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Bushi-Tei
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants French Asian Fusion, French [Edit]
1638 Post St(between Buchanan St & Laguna St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighbourhoods: Japantown, Lower Pac Heights, Pacific Heights
(415) 440-4959
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Monday - Tuesday Prix Fixe 3 Courses $26 ALL NIGHT and Bottomless Red and White Wine $12 Wednesday to Sunday Prix Fixe 3 Courses $26 5.30 to 7pm… read more »
636 reviews for Bushi-Tei
Review Highlights
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"The foie gras was so good we ordered TWO." In 134 reviews -
"i loved: the miso-marinated wagyu beef appetizer." In 25 reviews -
"the big eye tuna didnt disappoint either." In 60 reviews
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636 reviews in English
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Review from Phuong H.
San Jose, CA
5/12/2012
My friend hosted her 30th birthday dinner here and it was a great choice. She had about 20 guests and we all sat at the communal table. The ambiance is great, very inviting with gorgeous decor.
This place deserves a five star for their excellent food and service. We had a prix fixe menu and everything on there was delicious. I had my doubt on the mousse tofu but it was by far the best tofu I've ever had. It was melt in your mouth delicious and very savory. For my entree, I had the steelhead trout and that was cooked to perfection. My bf had the ribeye and enjoyed it. The black sesame dessert was absolutely amazing. It looks like pudding and it just melts in your mouth.
At the end of the night, the waiter offered to take a picture of the entire table and he had go up into the mezzanine to capture the amazing photo. -
Review from Tony F.
San Francisco, CA
3/19/2012
I've been here a few times recently, usually early evening. The food is creative and fantastically balanced, wine list is great as is the service. I really like the interior and layout as well. Usually go for two starters and one main between two of us - yummy!
It's a great place to go be going to the Kabuki. -
Review from Shane S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ate here a few times when I was going to the Asian American film festival over the years. One time for lunch I tried the cheeseburger with foie gras .... If it sounds a bit decadent you are correct! I felt it was a bit heavy together ,and no fault to them I preferred to eat it separately. I did enjoy the burger enough ok, but it was a bit pricey. I should have tried the om rice..... which was the special. Anyway I think this place has lots of character as the wood from an old barn was brought all the way from Japan !!
The second time I tried it we had dinner and we sat inside the main dining area. We had the foie gras again....very tasty! Then appetizers of scallops and an octopus... also very nice. We then had the pork loin with a daikon dashi which really blended the French and Japanese flavors. I have been to many French/Japanese restaurants (still don't know why this is such a popular combo ) and I cant say that I truly like the mix of flavors! Anyway this is no exception..... it was good, but not not "blow my sock off flavors" I have to say that "Tak " the owner did have some very nice wine to pair with each dish, That was what made the meal exceptional! Tak dressed in black reminds you of a Yakuza in a Beat Takeshi movie! He says he used to import wine, and that is probably why he has such good wines by the glass! He let us sample some of his favorite wines...wines he drinks mostly himself! He also let us try one of his favorite winemakers "Bracey wines" We tried a cab..... it was well rounded and had a great nose to it.
The food itself is good, but if you try this place make sure you pair it with some of his wines. That will give you the best experience.... Maybe if you "talk it up with Tak" a small wine tasting to boot!! -
Review from LiveToEat F.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2012
Bushi-Tei is CLOSED for business :(
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Review from Jenn G.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2012 Seated via OpenTable
This place is amazing. I lived in the neighborhood for two years and would always walk by this place. One day I finally decided to give it a shot. The service was efficient. The staff was incredibly sweet and hospitable. The rock shrimp appetizer was perfect. I also tried the duck breast. I am a huge duck fan. I'm not entirely certain just yet but it might have been the best duck breast I have ever had. Make sure to leave room for dessert. Dessert was also a big win.
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Review from Susy C.
Definitely a solid 4 star restaurant. Although I came for Dine About Town 2012, I did order 2 appetizers off the regular menu.
DAT MENU:
Steamed Manila clams, smoked bacon, Serrano chile and sake jus. DEEEE-LISH-USSSSSS. Very impressed with this! The bacon was very smokey and added just the right flavor. There were a few thin slices of serrano chile that gave a nice punch w/ the smokey bacon.
Handmade egg noodles w/ miso braised shortib and Romanesco sugo. Noodles were perfectly al dente. This dish almost reminded me of a beef stroganoff. Very very comforting. There's a dish very similar on the regular menu so I would recommend it.
Chocolate bread pudding w/ Asian pear brulee and hojicha ice cream. I didn't like this at all. Skip it. Chocolate was too rich for the bruleed Asian pear. Hojicha ice cream was refreshing though.
what I ordered off the regular menu:
Dungeness crab risotto: genmai rice, creme fraiche and ochazuke broth. LOVED. Using genmai rice gave it a nice crispy taste that the ochazuke broth complimented very well.
