On the Bridge

News alert: Japanese food isn't just about sushi and tempura. This was a fascinating fact I learned when I visited On the Bridge in San Francisco's Japantown. On the Bridge is a little Japanese restaurant in the Japantown Mall. The restaurant specializes in Yoshuko Cuisine which is the Japanese take on Western Cuisine such as Okonomiyaki Pizza and Mentaiko Spaghetti.

The food at On the Bridge is hands-down delicious. Every item we ordered was divine, even if our mouths were on fire. On the Bridge offers 20 different kinds of Japanese curry. You can have it mild, medium, spicy, x-spicy, xx-spicy, and xxx-spicy. I ordered the medium curry; I don't think I had a taste bud left on my tongue after I finished. I imagine the xxx-spicy to be on a Man Vs. Food on the Food Network. It has to hurt.

Besides the delicious and creative food, the decor in the restaurant brought a smile to my face. The owner put it perfectly when he described it as, "Anime/Jazzy Design Atmosphere." The walls are plastered with Anime posters and the shelves full of plush dolls and other trinkets. We had the pleasure of sitting at the long counter that spans the length of the restaurant. From that vantage point we could inspect all the toys behind the counter, as well as chat it up with the owner and daughter. This is truly a mom-and-pop establishment as the mom said to us when we finished eating, "You ordered too much food, but you ate it all. Good. Good." I felt as if my own mom was giving me a pat on the back.

If you are looking for a culinary adventure and you find yourself in Japantown, look no further than On the Bridge. It was a delicious meal and a fun experience (and I learned a bit about Japanese cuisine).