Niban - Inexpensive. Good. Japanese fast food.

Welcome back to the blog called mmm-yoso!!!  Kirk is busy on his vacation, ed (from Yuma) is starting his vacation and Cathy is blogging.

Hello again.  I blogged about Niban back in 2006, when Kirk was on his 'first' vacation-from the blog, at least.. I thought it was time to take the camera with me on my most recent visit. A lot is the same. It is pretty much Japanese fast food.

    
 


The menu is still in the front window, with the daily specials in the display caseby the "in" door.
You walk in, order, pay then sit down.  A nice waiter or waitress will pick up our receipt stub and bring out your beverages (hot tea is free).
Miso soup.  Standard rehydrated with freeze dried tofu cubettes and a highly reflective quality.
One of the daily bento specials ($7.25).  Six California rolls (made with krab), teriyaki chicken, baked salmon and fried fish and fried shrimp with rice, salad, pickled bean sprouts. 
Seaweed salad topped with two pieces of pickled burdock ($3.25).  I almost always get this.  The seaweed is  crunchy, not really salty and fresh tasting, served on top of some lettuce, which I end up eating.
Mixed sashimi plate ($12.50). 4 pieces each salmon, tuna and albacore. The fish is fresh, not a bad quality, very good.  This is served with the rice, pickled beans prouts and  salad. A satisfying quick meal. 

Niban 7081 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard (at SE corner of the 805)(the Souplantation parking lot) San Diego 92111 (619)268-0465

Comments

[the diligent diletante]

brings me back to the good old college days...def decent sushi for the price. will have to try the sashimi plate next time (looks like tuna, salmon and yellowtail? )

[Cathy]

Yellowtail/hamachi or albacore, dd. It was very melty/tender. I've had non-seared albacore before and looking at the grain of the fish, I am pretty sure. In any case, it was good, as always. This is a nice place. Once you find parking.

[foodhoe]

mmm that sushi plate looks pretty good. I wonder why the restaurant is named number two?

[Carol]

I used eat hear about every other week when I used to work nearby. Loved this place. I've never tried their seaweed salad before.

[Su-Lin]

That sashimi plate sounds like a total bargain!

[Sandy]

Niban (number two) is a sister restaurant of Ichiban (number one) in PB. I'm not sure about the one in Hillcrest. I've never dined at either Ichiban, but I do like Niban. The food is good and reasonably priced.

If you go to Niban at lunchtime, there's usually a line out the door. The parking lot can get crowded, so I usually park near LA Fitness or Wal-Mart and walk.

[sawyer]

wow, that's taking it way back...i haven't been nor have i heard this name spoken in forever! i loved this place! is your what cathy cooks section retired now? looking forward to your next recipe you share!

[bill]

Since there is no decent sushi here in SA. Wife and I have resorted to getting our sushi fix out local HEB store. They make decent spicy tuna rolls.

[Cathy]

Hi, FH. The food here is good, not fancy, Japanese. Sandy explained the name below your comment. Same owner with not much imagination in naming places, except to use Japanese (there is a sushi place, recently renamed "Wa" on Clairmont Mesa at Ruffin...If it were Wa-Ban, I'd say it was the same owner...)

For a while, The Mister and I ate here every week, just this year, Carol. The seaweed salad price here is excellent. I like -and crave- seaweed salad and pick it up from Asian grocers every time. Someone once told me it keeps your hair from turning gray.

Tasty, too, Su-Lin.

Even at dinner time it is crowded and with lines, Sandy. I park in that corridor between the Fitness Center and the other businesses, sometimes overlooking the Family Fun Center race cars.

Kind of was busy with work earlier this year, Sawyer. "Cooking" consisted of tearing up a Costco chicken and placing it on top of an open bag of salad mix; like being in college but with more convenience foods. Glad to bring back memories of Niban. I'll be taking photos of my cooking and 'recipes' again-soon. I had a lot of restaurants gathered up since I knew Kirk would be gone a long while.

Gosh, bill, it is so different in Texas. I'm glad you can get something with a familiar flavor. Every place we have lived has their own 'specialty' food I miss....and you don't know you miss it until you are gone. On the plus side, no state tax!

[ruby wong]

I haven't been to Niban in over 6-7 years. I don't know why, it just dropped out of my list of rotating restaurants for some reason.

I went last night and it brought back fond memories. Not a fan of their raw stuff, but their cooked items are scrumptious and decently priced.

[Cathy]

Glad to have reminded you, Ruby. Sometimes I just order the katsu chicken salad. So simple and satisfies the crunchy along with my greens craving.