Kyoto Gift & Food
Nestled in a cozy little plaza in National City, Kyoto Gift & Food is an initially unassuming spot that ends up really wowing you.
I am super into anything and everything Japanese, so I was really excited to read about this spot in San Diego Magazine’s ‘South Bay’ edition, which highlighted this as one of Chef Phil Esteban’s favorite restaurants. That’s saying a lot and I definitely trust Phil’s taste!
Initially entering Kyoto Gift & Food, you are welcomed with a variety of Japanese snacks and trinkets. It’s on the smaller side, feels like a home, and at first, I was thinking to myself, “Sushi, where art thou?” since it was not immediately apparent that sushi was sold here. However, lo and behold, the sushi restaurant is actually hidden in the back of the establishment, so be patient and keep your eyes peeled! When you get there, you’ll be greeted by owner, Wilmer Braulio, as well as his colleagues, prepping some of the freshest sushi you’ll ever eat.
So funny story - as I was reading the San Diego Magazine, I had noticed Wilmer and how much he resembled one of my coworkers, Wilson Braulio. They literally look like clones of each other and their names are just too similar to not question any potential relation. Long story short, I found out they are indeed brothers, so of course I had yet another great reason to go and support Wilson’s brother, Wilmer!
Wilmer is seriously such a cool, funny, real, and genuine guy, as well as the other guys behind the sushi bar. He’s been making sushi for 10+ years and has trained with highly experienced sushi chefs in the past. With his sushi wisdom and knowledge, he ended up opening this hole in the wall sushi joint, leaning more towards the traditional side of sushi.
The sushi here is delicious and affordable. We got a few salmon sushi options, as well as an unagi handroll, and we were in heaven. There is limited seating in here (bar style), which feels really intimate, and we were able to have great conversations with the team.
During our visit, we also got to meet a sweet family who happened to be regulars at the shop. They openly expressed how great the Kyoto Gift & Food team is, and that you’ll never meet any guys cooler than them. Well, after my visit, I must agree! They were already so great, but what sent the whole experience over the edge was the fact that Wilmer kindly gave us a torched salmon belly each. You can tell that sushi is his love language, and we felt very loved being gifted that perfectly torched and delectable offering.
Our experience here was so fun and memorable. I love little spots like this and as a fun side note, Wilmer also has his own YouTube channel where he streams every Wednesday, in which he invites guests into the restaurant, and asks them to pick random ingredients for him to incorporate into a creative meal. Really cool concept and hoping to partake in the future!
Kyoto Gift & Food, you are truly a gem :)
