Kotobuki

Sweetmonger and I got take out from our favorite sushi restaurant last night, Kotobuki. Kotobuki and its chef Mr. Abe operate out of the second floor of a Palisades area townhouse in Washington, DC. It's a small (about 25 seats), unpretentious restaurant serving high quality, fresh fish at ridiculously low prices. Mr. Abe keeps overhead low by employing a waitstaff of three and never changing the menu or the music (the Beatles play around the clock); thus, he is able to serve sushi that is at least half the price of what is served at other sushi establishments. Over the last year and a half, i have eaten at Kotobuki at least 50 times, along with the occasional excursion to more expensive sushi restaurants. Not one can match Kotobuki for value and only one can surpass it in quality.

For example, Sushi Damo in Rockville is more inventive but the fish is not as fresh and it is easily twice the price. Sushi Ko is more upscale but its sushi is simply comparable to Kotobuki and again more than twice the price. The quality of the fish at Makoto, which happens to be housed in the basement of the exact same townhouse, is nothing short of phenomenal. However, it also is much more expensive and requires the hassle of a reservation. Usually, when I eat sushi, I do not plan ahead, and it tends to satisfy a last minute craving.

As mentioned above, the menu at Kotobuki is not inventive and never changes. However, there are many things that standout. The tuna and avocado, salmon and asparagus, eel and avocado and the lobster salad rolls are always top notch. However, the way to go at Kotobuki is the sashimi. Stick with the salmon, tuna, amazingly flavorful toro and the wonderful mackerel and you will have a great meal. Sweetmonger and I often eat here for less than $30 including tip. That is a steal for high quality sushi and puts Kotobuki in a neck and neck race with Bar Pilar as the best value restaurant in Washington, DC.

Kotobuki

http://www.kotobukiusa.com/

4822 MacArthur Blvd., NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20007

202-281-6679