Foie torchon, escabeche of Nameko mushrooms, onion jam, spiced walnuts. LOVED. It's foie. Come on. No but the onion jam was executed very well along with the mushrooms.
I'd come back . -
Review from Patrick C.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for the second time and wow was I disappointed. The service was good but the food was just not up to par!! I had the vegetable chowder which was NOT a chowder...it was watery and had a weird taste to it. The Lobster rice was good but not worth what it was priced at. The deer meat was quite gamey as well. For the entree I had the ribs which was tender but the sauce was missing something...I can't pin-point what it was but it was just missing something. All I could say that their bread and butter was REALLY good!! =P
I remember the first time I came (I didn't review them then) and had kobe beef and was delicious! This time their menu selection looked good on paper but was horrible for the taste buds. -
Review from Jen Y.
Came here a few weeks ago on date night with my bf and really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Our servers were very polite and attentive, and they brought out each dish at a comfortable, leisurely pace. The sheer cloth dividers hanging between the tables against the wall were a nice touch and helped reduce noise, making us feel like we were having a private dinner even though we were just a few feet away from other parties. The warm barley bread they served before our meal was delightful with a smear of butter sprinkled with coarse sea salt. I haven't had anything quite like it before!
For dinner, we shared:
*Grilled octopus (snack menu) - For the price, this "snack" is such a steal! It was visually tantalizing and a treat for your taste buds. The deep, smokey flavor paired with the slightly sweet soy-based sauce was mouthwatering, and the octopus was grilled perfectly, with a chewy and crunchy texture.
*Onigiri (snack menu) - This snack can be best summed up in three words: bland grilled rice. Very boring and under-seasoned snack.
*Beef short ribs w/ wasabi shallot cream, potato puree, and broccoli raab - The meat was so tender and juicy that it took very little effort to pull apart bites with just a fork. The potato puree was a lighter and tastier surrogate for mashed potatoes. Can't have beef without potatoes! The one bone I have to pick, even with this boneless dish, is that the wasabi cream did not have the bite I was hoping for. More wasabi please!
*Honey glazed duck breast w/ caramelized asian pear, daikon and roasted rice polenta - The dish itself exceeded my expectations and completely overshadowed the elaborate menu description. Every bite was bliss and made me grin from ear to ear. My bf could tell how much I was enjoying this dish and graciously let me have most of it while he settled with the short ribs. Who says chivalry is dead? -
Review from Zee Z.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This French-Asian fusion restaurant is OKAY!
For how much I paid, this place was not impressive :(
Just like what other said, I really wanted to like this place. Sadly, I was disappointed.
The atmosphere was nice, a small modern-Japanese design restaurant. The most impressive part - the restroom (lol).
The portion of the food was very small; my bf was still hungry after a 3 course dinner.
The service was not great. We were the first one there @ 6pm, we left before 7pm. I felt very rush by their service. They gave us the menu, and came back within 5 minutes -for the food order. After we order, the appetizer came within less than 5 minutes. We haven't even order our drinks yet!!! When we paid, they 4got to include our drinks, and I was nice enough to point it out... Nope, they didn't say thank you and or anything (they just took the bill and came back with a new bill- w/ drinks added). The whole dinner was wrong and I didn't feel right. -
Review from Deckel I.
San Francisco, CA
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is great! I've walked past this restaurant quite a few times and have never stopped in - I'm glad I finally did. The rock shrimp appetizer was delicious and the duck breast is probably the best I've ever had. The desserts are great, too. Service was awesome.
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Review from Tiffany C.
Los Altos, CA
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really wanted to like this place. I love Japanese food + I love French food = I love bushi-tei?? not quite.
First of all, my bf and I came in without reservations and were seated as the only people in a gigantic communal table (maybe 18 seats total, I don't remember). First of all this is rather intimidating to be the only ones seated at the largest table in the house. Then we were given bread, a brown rice bread and a french bread? (they waiter stuttered here, so I'm not quite sure).
For appetizer we ordered the chawa mushi. The crunchy topping (maybe roasted rice?) was a nice touch. We also had the grilled rice balls. Different than the rice balls I had at a great yakitori place in SD, but this had it's own personality. It was plated on that wonderful japanese mayo that I love. Didn't think these would go well together, but they did. =)
My main coarse was the black cod. Sadly the appetizers were must better than the entrees. The black cod was well cooked, but the sauce tasted like nearly pure butter. (Maybe that is where the french influence comes in). A bit too rich for me.
Overall we probably spent close to $80. Really not worth it. Especially when my bf is looking for a second dinner afterwards. -
Review from Gina A.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
When you enter the establishment, you quickly realize the ambiance can only be met with beautifully presented foods. Chef Michael Hung (who came from Jardiniere) presents distinct well-crafted French-Asian flavors of love that play a melody of full-bodied rhythms that dance on your palate, only to be matched with award winning wines!
