Fish noir

The opaque screens and tan wood trim on the front windows make the interior of Nagato Sukiyaki look, at best, muted. Other than two blowfish—one large and one small—above the corner of the small sushi bar and a rich blue noren above the entrance to the kitchen, there isn’t a lot of color to the eatery, which also sports several seriously cracked seats in desperate need of new upholstering. Certainly, it’s easy to believe, as its website says, that this is the oldest Japanese restaurant in Sacramento; its doors opened here 41 years ago.

And yet, business is brisk—perhaps due in part to its longevity—with most seats at the sushi bar taken. It’s obvious that a good number of patrons have been here before. Several are greeted by name. Perhaps another part of the attraction is the menu with sushi rolls priced well below the mid-to-high teens prices found at places such as Mikuni Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Sushi Hook or Nishiki Sushi. The most studious reader of Nagato’s menu would be hard-pressed to find much of anything more than $10, a welcome discovery in these trying economic times. Still, it’s easy to wind up with a $30 tab.

Another bright spot is what pal John Lovell, a law-enforcement lobbyist in the Capitol, says he enjoys most—the sushi chef, owner Don Kawano, who is particularly gregarious and engaging with the counter’s clientele, extolling virtues of simple rolls such as albacore, avocado and jalapeño that are unsullied by myriad sauces.

“The albacore is going to melt in your mouth,” Kawano tells one patron with conviction. “A real fresh, clean roll,” he says of another creation, this one involving asparagus.

There’s also a discussion of the merits of Tasmanian snapper and the wild Japanese variety. Freshness is without question.

The menu runs the gamut of Japanese cuisine: somen, soba, udon and a variety of generously portioned bento boxes. There’s a goodly chunk of yasai mono, vegetarian dishes, including noodles, sukiyaki and curry—a more syrupy concoction in Japan than Thailand, for example.

Among some of the whiteboard specials are pepperfin—sashimi and jalapeños in ponzu—and fresh oysters. One of chef Kawano’s is a salmon fusion billed as “Japanese ceviche.” Here again, ponzu plays a big role and the use of jalapeño is understated, almost nonexistent. The mound of daikon threads sometimes overpowers the combination of salmon, paper-thin red-onion slices and avocado resting above and beside.

Another house creation is the Rice Krispie Roll with a fried-rice exterior. Inside, there’s crab, spicy tuna—not spicy enough—and avocado. The four large doorstop-sloped pieces lie at the edge of a sea of mae ploy and Thai sweet-and-sour chili sauce. Bits of crab fall into the chili sauce and prove challenging to dredge up with chopsticks. A fingertip works best. Tear Gas Roll is another hit with its tuna, yellowtail, salmon, green onion and wasabi combination.

Nagato describes its gyoza as “famous.” Its version of the Japanese pot sticker does taste like the real deal, with nice spots of crispness on the flanks. The rakkyo (pickled scallions) look a bit like cocktail onions but have none of the pungency, sharing the understated semi-sweetness of Nagato’s freebie of pickled shredded cabbage. There’s also a distinctive maple lilt to the miso.

As to service, it is friendly when received. Follow-up at the tables after the food is delivered is spotty. Water glasses stay empty awhile. This is not as big of an issue at the sushi bar, obviously, because of Kawano’s proximity to customers. The kindly matriarch doing most of the serving on the floor, however, does show concern over the length of time it takes to slap together an order of saba nigiri—two pieces of Spanish mackerel on rectangles of sushi rice. The warmth of Kawano and the familiar feel of a long-time, quiet neighborhood fixture are the restaurant’s trump cards, however. Nonetheless, more interior light would be welcome.