|
Review content:
Ironic that a stripper recommended this sushi bar to me.
Okay, technically friend who was dating a stripper took him and then he took me after. Clearly the first sounds better by a mile.
The restuarant is intimate and low-lit with a teeny tiny sushi bar as chefs seemingly squeezed in like sardines (wha-wha). What they lack in size, they gladly deliver with quality fish and good attention to detail. Our server (ask for Wanda) was very knowledgeable and polite, if not stern. You can tell she spoke with confidence the about their menu.
We took her advice and started with the conch—sliced thin then cooked in olive oil and soy sauce (kept thinking about Lord of the Flies—Piggy, ""I have the conch!""). To say nothing of the squid-like texture, it was actually addictive. Definitely eat this with a bowl of rice as it can be a bit salty by itself after a few bites on its own.
Wanda also suggested to peruse through the other specials. Took a dive at kurodai, or black sea bream, which is very close to red snapper in taste. Then the usual suspects like the buttery blue-fin toro (medium tuna belly for $10—yikes), uni (sea urchin—pretty fresh), hokkigai (surf clam—eh), ikura (salmon roe—usually this is salty and this was pleasantly not) and of course hamachi (yellow tail—nice belly slices). I need to point out that all of the sushi was prepared masterfully, almost too pretty to eat, really. Almost.
Other good stuff; tiger roll (freshwater eel, shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, and avocado drizzled with a sweet sauce) which was done very well considering this is a pretty tame dish; grilled hamachi collar was my favorite, prepared perfectly; sautéed clam sake butter (sautéed clams and garlic sprouts) had some sandy clams, otherwise quite tasty; and finally for dessert, an original house creation called Pa Pa Pa Parfait (vanilla ice cream whipped with tempura banana, strawberries, chocolate sauce and curiously, pretty sure it was garnished with Frosted Flakes)—a little too decadent but I saw the bottom of the glass anyway.
I love sushi and have circulated the local scene pretty hard trying to find a place I can simply be a regular in. This is not an all-you-can eat joint so if you're super hungry, be prepared to cough it up. I will say though: it's worth it.
By the way, this provocatively named restaurant is in an unassuming strip mall, and if you're driving and don't look hard, you'll pass it by.
Just try not to.
theunfoodie.blogspot
Pros: excellent fresh fish, good service, beautiful presentation
Cons: a bit expensive, a line a peak hours
|