The other day while we were on our way to go run some errands in Fairfax, a small, blue restaurant sign caught our attention. It read, “Blue Ocean Japanese Restaurant.”

The two of us had never heard of this place, let alone noticed it among the many shops in Fairfax plaza, including Trader Joe’s and Chuck E. Cheese. However, at that exact moment in time, we decided that we must experience this place for ourselves.

We arrived at 4:50 p.m. and we are surprised to find out that the restaurant did not open until 5 p.m. The ten-minute wait, however, was all worth it as soon as we entered the building.

The walls were covered in a serene bamboo paneling, which instantly made us both relax. The room was well lit, as it had both a large front display window as well as hanging light fixtures working in its favor.

The staff was friendly and efficient, immediately seating us as soon as we arrived. The Blue Ocean Restaurant had an extensive menu, filled with a multitude of dishes that varied both in flavor and in price. Small appetizer plates were available for around $7 and full course; traditional Japanese dinners for two could be purchased for $69 if customers called in advance.

After pondering the menu for a few minutes, for neither of us could decide if we were in the mood for sushi or something new, we ultimately decided to order soba noodles and a side dish. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat and are served in a broth similar to chicken noodle soup.

One of us ate the sansai soba noodles, which had a medley of vegetables in the broth, while the other had the tempura soba noodles, which came with a side of vegetables fried in the delicious tempura batter.

Each main course came with a salad topped with a delicious Asian dressing. In addition, we ordered some edamame as an appetizer. This brightly colored vegetable takes on the appearance of a green bean. However, it is served cooked and has a coarse outer shell with a texture comparable to a peach. You do not eat this shell, but merely suck out the small beans on the inside.

Although the quantity of food we ordered was considerably less than our first culinary conquest, this meal still stuffed us to the brim. Our total bill came to be $26, meaning that our adventurous tastes only cost our wallets $13.

Upon leaving, our waitress gave us a warm and friendly goodbye, bowed respectfully and told us she hoped we would return again soon. After that delicious meal, we will definitely be making a second visit.