I didn't go to Oyama Sushi with the intention of reviewing it, but the food was much more elegant than I was expecting for such a small, strip-mall type restaurant that I decided it was worthy of a review. In a sea of Downtown Walnut Creek restaurants, many of them sushi joints, Oyama Sushi doesn't necessarily stand out from the pack, other than looking like it might actually exist somewhere in Tokyo.

The whole visit was spur-of-the-moment. I was looking for a restaurant that was suitable for a casual business meeting, where my underdressed cohorts would feel appropriate. In a place like Walnut Creek, this is harder to find than you might think, and the restaurant still had to satisfy my gourmet sensibilities in order to justify my dining there. Not that the restaurant is too casual or seedy, but relatively the restaurants in the area are largely posh and overly fancy, so Oyama Sushi filled the bill perfectly.

The sashimi and sushi at Oyama is very reasonably priced, and I was happy that they made custom handrolls. I ordered a couple of these and a tempura roll, and we shared a sashimi platter. Everything was lovely, and I do recommend this place, although I think it's more of a lunch spot for the professionals in the area.