Vintner, Robert Bracey loves the food at Bushi-Tei and understandably so! He presents award-winning wines with dishes such as Crudo of Albacore with Black Sesame Soubise perfectly matched to the 2008 Chardonnay, and the grilled Berkshire Pork Loin with Bok Choy & Lap Xuong Sausage that melts in your mouth with a tempo of 2006 Zinfandel. Talk about perfect! This was a 7-course dinner paired with 10 of Bracey Vineyards' wines. If ever you want to book an evening to impress upon yourself or others with food and drink to be savored, contact Tak to make your reservation... -
Review from Sara P.
San Francisco, CA
9/12/2011
After a hectic Sunday of errands, I was happy to be taken to Bushi-Tei by my friend. I was totally in the mood for seafood. As he said, it was "good, not great." He had the omasake menu which I tasted as well. It changes daily so don't follow the menu on their website. His consisted of:
-Salmon sashimi
-Oyster & red pepper gelee
-Miso soup
-Waygu shabu shabu
-Melon/tomato dessert
I think I'm missing one but I got distracted by my own food. I had a roasted summer squash salad & black cod entree which were awesome. I was happy with my choices.
It was definitely french inspired - the food and the service. Dinner took about 2 hours. I loved the massive table they have taking up most of the dining space. It looks cool but it's probably not practical for seating pairs.Listed in: SF Lovin'
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Review from Melanie C.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 10/6/2011
New exec chef Michael Hung from Jardiniere rocks.
Refreshingly unique dishes and thoroughly delicious. Everything tastes really clean, like the freshest of ingredients so perfectly done. I love the textures and interesting mix of East and West.
And of course the gorgeous modern white slash rustic wood design. Really a great meal. Love the tiny scoop of tart frozen yogurt to finish it off.Listed in: Worth checking out
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/31/2007
I think this may be the most unknown cool place in the city. The design is gorgeous modern-natural.… Read more »
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Review from Jess H.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Came here with boyfriend last week for dinner. To drink, boyfriend got a Cotes du Rhone that he really liked, and I got a Pear Jasmine soda, yum! To eat, we both got the omakase and the food was good, my favorite was the silken tofu. I liked the persimmon pot de creme but it was a little too sweet for me even though I looovee sweets. They also seemed to use a lot of the same garnishes on the dishes which was unnecessary.
The service was terrible, extremely long waits between food, and it was hard to get the attention of the waiters. Boyfriend also didn't like how the servers including the owner would just drop the food off and not explain what we were eating. Even though we had a http://restaurant.com coupon, it was still kind of expensive for what we paid for cuz the portions were small. Overall, good food but expensive and bad service. Probably won't be back. -
Review from Julia P.
10/23/2011
I was scouring for the latest small yet hip place to get some relatively fine dining when I stumbled upon this gem. Okay, honestly I actually got a 50 dollar gift certificate from my credit rewards to this place and decided to give it a check out.
It's located in the heart of Japantown (the whole 4-5 blocks of Japantown that is haha). A rather small to medium small venue that appears extremely clean and nice inside. Got some of the chilled tofu which was light yet satisfying. Then I ordered the duck which whatever sauce it came with it made it taste yummy. I'm a big duck fan so I can say that it was pretty good but not the best I've had.
The decor makes this place really nice and the chopsticks looked like they were taken off branches of a tree and carved with a knife, which made it pretty cool as well.
Overall it was a good dining experience. Not the absolute best and I'm not sure I'd come here again but it didn't disappoint either. What I remember most has nothing to do with the restaurant but rather it was damn cold outside when I went! -
Review from Nami S.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/12/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Due to singular circumstances, we found ourselves in Bushi-Tei again tonight. My boyfriend and I both got the Omakase tasting special, which consisted of:
1. Silken tofu mousse
2. Tofu-skinned roll with apple inside
3. Trio - chicken two ways (hen breast, and then a deep-fried leg meat roll) and a root gratin.
4. Braised short ribs with smoked potato puree
5. Persimmon flan
I would give this place a 5-star review, if it weren't for course #4, which deserves more of a 3-4 star rating (see below). In short, the dishes were really quite good. About each dish:
1. The mousse was AMAZING. Favorite dish of the night. If you go, your table must get this. Very delicate, delicious sauce, nice texture on top with toasted nori.
2. Tofu-skinned roll with apple was also really refreshing.
3. Trio - I actually didn't see this on the menu - I think they were afraid to serve us the scallops with dashi after my last experience with the loin (though I would have been open to trying it out since it was seafood, not pork). The chicken was good - very flavorful, especially the deepfried leg roll. My boyfriend loved the gratin - right amount of creaminess and comforting.
