Bad sushi in Gainesville: Shooting Star is more like falling star

Good sushi, at the very least, should be fresh and refreshing. Not every sushi restaurant boasts a hip atmosphere or an experienced staff, but most serve sushi-grade fish and sticky rice. Regretfully, Shooting Star does not even live up to the fresh factor that makes sushi a Japanese favorite.

A Saturday night visit to the free-standing Shooting Star restaurant in Gainesville's downtown area seemed inviting. The inside, with a black-light-lit jellyfish tank and a full-service bar, exuded an ultra-cool vibe.

The bubbly, self-proclaimed "waitress extraordinaire" suggested the salad with the Shooting Star special dressing made from pear and ginger ($3). The rest of the moderately priced menu mirrored most other Japanese restaurants with an assortment of typical sushi rolls and hot rice bowls. Desserts appeared more promising with tempura cheesecake ($5) and green tea ice-cream ($3) highlighted.

After a 45-minute wait and only one apology, the salads were served. When asked for forks, the waitress simply forgot and left it up to those of us eating to get up and hunt for cutlery. An additional 20 minutes later, the main dishes were served. Somehow the hot chicken "donburi," or rice bowl, was served before the sushi was brought out. The sushi had to be consumed while the rest of the table sat and watched.

The chicken donburi had pieces of raw chicken, and the mango salmon roll, with avocado, was more of a mango-rice roll than any type of salmon or avocado roll. The little salmon it did have still had the skin and scales on. The extra-charge eel sauce was more of a thick syrup than a dipping sauce.

The waitress said that the manager was too busy in the back, so he could not hear customer concerns. Ten minutes later, a woman (supposedly an owner) arrived at the table, sternly asking what the problem with the food was. After an explanation and display of the disappointing, unappetizing food, she yelled in protest. She reached into the half-eaten donburi bowl to prove the chicken was not raw, put a piece into her mouth, and continued yelling and pointing fingers with the inedible chicken in her mouth. So much for the customer always being right. Tempura cheesecake was thus out of the question; I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I left my plate of uneaten, scale-y sushi and made a b-line for 101 Downtown, where the food is always superb. My hungry tummy still wanted dinner even at 9:30 p.m.

With so many wonderful and tasty sushi joints in Gainesville, Shooting Star is certainly not the only option for Japanese cuisine. Instead, try Tatu (1702 West University Ave., 352.371.1700) or Ichiban Sushi (4401 NW 25th Pl., 352.375.8880), which both promise fresh, innovative sushi rolls and attentive service as well as hot choices.

The only wish upon a shooting star I wish I made was to not have even walked in the door of this unappetizing, unfriendly eatery.

Shooting Star - for the senses (on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the lowest rating)

Noise: 1

Smell: 1

Taste: 0

Sight (presentation): 1.5

My end of the date rate the plate: Don't even think about forking or spooning. Shooting Star is bad news bears, bound to lead to sickness.

Monster subs and ice cold beer: Hogan's

Hogan's beer and subs (Photo from Hogan's)

September is the month of the Great American Beer Festival, so in honor of it, reach for a big, cold one.

Hogan’s, open late, is home to loaded subs and chilled brewskis, on tap and bottled. With sports games on the TVs, domestic pitchers for $6 a pop and pitchers of import for $8.50, let sipping on beer serve as social shindig.

For those hoping to hitch a beer deal, Hogan’s is also home to those. Domestic drafts are 75 cents from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday through Friday. All-American Monday boasts 50 cents off domestic bottles; Tuesday promises 50 cents off all German bottled beer; Wednesday features 50 cents off Irish bottles; and Friday slices a whopping 75 cents off Mexican bottled beer.

Heck, you can even win a “World Tour” T-shirt if your buy one of each import bottle on the “Tour the World” card Hogan’s provide.

And where there’s good beer, there’s even better subs ($4 to $8). Hogan’s doesn’t skimp on the meat or the veggies, and they’ll even hot press your hoagie to melt the cheese and warm the bread. Boutique-y sub toppings, such as Munster cheese and sweet peppers, make Hogan’s heros stand out from all the rest in Gainesville. You can customize your own or chose a deli favorite.

But be prepared to wait. Every sub is made to order, so even orders to go can have you waiting 15 minutes.

Since you’re gonna have to wait anyway, you may as well order the works…a few types of meat, a couple of cheeses, all the vegetables with extra pickles, oil, vinegar, honey mustard and then some. Whatever you do, have fun with it. Then, wash it down with a gulp of your third or fourth iced cold ale, if your stuffed stomach permits.

For the Senses (on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the lowest)
Noise: 2 (even louder when there’s a sports game on)
Smell: 2.5
Taste: 3.5
Sight (presentation): 2

My end of the date rate the plate: The footlongs are forkings you don't want to pass up.

Hogan's

5156 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, Florida

For more check out my Web site.

Just peachy: Peach Valley Cafe

Greek omelet with baby spinach, feta cheese and roasted red peppers, served with breakfast potatoes and toast

With the first Gator football game of the 2009 season and labor day all falling on the same weekend, the buzz in and around Gainesville is contagious. Alumni are returning to catch the first game. Friends are visiting to experience the Gator spirit and families are taking advantage of the long weekend by pouring into town.

To kick the football weekend off, head to Peach Valley Cafe, off of 34th Street, which serves up food for champions. Breakfast is available all day long, lunch is served starting at 10 a.m. and dinner's available by 4 p.m. Plus, the portions are big. One buttermilk pancake fills an entire dinner plate; wraps are served with salty fries, coleslaw and a pickle; and omelets are come with some combination of crunchy breakfast potatoes, flaky biscuits, stick-to-your-ribs grits, fried bacon or sausage.

I went this weekend with a group of girlfriends and one of their mothers in celebration of life, good friends, good football and a great start to the school year. Though I was the only one hungry for lunch, I chowed down on my chicken curry salad wrap, and the rest of them happily devoured their breakfasts.

The waitstaff at Peach Valley Cafe, composed of mostly college kids, can be a bit testy, but special orders tend to come out correctly and hot. The restaurant itself, while nothing spectacular to look at, has plenty of seating areas, which keeps the line on a Saturday morning moving swiftly.

Sitting outside with a large party (so long as you don't mind the heat) is a pleasant way to enjoy hearty food and the beaming Florida sun. For those more inclined to strong air-conditioning, the inside is fine too.

No matter where you chose to sit, before you growl in The Swamp, fill your growling tummy with Peach Valley Cafe. For breakfast or lunch, it's just peachy for a pre-game bite.

For the Senses (on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the lowest)
Noise: 1
Smell: 2.5
Taste: 2.5
Sight (presentation): 2

My end of the date rate the plate: Worthy of another fork. Not the best I've ever had, but it'll do.

Peach Valley Cafe

3275 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, Fl, 352.3761834.

For more, check out my Web site.