Red Crane is an Asian Fusion restaurant located in a small area of Cupertino (near Home Depot, for you home repair lovers!). Yes, the food is a tad on the pricey side; however, I feel as though this place is a must try (at least once, especially if you live around this area). The restaurant itself is small, wedged between a row of other small stores, so it may be hard to spot!
As I went with a group of 4, we ordered a “Salmon Tartare” ($9), the “Rainbow Chirashi ” ($18), “Shaking Beef” ($17), and the “Char Siu Marinated Sea Bass” ($20)… along with several bowls of rice ^^
This dish was one of my favorites. I once had a bad experience with tartare at some French restaurant, so I was very reluctant to try this dish. However, it was amazing. Perhaps it’s also because I am now a converted fan of raw fish (Hooray for sashimi!). The chips placed on top of the tartare was crunchy adding in the desired texture to contrast the mushier feel of the salmon. The bits of pickled cucumber and diced shallots mixed within the salmon added a delectable texture and flavor – a bit of sour crunch in every bite.
First of all, I MUST comment on how gorgeously the dish is decorated. I love the way the sauce + wasabi fans on the plate, and the different color placement of this dish makes each individual sashimi pop out. This dish contains soft shell crab, tuna, yellowtail, scallops, and salmon. All the ingredients were very fresh and clean – no fishy smell or taste!
Sadly, my picture doesn’t do this dish justice (-Sigh. Camera phones…-), but this dish is the perfect dish to pair with a bowl of rice. The beef was cooked to approximately a medium well, yet it retained the soft texture – it was not hard to chew at all. The black peppercorn sauce had a tangy zing that complemented the beef (and rice) well!
This was by far my favorite dish. The one downside? It was way too small. And the four of us just devoured it. The sea bass itself was soft, and every bite felt like butter melting in your mouth (yes, that smooth). The outer edges of the fish was slightly crispy (which is probably due to the sauce which has some sugar in it, leading to a slightly burnt edges) and very flavorful. I could not get enough of this dish! Just too amazing.
The Red Crane
7335 Bollinger Road,
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 725-1990
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