Locally Grown: Mitama

Remember that one time when I said I was going to eat at all the places in my neighborhood I hadn't tried yet? Wasn't that an excellent idea? Especially the part where I didn't do it.

But wait! I finally did. Here goes, the inaugural meal in the soon-to-be-infamous Locally Grown series, brought to you by The BCB.

The other night was my first dinner at Mitama, a newish place (one or two years old) less than 10 minutes away by foot. It looks friendly and it's usually packed, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything other than convenience—it's the only sushi joint along that stretch of College. It also replaced the beloved Buttercup Café, so that's a wee pinprick in my back. But deep down, I suspected greatness. It just had that vibe.

There was no line at 8 p.m. on a Sunday, a promising start. I'm not a fan of the marathon waiting list, even though it seems to be a point of pride for most Bay Area restaurants. Then they had an eggplant and garlic appetizer on the list of specials . . . my idea of heaven on a little white plate. I ordered that to start, then an avocado roll and inari.

Just the basics. When a sushi place makes good inari and knows how to pick an avocado, most vegetarians will leave happy. (If you're looking for a review of their fish, try here.)

All three dishes were excellent, fresh and clean and carefully arranged. The inari wasn't too sweet, the eggplant was cooked just enough and spiced well but sparingly, and the avocado tasted like the reason why I live on this coast. Their green tea was a little bitter, but that's a preference thing, not a quality thing. The wine list was brief, straightforward, and Californian.

Mitama (fresh, simple, tasty) is located at 3201 College Avenue in Oakland.