Several of us got together to celebrate friend Jennifer's Birthday recently.

Being sushi lovers, we thought we would try out a new Japanese place in Renton Highlands at 4605 NE 4th, called Sushi Cafe.

The food was tasty and artistic, and the staff were very friendly and professional. There were lots of other diners when we visited, so we had to wait a bit to be seated...although we probably could have called ahead to avoid this problem. All in all, it was a very nice experience. We would all recommend it. Here are a couple photos from our visit.



The head chef talks about his craft with my wife Cathy and some of our friends



Our friend Jen, the birthday girl!

It's so often the question, "where should I take him or her on our date?"! Well here are a couple of great date night restaurant ideas for Saturday's and Sunday's that are sure to please both female or male!

Make reservations for the "Tommy Room" at "Yama at the Galleria" in Bellevue!!

This is going to be one of you & your dates most fun, exciting & unique dining experiences!

When you dine in the Tommy Room at Yama's on the Eastside, you will literally be dining in a sunken floor, with bamboo mats and romantic chiffon room dividers and it will undoubtedly impress your date with your creativity in making the date fun and different - apart from the regular typical dining.

The sushi is fresh, succulant and creatively decorative, fun and exciting! You will be experiencing a true celebrity chef's meal when you dine, because the incomparable

Mr. "Warren Seta" is the chef, and with restaurants in Las Vegas and Hawaii and soon one opening in Renton, called, "Blossom", you will certainly want to get his autograph - his talent and status is beyond compare! Inspired by Chef Warren's upbringing in Hawaii and his love of tapas they offer you the best Asian fusion cuisine and sushi. The combination of European cooking techniques with Asian flavors is sure to please and entice the palate while the sushi at Yama is made to emphasize the freshness of the fish. The sushi menu is filled with traditional offerings and the fish is paired with the finest boutique sushi rice. Happy Hour is offered daily in the Lounge and Sushi Bar where the menu features tapas and sushi items.

Guest columnist Rose McMahem describes one of her favorite Renton establishments, The Pickled Onion Pub, "The Eastside's Only Authentic English Soccer Pub" Here is her column:

Maybe I shouldn't be doing this.  I mean, why tell everyone about the bar I like and risk it becoming more popular and crowded than I prefer?  I doubt that'll happen, despite my vast influence and all, but still.  The principle of the matter remains: if you like a place, keep it a secret.

Except I can't, because I like it so much I'm compelled to talk about it.  Inherent in my statements will be my love of the joint.  I can't avoid it.  There is no hiding my enthusiasm.

First off, let's get something straight- I'm not a drinker.  I'm not a foodie, either.  Or a pool player, or a sports fan.  Which begs the question: why do I frequent a sports bar?  Well, because there's so much more to it than that.  When I say I'm not a drinker, I mean not that I'm a complete teetotaler, but that I don't drink enough to know one vodka from another, or whether the bartender knows what he's doing.  Or be able to hold my liquor.  Oh, I enjoy my screwdriver or similar fruity-boozy thing from time to time, but is it good?  All I know is that it's nice in my mouth.  Objectively speaking, I have no idea.

So clearly I'm not going to the place to tie one on; that's just not my bag.  Similarly, I couldn't tell you if their cottage pie is top-notch, although my unrefined tastes don't think it's bad at all.  I know the grilled cheese is good, but it's hard to screw that up. 

I don't go to watch soccer, and I don't go to play pool.

I go because there's plenty of other stuff going on there.  There are people I know- or who I know now, at least, owing to the generally friendly vibe of the place.  There are bingo nights, and darts, and bartenders who remember your name and what you drink.  There are trivia nights, karaoke, and live bands.  I mean, this isn't some boring little low-key dive, but at the same time it's still small enough that after showing up a few times, you get to know the other regulars.
 

After seeing some dude with his mom at bingo night there last week, I decided to invite my own parents to trivia night.  The idea of bringing my parents to the bar I frequent hadn't occurred to me before.  And you know what?  It worked.  The place isn't too hip and loud for adults; it welcomes all ages and sizes…it's like a little community center that just happens to serve alcohol and burgers.  What's better than settling in for a game of trivia and having people bring you Newcastle?  I think my dad would argue: nothing.

If you're going to show up, though, understand that we'll beat you at trivia.  We may have only gotten second place last night, but we'll own that place next week.

Rose

Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse, which started in Renton and then spawned a new Federal Way restaurant, was just reviewed by the Tacoma News Tribune. While the Federal Way restaurant was the one critiqued, my personal observations are that the write-up and recommendation seems equally valid for the original restaurant here in Renton (On SW 7th Stree, near Walmart.) If you have not tried it yet, you should go for a visit. While we have many excellent restaurants in Renton, Jimmy Mac's remains one of my favorites.

Click here for the Tacoma Tribune write-up