Rantei Japanese Cuisine is a popular, local spot in Santa Clara for sushi, sashimi, yakitori and more. They are known for high quality food at reasonable prices.
On the menu are appetizers (like chicken karaage and takoyaki); soups & salads; sashimi & sushi; entrees (like katsu don and curry katsu); udon; yakitori; and more.
We enjoyed a wonderful feast there and had the following:
Omakase sashimi: Chef’s choice of special nigiri sushi pieces. This was presented in a lovely set. We got the lobster, tuna, oyster, ikura on rice, shrimp, salmon, albacore tuna, fresh snapper and saba. A nice selection given and the nigiri was delicious!
Kaisen don: fresh crab, ikura, scallops, uni, and blue fin tuna toro over sushi rice
This came in a lovely wooden box. I think the best way to enjoy it is to scoop across the box wherever possible so you can get a mix of ingredients.
Nasu: Japanese miso eggplant
Bacon Mochi yakitori
Kawa (chicken skin) yakitori – crispy, chicken skin!
Ton Toro (pork jowl) yakitori
Edamame
Hot sake
Rantei has a mix of dining tables, seating at the bar as well as private tatami rooms which you can seat in without extra cost. We really enjoyed dining inside a tatami room for a more exclusive dining experience.
My favorites were the Chef’s choice nigiri; the kaisen don; the salmon carpaccio; and the eggplant.
The restaurant is very busy but the service is efficient. Be prepare for a bit of wait for a table or try visiting during off-peak hours. It’s worth it!
Check out my recap video below: