Matsuri

150 Elden St.
Herndon, VA
Phone: 703.707.0367

Cuisines:
Japanese

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
No

Nearby Metro Stops:
None nearby

Price Range:
Expensive

Dress:
Business Attire

Noise Level:
N/A

Reservations:
Not needed

Best Dishes
The menu is long and varied. As at many Japanese restaurants, sushi occupies a prominent place. Here, it is excellent: The seafood is fresh, well carved, and well presented, and the portions are ample. Tuna, yellowtail, several types of clam, white fish, and octopus are examples of what's available. Supplementing the customary list are several rarely seen specials listed on a blackboard near the sushi bar. White tuna and live scallops are often available. Deep-fried shrimp heads are another treat. If you're a sushi fan and don't mind spending $7 or $8 for a treat, order these specials. The appetizer and salad lists are longer than most. When ordering keep in mind that the meal comes with a fine miso soup and a house salad made mostly of iceberg lettuce. Among the appetizers to savor are the yakitori of grilled chicken on skewers, deep-fried scallop and shrimp on skewers, steamed shrimp-based shu mai dumplings, char-grilled rare tuna with ponzu sauce, jaw of yellowtail, and tempura. Other salads include seaweed, avocado, and calamari. It is truly difficult to go wrong with a main course. Tempura--shrimp, vegetables, or a combination, ranging from $11 to $18--is crisp and without excess oil. Similarly priced teriyaki plates include not only chicken, beef, salmon, and shrimp but also tofu. The sauce is lively with the barest hint of sweetness. There is a good selection of katsu, the breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, chicken and fish, served with the house's excellent rice. Prices, averaging around $13, are higher than similar presentations elsewhere, but the quality is very good. Diners who want to stay under $10 for the main course might consider some of the large bowls of steaming udon or ramen noodles with vegetables and some seafood added. The section marked "specialties" offers some special treats. Sukiyaki, cooked on a grill placed on the table, is very good. The portion of sliced beef, tofu, noodles, and cellophane noodles is generous for $18. Yosenabe, a bubbling and lively fish broth loaded with a variety of seafood and vegetables, is another winner. Salmon shioyaki, broiled and salt-seasoned, was perfectly cooked and especially generous for $16. Broiled orange roughy Misozuki, marinated in a soybean sauce, was very good, too.

Price Details:
Lunch main courses $10 to $15, lunch buffet $11, dinner main courses $8 to $30. Dinner for two: about $80.