Wowed in Petaluma

Linda and I went to see The Young Victoria in Petaluma this evening. I don't like period pieces generally, however, this one was really good. What a love story! Afterwards little Olivia joined us and we went to Hiro's Japanese Restaurant just a couple blocks away. What a gem! It is so beautifully appointed and has such attention to detail. The sushi plates that floated past looked like they were stills in a museum.


My photos do not do the food justice, and give a pale echo of each dish. The miso soup was piping hot and tasted just right!


Linda chose the Tempura Dinner and Olivia dittoed the choice except in appetizer portion, fitting for an 8 year old. They both reported that it was delicious, and I tried a couple pieces at the end of this generous portion, and would have to agree. Linda remembered the amazing tempura we had with my host family about three years ago in Tokyo. In Japan the best restaurants use fresh oil each day, and the old oil gets sent down the line to a second tier tempura restaurant. Fresh oil really makes a difference. Hiro's oil tasted quite fresh, and it was all exquisite!


Hiro's has two choice of chirashi on their menu. Hiro's Special Chirashi sounded quite inventive, but I decided to stick with the Traditional Japanese Chirashi Zushi. I was so excited to see this glistening, fresh and artistic bowl be put in front of me. Again, the photo just doesn't do it justice. I very much enjoyed the choices and variety in this pretty lacquer bowl.

The staff and owners were so friendly and welcoming too. Our waiter struck the perfect balance of attention and sharing of knowledge of the menu. I would definitely come here again in a heartbeat!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0
Noncritical: 1
Last Inspected: January 28, 2010