Good Japanese Restaurant in your local area???

[steel]

If you're living outside of Japan, aside from checking out the proprietor and the chefs, a few tips on how to figure out whether a Japanese restaurant might not be authentic:

1. The name. Not always but often stereotypical names like 'Fuji', 'Samurai' , 'Geisha' especially are dead giveaways.
2. Coupled with Korean or Chinese food. For example, 'Sushi & Korean BBQ'. Or, the inclusion of General Tso's Chicken on the menu.
3. All-you-can eat. (especially with the above feature).
4. Take-away menu's with items listed by number - a common feature of Chinese restaurants. Namba feety feven Sum Yung Guy!

Of course, some people will object to this and even characterize it as racism or discrimination. For those people, I will back down and encourage them to have their fill of their all you can eat sushi with hot spicy tuna rolls and Korean BBQ. Ignorance is bliss - and cheaper too!

I prefer it when the rice in my sushi is prepared authentically - eg. it's not just plain white rice as some Chinese eateries haven't yet figured out. And, screwing around with raw fish can give unsuspecting diners a nasty case of food poisoning or worms...