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The best place for sushi along the central coast of California is Akaoni in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is wonderful! This is a sushi bar in the classic Japanese style. The chef, Shinichi Yamada, was trained the traditional way in Japan and creates wonderful, delicious dishes with amazing skill. He buys his fish daily and never serves anything that isn't fresh. Beautifully prepared, I find the sushi and sashimi to be excellent. Shinichi’s sashimi presentations are something to see, especially the spanish mackerel.

He just recently got a some matsutake mushrooms from Big Sur and served them either in a delicious broth (served in a teapot) or as matsutake and uni tempura. Unfortunately, this mushroom is only available for one month out of the year. But this is an example of the love and dedication he puts into his food.

NW Mission and 6th
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Phone: (831) 620-1516

Kirara
33 Carmine St, New York 10014
Btwn Bleecker & Bedford St
Phone: 212-741-2123

If I was forced to choose one food I had to eat everyday, it would be sushi. Been going to Kirara on and off for many years. Like most places, the food quality is inconsistent. But recently, it got good again. I definitely recommend giving it a try.

Ed, you can get a great sushi dinner for under $50. Geido in Brooklyn (331 Flatbush Ave, near 7th Ave) is every bit as good as Blue Ribbon, albeit with a slightly narrower selection. But the quality (especially on the weekends, when Osamu is heading the bar) is as good as anywhere, and the atmosphere is right up your alley. Ok, it's no Masa or Jewel Bako, but a great restaurant that you can go to again and again. The standard for a regular is someone who has been coming every week for 10+ years.
I hate to make the line longer on the weekends, but it would be remiss of me not to stand up for the best sushi place in Brooklyn.... (let the battles begin)
Also, you seemed to have overlooked Tomoe, up the block from Blue Ribbon in the village. It's a little more bare bones than Blue Ribbon, but much cheaper and better fish. The service is more rushed, but I found more competent than at Blue Ribbon, where I have often had to wait forever for a server. Plus they have better specials. I still remember the tuna tartare with the quail egg.

Sorry forgot the phone numbers & comments.

Hiroshi Sushi (best) 926 NW 10th Avenue
Portland,OR
503 619-0580
Buri Belly - perfect marble & flavor (close yor eyes & smile) - everything tastes fresher than any sushi I've had yet. Wonderful presentation as well.

Murata
200 SW Market St #105
Portland, OR
503.227.0080
His salmon nigiri are the best out there (that i've had )

kim @ apizza scholls

-Don't forget that it's VERY easy to make your own Sushi. I buy some Nori [seaweed], Wasabi and pickled ginger from my Asian grocer and then roll my own Sushi with either Sushi-grade Ahi Tuna, cooked shrimp, steamed crab [or mix and match all of the above] and also include different veges [usually cucumber, avocado, carrot]. My favorite dipping sauce is Yoshida sauce...it's sooooooooooo good with some Wasabi mixed in and drizzled on a bite of Sushi. :)

There are some EXCELLENT Sushi lessons on Video Jug.

Buffalo, NY area:
Wasabi in Williamsville - Nigiri has generously draped portions of fish, a good but not wild selection of rolls. Teriyaki/tempura/etc entrees too, for an alternative to sushi. Opened recently, but the chef has been doing sushi in the area for a while. Nicer ambience than you'd expect from a restaurant in a plaza.
O, in Amherst - More of a club atmosphere, so they have interesting martinis available, and live music/dancing some nights. The sushi is good, and they're not afraid to make it spicy. A wider selection of rolls.
The smoked pork tenderloin with chipotle-bourbon sauce is really good too.

I also made a list of my favorites in Oslo, Norway. It might not be the best place in the world to get sushi, but we have a couple of good ones. Here goes.

1) Nodee, Majorstua - apparently, everybody's favorites in Oslo... And it is great, so just get in line!!
2) Nippon Art, Sentrum - it just feels more genuine than Alex
3) Alex Sushi, Solli plass - it is great. But still shi shi and expensive.

DC-area shout-out goes to:

Sushi-Ko
2309 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: 202.333.4187

Makoto (and the cheaper Kotobuki upstairs)
4822 MacArthur Blvd. NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202.298.6866

Hola from Manila in the Philippines!

I've had the pleasure of eating in some of the best sushi joints on both coasts of the US (some of my favorites in the East Coast: Sushi Yasuda, Jewel Bako, and Sushi of Gari) and some in Hong Kong and Singapore. But I must say that we have a select few over here in our shores that can hold their own against the best anywhere (a mean feat considering that Japan gets the bulk of our best sushi grade seafood! BOO!!!)

So, if you're ever in Manila, do check out:

INAGIKU
Location: 2nd Floor, Shangri-La Makati Hotel, Ayala Avenue at Makati Avenue, Makati City 1200 Tel. (63 2) 813 8888
Description: Yeah, I know it's in a fancy hotel, but trust me - it's worth it! When the hotel decided to renovate their Japanese restaurant, they also brought in an award winning sushi chef from Japan who was only supposed to stay for a couple of months but hasn't left since. My favorite? Engawa - a muscle that controls the fin of halibut. He carefully grills it with a blowtorch and brushes it ever so lightly with a slightly sweet sauce then envelopes it around a perfectly made ball of sushi rice. Makes you want to lick your fingers..

SUSHI TSUMURA
Location: 3rd Floor, Bankwise Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, Makati City 1200 Tel. (63 2) 812 8393
Description: Located in a nondescript building in the central business district, Sushi Tsumura to some is the best in the whole land. Though I don't totally agree that they're the best, their sushi is top notch most of the time (Yes, I've had mediocre sushi here.. but not often. Everyone has their bad days..) Nothing too funky here, but great on the tried and tested: Ikura, Unagi, Hamachi, Toro, Ama-ebi, etc. Most definitely worth the trip! Visit the sister restaurant as well -- KURATAKE over at Powerplant Mall, Lopez Drive, Rockwell Centre, Makati City Tel. (63 2) 8980509

SUSHI KAPPO KOBIKI-CHO
Location: Ground Floor, JAKA II Bldg., 150 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City Tel. (63 2) 7521280
Description: My newest discovery! Owned by the Japanese boss of my boxing trainer (funny, eh?) and located in a building that you will most probably drive by without noticing, SUSHI KAPPO KOBIKI-CHO serves some of the most exquisite sushi (dare I say this?) EVER, ANYWHERE. Toro that melts like butter in your mouth, the sweetest Uni, the softest cuttlefish ever, and the best MAGURO EVER!!! Maguro (Tuna) was my first ever sushi experience, so it's always been special to me, but never have I been as rapturous about Maguro than when I had it in Sushi Kappo Kobiki-Cho. My mouth waters as I write about it! MUST EAT IT!!! PLEASE GO!!! The only bad thing is that it's expensive for Manila standards, and the morsels of food are on the smallish side (after my first and only meal there, I got hungry about an hour later and went on a hotdog run). Then again, everything you put into your mouth is imported from Japan, so go figure. Go on a special occassion (payday, perhaps?) but by all means GO!