Fresh Off the Boat at Sakana Bune

I could hardly believe that almost seven years had passed since I first discovered the Honey Walnut Roll at Sakana Bune on Geary Boulevard, but it wasn’t surprising that the restaurant still thrived. Meaning Seafood Boat, Sakana Bune is one of those places in which you sit and watch floating boat-shaped trays of sushi sail by, contemplating which dish to snatch. And much like other sushi-train or floating-sushi dives, Sakana Bune has a separate menu of special, full-size rolls that are made to order.

Such a special, full-size roll is the Honey Walnut. As its name suggests, this is a roll that actually contains honey and walnuts, along with shrimp tempura, avocado, and Japanese mayonnaise. At the first opportunity, I revisited this restaurant and requested the same item right away. Although still as sweet and unique as I remembered, the walnuts seemed a bit dry this time and too-crunchy compared to the rest of the roll…or had my taste shifted over the years?

Still hungry after the nut n’ honey concoction, I partook of the selections from the ever-drifting boats on the bar, and surprisingly found myself liking the generic floaters more than my long-missed favorite. The albacore sushi suffused with garlic sang all the right notes in my mouth, and the two-piece California roll-like creation was not plain at all, especially with two types of faux crab and a dab of spicy mayo for each bite. The gunkan-style baby shrimp nigiri, however, did not do the restaurant justice. Or maybe it paled in comparison to the other items I tried. Still, overall it was a satisfying repast, and considering the low prices, well worth it.

Sakana Bune
5701 Geary Blvd., San Francisco
415-387-8561