Hotaru Japanese Restaurant, located at 33 E 3rd Ave. in San Mateo, serves delectable sushi and offers a casual ambiance.

They present a wide menu ranging from hand rolls to sushi sets, that are a bit pricey, but worth it.

I first ordered the Dragon Rolls to start my dinner. The Dragon Roll is comprised of avocado, unagi, rice, fish roe, and shrimp tempura. The rolls were soft on the outside and right when I got to the center, the shrimp tempura gave a nice crunch. The sweet unagi sauce perfectly complemented the salty shrimp tempura.

Then, I got the Chicken Teriyaki. The chicken was doused by their sweet teriyaki sauce. The chicken was cooked to perfection, tender, and tasted great.

After, I ordered the Chirashi Deluxe which is a compilation of unagi, shrimp, salmon, and other sashimi. Each piece of fish was delicate and fresh. All the sashimi just melted in my mouth.

To add to their great food, the service made me feel at home. They sat us down quickly and the food came out in less than 20 minutes.

Quality sushi and a nice staff makes Hotaru my favorite Japanese restaurant and I recommend everyone to go here – even if he or she is not a fan of sushi.

Rating: 5 out of 5
Price: $$$
Food: 5
Service: 5