There are many stories of people eating raw sushi, only to find tapeworms in their body. At Shiki Bistro, set that fear aside and enjoy some creative flavors of sushi. And if you are over 21, enjoy their innovative cocktails, which take an Asian spin on typical drinks.

The delicious sushi is on another level. The care and creativity put into the dishes show the dedication of the chefs. From the designs to the flavor of the rice; customers can taste the effort the chefs place in their dishes. They are no longer mere sushi rolls, but masterpieces worthy of museums.

Yet the price is the major downfall. The portions are small, and the price is high. Expect to spend $17 on six pieces of sushi.

From top to bottom: natsu roll, spider roll, caterpillar roll, California roll, 49er roll; all good, but all pricey.

The cooked dishes were okay. They are not worthy of just going to the restaurant just to try. The pork katsu is bland, and the only flavor is the crunchy plainness of the bread crumbs on the dish. Try dousing it in soy sauce, but expect it to be soggy and sad. The rice is pretty fluffy, but it is something that can easily be reproduced by even the lousiest of chefs. The only positive is that it comes with a free bowl of miso soup. But it is more like a bowl of salty water, with no bits of seaweed or tofu.

A McDonald’s chicken nugget would be preferable to the bland pork katsu.

The service was slow, even though there were very few people dining at the time. The waiters took about 40 minutes to bring just one platter of sushi at a time. When asked for extra soy sauce or wasabi, they seemed more annoyed than helpful. Though the design and the lighting of the restaurant gave off a high-class feeling, the manager was far from it. He walked around scowling and glaring at customers who took a longer time to pay the bill, and ignored others.

So if you want to eat good but expensive sushi, all while being glared at and rushed by slow servers, Shiki is the place. Located on 825 Laurel St., San Carlos, it is not far from Carlmont.

3 / 5 plain bowls of miso soup