4. The other entree was a pork dish, but I think the staff got nervous again and served us the short ribs. They were perfect, for short ribs - full of flavor, tender, not too fatty. The smoked potato puree and the mushrooms made the dish sing. However, the heaviness of the dish did not fit in very well with the delicate and asian flavors of the other dishes. If you're a fan of short ribs, you should definitely get them. If not, I would opt for the fish.
5. Persimmon flan - Delicious, reminded me more of creme brulee. On that note, it would have been amazing if they caramelized the sugar on top to mimic the brulee, as it screamed brulee more than flan. Tasty, though. It was a great way to end the meal as it wasn't too rich.
Overall, I highly recommend the tasting menu. It's totally worth it and you get to eat a variety of flavors and styles.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/3/2011
Under no circumstances should you get the Pork loin.
First of all, it's not really a loin. It's a few… Read more »
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Review from Stanley C.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 8/30/2011
Went back to dine here for 2 reasons..
A. It was my wife and I's 2 year anniversary
B. Had a google offer coupon.
Chef Michael Hung's dishes were soooo different from what we had before. It was a lot more Japanese influenced this time around. I'm sorry to say nothing blew us away this time around. The food was good all around but not spectacular and that is the reason I dropped one star. I do however have 1 more coupon so I'm going to give it another try, hopefully next time I can be impressed before I drop it from my "list"1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/19/2011
The Intro:
Bushi-Tei is Neo-Japanese restaurant serving innovative French-Japanese Fusion cuisine.… Read more »
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Review from Denise W.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2011
Fine dining at its finest. Our meal was extraordinarily amazing.
For the appetizer, my favorite was the Chilled House-made Tofu. Similar to panna cotta in texture as it was light in consistency and also slightly sweet from the cocoa nibs. It was so heavenly. For the main course, I ordered the sonoma duck, which was cooked perfectly. The skin was crispy while the meat was tender and juicy. The sauce was so flavorful.
I was absolutely in love with the ambiance and decor. The walls were lined with uneven wooden planks to give the natural primitive feel while the ceiling-to-floor glass windows added the modern twist.
I rarely talk about restrooms but I have to say this is probably the most highly advanced one I have been to. The seats open, flush, and close according to the nearby sensors.
One thing I have to mention is the slow service. Although they constantly filled our water glasses and were very kind and respectful, the service was slow beyond imaginable. There was only one server to the whole restaurant and it seemed as if there was only one cook as well. We were seated for almost three hours, which is a hefty amount of time when one has work the next morning or places to go. Even the table next to us complained about the slow service and asking the whereabouts of their food.
http://Restaurant.com has a deal for this restaurant and with that, I am definitely coming back for another amazing meal in a beautiful setting..at a much earlier time. -
Review from S. B. Hadley W.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
I'm sorry to say that I had the foie gras and then the duck breast and even three glasses of wine and then afterwards ate at Subway because I was still hungry. :-( Beautiful space, though.
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Review from Stephania R.
Los Angeles, CA
11/7/2011
I used to love Bushi-Tei (especially for special occasions like my birthday ... yup, loved it that much), however, the service and food has been going down in quality.
Food: 3.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4 -
Review from Alison W.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
The food is delicious, the portions are small. The prices are high.
The ambiance is very nice.
Perfect for date night but we went to grab a sandwich after because we were starving.
Would I go back....only if someone else was paying! -
Review from Shannon E.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to like this place; I really did. I had been intrigued by it for a while and when my roommate decided to host dinner at Bushi-Tei to celebrate his graduation from a doctoral program, I was excited to give it a whirl! The ambiance was cool, the decor was nice and I was hoping the food would match. Sadly, I was far from impressed. Since I don't have a technical term for what I want to say, suffice it to say that I found it way too foo-foo for what it is. It's a place where you would probably order three courses per proper etiquette, but I strayed from that route and went with just an entree since I wasn't overly hungry. The menu isn't cheap (apps are $10 - $16ish, entrees are gonna run $20 - $30 and desserts are a bit under $10) and while I don't mind spending money on really great food, I found their menu extremely overpriced for the food they were putting out. As a side note, I think the huge communal table in the center is a cool concept, but really poorly executed -- the table is so wide, I felt like I had to yell across it to have any kind of conversation with our group.
So, for the food I ended up ordering the vegetarian entree (was debating between that and the cod) and was immediately disappointed. It wasn't just spending $20 on a teensy vegetarian order that perturbed me; the fact that my entree wasn't GOOD was what really upset me. It was so heavily seasoned I thought my fingers were going to bloat by the time I left -- I definitely had my weekly intake of sodium in one sitting. I honestly could barely get through the entree due to how salty it was. No one else at the table (there were around 12 of us) seemed overly impressed with their order either. The general consensus was that it was mediocre, at best. Call me crazy, but for that price, I expect something much better than mediocre. -
Review from Chris C.
