Birthday Weekend: Friday

I've never been a fan of birthdays, especially my own. I feel that the day itself is overhyped and honestly, its just a day like any other. That being said, I think deep down inside, I still feel that it is a special day. Not to say that my birthdays have been dissappointing, but they have never been particularly exciting or memorable - at least not memorable enough for the level of expectation that everyone (myself included) places on it.

That all changed this weekend.

It was the best birthday celebration ever. Partially because I started on a Thursday (when my birthday is actually on Sunday), partially because there was a LOT of delicious food involved, but mainly because I was fortunate enough to celebrate it with some AMAZING friends who made me realize just how lucky I was to have those people in my life.

Now lets talk about the food. Friday night, my BFF took me out the "sceney" Japanese house known as RAW. Ironically enough, I actually worked here for a grand total of one day (10 hours) and then never went back after realizing I wasn't getting paid or fed for the hours I spent there. Luckily no one at the restaurant recognized me :p

yum yum yum!

my BFF!!!

After hearing about (and serving) their specialty rolls for quite some time, we decided it was best to focus on what the restaurant did best. The rolls are pricey (about 20$ for 8 pieces) but they are also very extravagent. To be honest, they weren't as grandiose or as big as I imagined them to be, but they were still delicious and VERY filling. The rolls reminded me of another sushi place called Bonjung located in Montgomery County (NW of Philadelphia). Funnily enough, I also worked at this place, but for a little longer (about 2 years).  Both places feature really amazing, over-the-top sushi rolls which will convince any sushi-doubter to turn into a sushi-lover.

TORIMY ROLLspicy tuna and eel roll topped with torched squid. garnished with eel and spicy sauce

The torched squid was not too chewy and really complimented the roll by giving it a subtle smoky flavor.

TRIFENA ROLL
shrimp tempura roll topped with eel, avocado, and spicy tuna. garnished with eel sauce and spicy dressing

I love shrimp tempura. What else is there to add?

WHITE TIGER white tuna and masago roll, topped with white tuna sashimi and spicy white tuna. seared for texture and garnished with scallions, red tobiko, eel sauce and cream sauce

Definitely the winner of the night. We ordered this after we were already stuffed and quickly devoured half of it before I realized I needed to take a picture. Personally, I find white tuna much more appetizing than regular tuna. It has a much less fishy after taste and the texture is also a lot smoother.


Was food really worth that much? Probably not. The decor, ambiance and service also all try to be more than it actually is. And for a Friday night, the restaurant was nowhere near as packed as Starr's El Vez across the street. However, for someone looking for some delicious and high-end sushi in a nice atmosphere, you might as well check out this place one time or another.

Overall rating: 3.75 out of 5