vinegar and hot sauce and sandwiched in a floppy Martin Potato Roll hanging on for dear life.

Odam’s favorite was the H-Town with a “shmear of queso and avocado, as well as ripples of roasted serrano crema.”

• Restaurant Review: North Austin’s Ebisu Japanese Restaurant Boasts Fresh Modern Sushi [Chronicle]
• All coverage of Ebisu [EATX]
• Best thing I ate this week: Fried chicken sandwiches at Pollos Las Abuelas [Austin360]