7/10/2011
Food - Pretty good. I had the Filet Migno-I mean NY Steak. I kind of expected a little more out of a steak. It was delicious but I've never had a NY Steak that ate like a filet. Also, two other of my friends ordered the same and we all had different preferences for how we wanted it prepared but we all pretty much got the same thing. I wanted medium-rare, one of my friends had no specification, and one other friend wanted rare. They didn't distinguish which one was which when they brought it out and all steaks were uniform regardless of what we said or didn't say. Weird.
I also had the Tofu Mousse as a starter and was fairly impressed. The mousse was silky smooth and the flavors were all there. To drink I had the Yuzu Gimlet which was about subpar with what I was expecting and my friends ordered a bottle of cab and they brought out the wrong year! They didn't even have the year my friends ordered in stock and didn't even bother to say anything. The next bottle ordered off the wine list wasn't even stocked! Why have a wine list when you don't even have what you print out?
Service - Friendly, but horribly flawed. Our party consisted of like 15 people with a mix of people getting regular entrees and some getting the Omakase which has a number of courses. As I understand it, our server should have notified us on our preference for having all the food out at once or pacing it with the Omakase orders. They simply assumed the latter and most of the table ended up waiting something like 2 hours for our entrees. Total time spent there was 3 hours from seating because the service was so slow. Pair that with our wine woes and you kind of get a big freaking mess. Again, service was very friendly but horribly flawed.
I expected a much more complete package from a Michelin-recommended restaurant. I definitely would peg this place as more of a 2.5 star because of my experience but that tofu mousse and the flavors in the steak would warrant a round up to 3 stars. -
Review from V. P.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2012
not very good. I've heard good reviews, but I was very disappointed. It is definitely not worth the $27 plates. Small portions and didn't taste beter than going to a quick eat place where this dish would probably be priced at like $7-$8.
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Review from maria c.
Burlingame, CA
11/19/2011
Had a great dinner here ! Not very crowded midweek .They should have more business , the food is very good. Maybe it is a bit too formal for a lot of people.
Excellent food, French-Japanese fusion.
Albacore tataki with cucumber salad on top
Marinated eggplant for appetizers, great.
Cod with vegetables was so fresh and delicate and the short ribs with mashed potatoes and green beans could not have been tastier.
Cheesecake for dessert was nice and light and the piece was not too big.
Wine was a nice bottle of Syrah from Santa Barbara at a reasonable price.
Great dinner and I really would like to see the place more lively.
Service was also first rate ! -
Review from shannon l.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2011
We will never recommend this place to anyone. We were treated very poorly with no apology. We booked a table for 4 for a holiday dinner for 7:00 two weeks ago. Two days before our reservation, we received notice that they had two large parties booked for the same time and would have to bump us to 5:30 or 9:00. There were no apologies or suggestions toward making it up to us.
Never again! -
Review from Andrew G.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/1/2011
Came here last year with the GF. This place was killer good and killer expensive, and the dishes were killer small, but friggin' loved it.
We had the fixed menu. I think they call it a Pre fixe? whatever...
Anyways, basically we had a 5 course meal that ended up being the perfect amount of food. I was so happy with the food that I didn't want to eat anything else the rest of the night, and normally I'm a midnight snack kind of a guy.
The meals were so delicate. Each bite I felt like I was trying not to screw it up. When I picked up the first dish, it was like holding a butterfly for the first time. I could hear James Taylor singing You've Got A Friend in the background.
I'd come here every day if I wanted to be broke and on the street. But, I can't so I'll come back maybe next year.
Bushi-tei.... you made my day. -
Review from Marschal B.
San Jose, CA
7/23/2011
We had the house made Tofu, Beef Tongue Carpaccio, Roasted Duck, and Trout. The Tofu was by far the most impressive of all as my wife and I both expressed our surprise and savored every bite. That being said, the highlight of our meal was the appetizer, which does not speak very highly of everything else food wise.
We found the Beef Carpaccio to be a bit bland -- as if an additional ingredient was missing. The Roasted Duck also lacked complexity - the meat a bit dry, chewy, and uninspiring. The risotto paired with the Duck was enjoyable and the presentation of the meal was decent, however. The Trout with Hummus was acceptable as the fish was prepared properly yet the included vegetables were too heavily oiled.
On a more positive note, staff were pleasant and ambiance was very relaxing. The wine list included a good variety and the curious mixed drink section looked worth a try. We also enjoyed the place setting, seating, and unique utensil stand at each table which perfectly fit our knife, ohashi (chopsticks), spoon, and fork. Ambiance, decor, and comforts were very well done.
