I've visited Portland for over fifteen years and have always been dragged by my business associates (locals) to restaurants which have Maine's best lobster rolls, lobster stew, crab cakes etc.\r
After raising my cholesterol by many points, I would always glance at the waterfront and notice Sapporo. When I queried my companions, they told me, ""Oh don't go there, the owner is Korean and nobody in Portland makes really good sushi.""\r
This year I changed my schedule and had some time for myself. I therefore made my first foray into Sapporo. First off, the owner is NOT Korean, but even if her were, his sushi preparation rivals some of the best I have ever sampled in California, New York and Chicago! I used to think that Katsu in Chicago had no equal in technique, but Hayashi in Sapporo is either tied or a very close second. In the future, I will forgo the lobster and make Sapporo my first dining choice in Portland. A truly pleasant discovery.
more