I'm from Japan and have tried numerous Japanese restaurants in Portland, (a majority of which are surprisingly good!), but I never would have known that the best Japanese restaurant in Oregon would be tucked away in the basement of a small building in Hillsboro. Although the location is nothing like the fancy Pearl District where Hiroshi and Sinju are located (both of which are wonderful restaurants), Syun offers an ideal menu based solely off of authentic Japanese izakaya food - food that is, for the most part, fried or grilled with the exception of sashimi. Izakaya food also is designed to go well with sake and beer for izakaya means, 'drink place'. Tempura and lightly fried fish, vegetables and meat thrive here but the difference between Syun and other Japanese restaurants is that Syun's menu features a wider array of delicious, beautiful and, often times, funky dishes for diners. Another fun and convenient aspect of Syun is that the menu is full of dishes designed to be shared in a more hors d'oeuvre like fashion as opposed to each person ordering one thing for themself. If in a group, try ordering six or seven different dishes to sample, and as for me, I have confidence in anything that comes from Syun's kitchen, so I order that day's specials. Specials are always a treasure, featuring delectables such as grilled saltwater fish with lemon and daikon, or wild shiitake sauteed in butter. The sashimi at Syun is always a knockout too. Well above everywhere else, Syun's food tantalizes the senses and will make you feel as though you are in Japan, if only for an hour or two.
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