Unfortunately pleasant ambiance, service, and a well thought out drink menu were not enough to leave us feeling impressed. Overall, we left feeling a bit mediocre, hoping we had experienced more "Wow" or hints of culinary perfection you'd expect from a (formerly) Michelin star restaurant.
Perhaps that's the secret to enjoying Bushi-Tei -- don't go in with high expectations or looking to have your taste-buds proverbial socks knocked off. You'll probably enjoy the food but won't be blown away. -
Review from Ashley J.
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bushi-Tei was a last minute decision place to eat for dinner this week. I had a ScoutMob deal for 50% off (with a max discount of $45), so my date and I decided to check this place out as it was close to where I live. I've never heard of french-asian fusion before, and was interested to try it.
The first thing I noticed about this place as I walked in was the gorgeous, very large table in the middle of the room. It was decorated with very tall vases with flowers/sticks pointing to the ceiling. The place settings were elegant, and candles/dim lighting really added some romance to this place. It seems as though the large table could be used for a large party, but this particular night they seemed to have a few different couples sitting here. My date and I got a separate table by the window, which was lovely.
Our waiter brought out our menus and explained the entire thing to us. He was very helpful, funny, and gracefully accepted the fact we would be using a deal on this meal. Some people can get pretty rude when you bring that up, but this guy did not skimp on service with us whatsoever.
We ordered some cocktails, the bacon custard, and hamachi to start. The hamachi was absolutely wonderful and fresh. I wasn't fond of the bacon custard, but my date sure was. The presentation was lovely, but I couldn't get over the fact that it looked like I was eating bacon grease. We were also given some bread rolls/biscuits, and wasabi-pea marshmallows as a palette cleanser. Yummy!
We both ordered the maine lobster with braised beef as our entree. Beware, the dish is VERY small. My date seemed quite hungry still after finishing the meal, and though very tasty, we probably should have ordered another appetizer, or maybe a dish that was larger in portions.
I rate this place 4 out of 5 stars. Service was definitely 5 star quality, but the size of dishes for what you pay for.... I'm going to have to deduct one star for that. Good place, and I'd come here again!Listed in: Favorite Dinner Places: SF
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Review from Jennifer L.
Belmont, CA
4/10/2011 15 photos
I had wanted to try Bushi-Tei for a long time and was happy to try it for lunch and dinner. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Lunch included:
* Forest mushrooms, butter lettuce, orange-bacon balsamic (I substituted a champagne vinaigrette because I don't eat bacon) - The salad was a bit salty for me, but had nice flavor.
* Paprika chicken, haricots verts, coconut rice. - This was a huge hit for me. This was a 5 star dish that I loved, from the delicious coconut rice to the moist chicken to the al-dente green beans. Perfect.
Sitting upstairs for dinner was the most pleasant and our service was quite good, though we were moved to a different table for no apparent reason.
For a special occasion dinner we had:
* Golden beet carpaccio, roasted paprika coulis, mizuna, truffle tapenade http://www.yelp.com/bi... - This wasn't the most balanced dish for me, but was visually appealing. The thinly sliced beets were fresh and very sweet.
* Organic chicken confit, potato galette, Brie cheese http://www.yelp.com/bi... - A treat for savory-lovers.
* Amuse bouche http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Carrot and potato purée soup http://www.yelp.com/bi... - Not hugely dimensional, but nice.
* Sonoma duck breast, baby mizuna, mascarpone mustard, dried chutney http://www.yelp.com/bi... - I enjoyed this dish.
* Grass fed beef loin, potato anna, perigourdine http://www.yelp.com/bi... - This was a huge hit for Mr. L who was over the moon with the quality and preparation of this beef.
* Flourless chocolate souffle cake, roasted strawberry, organic milk ice cream http://www.yelp.com/bi... - I tried it 2x here. Once it was perfect, moist, and not overly sweet. Another time it was surprisingly dry (proabably baked too long, which ruined it - disappointing).
* Pear, green apple, and raspberry sorbet, with almond croquant http://www.yelp.com/bi... - A refreshing treat.
* Complimentary almond cakes and chocolate truffles http://www.yelp.com/bi... - The truffles were excellent! The almond cakes were moist and amusingly phallic. (I know, I know, mind in gutter.)
Mr. L visited the pimped out loo and told me when he returned, "You're going to want to bring your camera." http://www.yelp.com/bi... So, enjoy! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Food: 4
Service: 4.5
Ambiance: 4
Some dishes were total hits and others were slight misses. Overall, I am definitely a fan. -
Review from Elaine T.
Updated - 4/23/2011
*This is the kind of discerning attention to quality, and pride in one's work that you can expect to find at Bushi-Tei. I'm constantly impressed by their devotion, as shown through their efforts to take time to stay connected with their patrons*
A message from executive chef, Michael Hung:
Greetings Friends,
Over the last month my team and I have been working very hard, and I'm happy to say that the dinner menu has been changed over. While I am still looking to continually refine it, I think we have a good starting point. We are now working on redeveloping the lunch menu, which I think will take another month of work.
