1 Dec 2009: I am going to give great ratings to any sushi place that has a good vegetarian selection. Izu has several kinds of veggie maki as well as the standard tempura and salads. I got takeout (kamikaze maki) and watched the sushi chef putting it all together. Service is friendly and efficient. It was about 6 pm and the place was deserted -- hope they got more people in later on. I'll go back for eat-in sometime because it's a really pretty and warm environment.
8 Jun 2010: Finally got back there to eat in. It really is nice and quiet and comfy, and not too warm or cold. Again there were still not many people there. Service was friendly and efficient. My friend got the wrong tempura order and it was replaced quickly and without a fuss.
Now, the food -- I read something recently in which a sushi chef explained how each bite of sushi has to have a perfect balance of flavours. I think I might be just starting to understand this idea. I am by no means a sushi expert, but I know that the kamikaze rolls at Izu do it for me -- soft avocado and crunchy panko, mild rice and spicy sauce, and in a perfect big mouthful that you have to savour and pay attention to because you can't talk around it. (And you don't need soy sauce or ginger or wasabi.) Even though the flavours are delicate the combination is like sensory overload, and I'm satisfied after eight bites.