haru

We sampled the "Modern Japanese Cuisine" at Haru on 3rd and Chestnut. The bi-level interior has a nice contemporary lounge feel - dimly lit (again dim enough to make my in-laws suspicious about what culinary flaws are being hidden in the dark) with a sushi bar in the back and a fully stocked bar in the middle. We were seated by the windows with a nice view of all the self-important Old City people walking up and down 3rd street.

1st course was decent. We started off with their Vegetable Spring Rolls served with pickled plum sauce. Very tasty and light - the best dish of the night. Next was the Kiss of Fire Roll - a very spicy combination of white tuna, salmon, jalapeno peppers and wasabi tobiko wrapped around crunchy spicy tuna and more jalapenos. The over-the-top flavors were executed well and probably appeals most to American palates. My wife thought the spicyness was too overpowering and that the fish should traditionally be the main flavor. She is definitely a tough critic on Japanese food but I defer to her as a resource of authenticity. I will say that she is very thoughtful about her critique - I often find myself searching her eyes for hints as she deliberates between bites.

The true test for a Japanese restaurant lies within its sushi bar. A chef cannot hide any shortcomings or flaws when executing sushi and sashimi. This is where Haru fell short in our opinion. The overall taste was a little too fishy and the freshness and quality were adequate but not top notch. My wife graded it a C+ and was disappointed at the abscence of Tobiko. She asserted that any sushi offering at a decent restaurant should have an Tobiko (egg) sushi. We both walked out thinking that Haru is Americanized Japanese food with a touch of class. In other words - great for white people that don't know any better.