Additionally bushi-tei is expanding it's beverage program. We now feature 27 wines by the glass, and Tak is showcasing some new wine finds, like Robert Bracey's Napa Valley vintages, for incredible prices.
Sous Chef, Nicole Lou, is creating a sake/shochu cocktail list, inspired by classics like mojitos and using ingredients like genmai(the toasted brown rice used in teas). We will unveil this new cocktail list on Wednesday, April 27th. In addition, on this day we'll be offering a special appetizer menu to accompany our new beverages available to those sitting at our communal table-items like American Wagyu carpaccio with red miso aoli, and rock shrimp and smoked bacon chawan mushi.
Keep an eye out for our newly designed website. It will be easier to navigate and is smart-phone friendly. We'll continually update the new site to give you the latest news in bushi-tei events as well as food and wine specials.
I hope you'll have a chance to come in and eat in the near future, and if you do please free to pop your head in the kitchen to say hello!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Fund Raising Dinner
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Review from John N.
Fremont, CA
6/1/2011
I came here for dinner on Memorial Day, and when all the dishes came out, everything looked so good, but taste wise, the flavors just didn't mix together.
Here's what I ordered:
Appetizers:
hamachi, served with ginger, sashimi style. : (Would've been good with ponzu sauce)
beef carpaccio: (probably the best tasting dish)
shrimp, cooked in chrysanthemum bordelaise sauce (tasted like shrimp with lime and mayo)
Entrees:
Duck breast, cooked medium rare: (all the additional toppings ruined the amazing taste of the duck)
Pork Loin, with foie gras: (pork was tender, but the entire dish just lacked flavor)
To be fair, my brother highly recommended the Omakase here and said it was delicious, but I went of course and ordered a la carte items instead. From the dishes that I ordered, it seems Bushi-Tei tries too hard to blend unique flavors together, without actually tasting the dishes first. The prices were very extreme for the amount of food that is actually served. Service was decent. an extra half star for their toilet! 2.5 stars. -
Review from Cherylynn N.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2011 3 photos
As cliché was it may be, the way to a wo(man)'s heart is through her stomach; well for this woman that is...
I'm not a huge fan of Asian Fusion Cuisine, however Bushi-Tei's French-California Cuisine with a Japanese flair WON my heart! Each artfully prepared dish was made with the utmost quality ingredients and tasted every bit as good as it looked. If it weren't for the lack in service, Bushi-Tei would be getting 5 Stars.
On Monday, March 28, 2011, a dear friend from elementary school and I came to Bushi-Tei for dinner. We arrived promptly for out 8:30 PM reservations and were seated immediately.
F O O D:
With the recommendation of the owner/waiter, I paired my meal with a glass of 2004 Sedna Vineyards, Syrah, Napa, CA ($12): Although I enjoyed the smooth berry and woody notes, it was a little too heavy for me and the pepper overtones were overwhelming.
*BIG EYE TUNA TARTARE w/ Wasabi-Crème Friache, Coriander Seed, Herb Oil ($16): DELECTABLE!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The tuna tartare was amazingly fresh as it was soft and silky with a subtle taste of the fresh ocean sea. The perfectly ripen avocados added buttery layer while the wasabi-crème friache added a creamy and tangy spice that gave me a tiny nose tickle.
*FOIE GRAS w/ Kabocha Pot de Crème, Pistachio, Red Onion Marmalade ($20): OMFG! *Eyes roll back to the head*
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
One of the BEST foie gras I've ever had, if not the best! The pairing with the kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), pistachio and red onion marmalade was absolutely genius. The foie gras was crisp on the edges and as I bit into it, it melted on my tongue like delicate crumbley fat. The kabocha (corn-like flavor) pot de crème was rich, velvety, fluffy and sweet. The addition of the pistachio gave it a crisp texture contrast while the red onion marmalade gave it a hint of acid to help balance the richness. If you love foie gras and various flavor and texture combos, you will fall in love with this dish!
*WAGYU SIRLOIN w/ Potato Anna, Perigourdine ($30): AMAZING!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I'm very picky about my steaks and I haven't found one that has compared to the ones I had in Vegas until NOW. The wagyu was perfectly grilled to a medium rare with a warm pink center. The exterior was slightly crisp and the interior literally MELTED LIKE BUTTER on my palate. It flavorful and was seasoned just enough to bring out all hearty beefy flavor.
The potato anna (layered sliced potatoes) was crisp, soft, and tender. The perigourdine (truffle) sauce added a subtle earthy and woody flavor which perfectly paired with the wagyu.
*FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE CAKE w/ Milk Ice Cream, Mandarin Oranges ($9): LIGHT, YET DECADENT!
The rich chocolate soufflé cake was sweet with a slight hint of bitterness. The edges were crisp and the inside was soft, airy and fluffy. The rich and creamy vanilla ice cream gave it that warm and cold temperature contrast while the mandarin oranges brightened the dessert with a sweet citrus tang.
S E R V I C E:
The owner/waiter was very friendly but lacked the professionalism in customer service that one would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. His interactions with us were very docile and aloof; other than taking our orders, bringing our food, and bringing us our bill he was MIA. I can only presume, it was a culture issue and he didn't want to feel like he was being intrusive.
A M B I A N C E / D É C O R:
Simple, yet stunning! The combination of rustic Japanese wood fixtures and sleek futuristic furnishings matches the restaurant's French-California Japanese Cuisine.
The perfect date place as tables are well-spaced out and noise level is low to allow for an intimate conversation.
Make sure to pay a visit to the zen-like bathroom that has a Woshuretto (Japanese bidets) with a wireless toilet control panel for blow dryer, seat heating, massage options, water jet adjustments, etc. *woosh*
With the mixed reviews on Yelp and from friends, I didn't have high expectations from Bushi-Tei. However, the pairing of ingredients and the complexity and flavors of every dish WOWED me. I try to live my life with no expectations; hmmm, now only if I could do that with restaurants... -
Review from Rachel W.
San Francisco, CA
6/24/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I love getting deals for new restaurants! I purchased my Groupon for Bushi-tei, and made reservations, for my boyfriend and I, on a Saturday evening. We made our reservations for fairly early in the night, so parking was easy to find. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful, as it is constructed from a prefecture from Japan. Absolutely gorgeous! The place is very small, housing one large communal table, and maybe about 10 smaller tables that seat up to 4. Our meal for the night consisted of two appetizers, one "snack", and two entrées.
Apps:
- foie gras: served two ways. Grilled and custard style. The grilled version was quite good, even though I'm not a huge foie gras fan.
- onigiri with smoked trout: This was simple, easy and delicious, however nothing special.... because I love rice.. in all forms, I don't discriminate! ;)
Snack:
- pickled veggies: This dish included pickled fiddleheads, carrots, jicama. They had a little spice, but again, nothing extraordinary. My mom makes better pickled vegetables.
Entrées:
- Atlantic Cod with vegetables: The fish was cooked well, however the flavoring did not stand out to me.
- Braised beef with noodles: My dish on the other hand, was fantastic. The noodles were akin to the Italian's papperdelle, and they were delicious.
After we enjoyed our meal, we sat waiting to pay the bill, looked at each other, and both said simultaneously that we probably wouldn't come back again. It's great for a first time... but I doubt we'll be back. -
Review from Tarra R.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I cannot wait to go back here.
Went with my sister before a show and loved it from the moment we walked in. Our server was fast and friendly. We had two sushi rolls (spicy) both were fresh and tasty. I had the seared scallop plate - cooked to perfection. The udon broth and veggies were wonderful. The sake selection was perfect.
For two people appetizers, drinks, entrees we spent $75 total with a generous tip. We will be back whenever we are in the area again! -
Review from Tipu K.
Anaheim, CA
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Unagi don was simple but great.
For the price, they still don't let you use their restroom and you have to go outsideComment from Tak M. of Bushi-Tei 5/29/2011
Thank you for dining at bushi-tei bistro and happy to learn… More » -
Review from Eugene C.
San Francisco, CA
6/14/2011
New executive chef Michael Hung's food was unimaginative and unimpressive. The service was slow. For the price of the food, one would expect at least larger quantity, if not better quality. The Japanese-French flair was hardly visible on the menu.
The tempura soft shell crab was greasy. The egg noodle, reminiscence of beef stroganoff, was soggy. Fois gras two ways, the rock shrimp stuffed quail, and the oolong mochi were ok. The strawberry ravioli was just sheets of strawberry flavored gelatin covering each other, however the celery semifreddo was a nice touch.
In all, with the recent change of chef, Bushi-Tei needs some time to find its new voice and direction. Lunch is no longer served. -
Review from CalBear H.
Berkeley, CA
6/10/2011
Japanese and French? Seriously?
We went for dinner and the menu was not appetizing to us. The stuff quail was undercooked and not seasoned, the duck's breast was quite dry, and I would say the qualify of the seafood here is just blah..
Our favorite was the tofu appetizer, but def. will not go back to this place. -
Review from Jason B.
Updated - 4/24/2011
Appetite had risen.
French toast was religious.
JC would call these prices sinful.
This is the best an atheist can do on easter.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2011
Big eye tuna. Tomato confit. Berries. And cool chopsticks.
Those four things are what I will remember… Read more »
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