Yuzen Japanese Restaurant

Yuzen, US 101, Seal Rock, tel. 541-563-4766, eight miles south of Newport, is a Japanese restaurant with an oddly Bavarian facade that is worth putting on the brakes for. Country-style Japanese food at moderate to expensive prices attracts crowds Tues.-Sat., so avoid peak dining hours. In addition to sushi ($3.95-6.50) and miso soup, less well-known fare such as fish noodle soup, yuza (pork-minced rock shrimp with vegetables in a dumpling), and syo-yaki (a small whole broiled fish encrusted in salt) leave room for new discoveries. To enjoy a high-priced gourmet treat at a moderate price here, we recommend sharing an order of Shabu Shabu (paper thin beef, fresh vegetables, and tofu boiled in a pot and served with three gourmet sauces). With salad and dessert, three people could get away with paying less than $15 apiece. Dinner entrees range $10-16. You can enjoy Yuzen’s more sushi-oriented Lincoln City outlet at 828 NE Hwy 101, tel. 541-557-6000.