Homma's Brown Rice Sushi

2363 B Birch St, Palo Alto, CA 94306

* Had the chef's choice Combo #1, $8
* Combo #1 had tuna nigiri, smoked salmon nigiri, couple pieces of white fish nigiri, 3 pieces tuna roll, and 3 pieces cucumber roll
* Also sampled the unagi roll, futomaki, unagi donburi, and spicy smoked salmon asparagus roll

* I didn't realize brown sushi rice could stick together about as well as the white kind.
* The texture of the rice was nicely chewy (but not overly so) and the fish and other ingredients were very fresh. The fillings were nicely proportioned to the rice as well as to each other.
* The rice itself seemed to have a wasabi kick. This offset the slight nuttiness of the rice but was surprising at first.
* The unagi was very good, with the skin nicely broiled to give it a crispy charred edge. I think it worked better in the roll because it the texture of the skin was immediately offset by the texture of the rice. However, the donburi is a better choice if you want to focus on the eel.
* Since there is only one chef, it takes a while to get your order. Although it is worth the wait, the wait itself is a test of patience.
* As with all sushi, I found everything on the salty side.

So Gong Dong Tofu House

4127 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306

* Had the combination tofu stew (no spice), $9.24
* Nice smooth tofu stew with bits of beef, clam, and a couple whole shrimp.
* Rice was mixed with a little black rice and beans, giving everything a reddish hue. Perhaps J can fill me in on what it's called when that is done and why it's done.
* Banchan included kimchi, seaweed in ketchup/spicy sauce, pickled cucumber, potato, garlicky bean sprouts, and those clear noodles stirfried in sesame oil.

* I liked the rice, that the stew contained very little onion, the flavor of the beef, and how the clams miraculously didn't turn into rubber bands. My favorite banchan was the noodles, followed by the potato.
* The ventilation system was a little smoky. Also I think $9.24 is a little pricey for tofu stew, but then, the cheaper option in Santa Clara contains a lot of onion.

Ramen Club

3924 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306

* Had Tonkatsu Ramen, $7.25
* Contained porky broth, ramen noodles, corn, sliced green onion, shredded cabbage, seaweed slivers, 2 slices roasted pork, half a hard-boiled egg, and a slice of roasted seaweed.
* Noodles were nicely al dente and fresh, the broth was salty for my taste but had a nice porky flavor. Broth was not as milky as expected. Hard-boiled egg not overdone, but yolk was soggy from being buried in the broth.
* Meal came with a cup of peachy gelatin.