Thursday, October 1, 2026, 2:00 AM - 5:00 AM · Nisei, Russian Hill, San Francisco
Nisei kicks off StarChefs Rising Stars Restaurant Week, running September 30 through October 14, spotlighting pastry chef Ellie Estrada-Londo. Her desserts include a bonsai set with black sesame soufflé cheesecake, goat cheese foam, and matcha air.
A stark, black-carpeted dining room in Russian Hill (with a white banquette and little else) keeps the focus squarely on a 12-course washoku tasting menu where every dish looks restrained and tastes anything but. The potato croquette hides uni and smoked pepper relish, the unagi arrives grilled over binchotan with just two shishito peppers, and the suimono broth looks like water but tastes impossibly complex. A Michelin star arrived in the restaurant's first year, and the $223 tasting menu makes a strong case for a special occasion.
Grilled eel over binchotan charcoal with two shishito peppers and soy glaze.
Creamy potato croquette filled with sea urchin and smoked pepper relish.
12-Course washoku menu by Chef David Yoshimura, California-sourced, Michelin-starred.