Fried oysters. I don’t know why but I never remember what they taste like and the first bite is always a surprise. We were at the Irish pub in the afternoon with a gathering of men who weren’t invited to a nearby baby shower. I guess you could call it a bachelor outing except I believe we were all married, two of us to each other. Later that night, I ended up at Sushi Jin. They were advertising both sushi and ramen, or in other words, two kinds of food that have almost nothing to do with each other. For another example, see the banner for a Logan Circle “Chinese Sushi and Wine Bar,” which has been “coming soon” for at least a year and a half. If they keep putting off the opening date, I’ll have to tone down my heated anticipation. Anyhow, to sum up: Specialization is often wise, and fusion comes with peril. But in this case, I’m happy to say that at Sushi Jin, the sushi was more than acceptable, and the ramen I ordered seemed excellent. It tasted like chicken soup with seaweed. The restaurant is in a narrow space tucked into the middle of a commercial block in downtown Silver Spring, and it’s a good place to meet someone late at night and have a deep conversation, or not.

(Photo: Pike Place Market, Seattle, 2009.)

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