Tokyo Restaurant - Redlands

I've been to Tokyo Restaurant in Redlands, California many times over the years. They have wonderful sushi, a nice atmosphere and friendly service. What prompts this post is my most recent visit with a special guest, my granddaughter, visiting from out-of-town. 

Bug having miso soup.

It was just the two of us, her mother was out with my wife and I was the baby-sitter. Her parents lived several years in Japan and her oldest sister was born in Tokyo. They eat a lot of Japanese inspired food in their home, including lots of rice and fish. My daughter, Rachael, known in the blogosphere as La Fuji Mama, mentioned that my granddaughter, known in the blogosphere as Bug, really loves salmon. So I started to talk to Bug about going out for some "dead fish" when it was time for the two of us to be together. 

I ordered a variety of food, not sure what Bug would eat. I got a rainbow roll with four pieces of nigiri that I had them cut in half. I also ordered a salmon collar, some shumai, a Chinese type dumpling, and some pot stickers. Before I ate a bite, Bug had eaten seven of the eight pieces of nigiri - not the whole thing, just the fish off the top! She wouldn't touch the shumai, but she did go for some of the pot stickers. She ate the cooked salmon collar and also ate the raw fish off the top of the rainbow rolls, but only the salmon and the tuna - she wouldn't touch the white fish, or the California roll underneath it. When I asked her about it, she said she only wanted "real fish." 

Bug with a rainbow roll, four pieces of nigiri and a California handroll.

Pot stickers and shumai

Salmon collar

Bug is no stranger to chopsticks.

So I asked if she wanted more salmon, and I got a resounding "yes." So I ordered some more salmon nigiri and the waitress didn't even ask when she came to the table, she just put it in front of Bug. She'd been watching and I don't think they get many young children chowing down on sushi like that. 

Bug eagerly grabs for another chunk of salmon sushi.

For her second piece, she swished it around in the soy sauce, turned it over, and swished it some more, before finally plopping it in her mouth. 

It is always fun to have a companion that loves to eat!

A very good meal with a very special date.