Sushi Most Satisfying
A daredevil attitude — at least when it comes to sushi — can be very rewarding. So I learned during my introduction to this cuisine roughly 10 years ago. I was at Ruby Foo’s, a theatrical, kitschy restaurant located in New York’s Times Square. The proximity to Broadway provoked me to take a bold move. Rather than starting with the ubiquitous California roll (cooked crabmeat, cucumber and avocado), I went with the more exotic barbecue eel. I didn’t think about what I was actually consuming; rather, I let the taste buds take over. This delicious concoction of subtle flavors and creamy textures melted together in my mouth. After that, I was hooked.
Those who love sushi know it can be quite addicting. A recent visit to Sapporo Japanese Grill and Sushi in the Highlands reinforced that notion.
Sapporo did not intimidate, as sushi restaurants can. It actually simplified the experience. Each laminate menu came with a condensed paper menu with boxes for us to check off as we ordered. After deciding, we simply handed the paper to our server. The sushi rolls were served in six to eight pieces, so it might be best to order conservatively. They came out fast, unlike some other local sushi eateries where it can seem as if you’re waiting for a fresh catch to be flown in. Nothing was over-the-top, as I’ve found at other sushi restaurants where the ingredient combinations just don’t work. And dishes were presented with a bit of name-calling humor — the Big Mouth, the Rookie and the Playboy all helped make the unfamiliar sound familiar, if nothing else.
The venue radiates a nightlife vibe with a pulsating techno music soundtrack and sleek metal bars (one for spirits and one for watching sushi chefs). High-rising flames and the sound of "oohs" and "aahs" from the hibachi grill area in an adjoining dining room add to the theatrics. An aquatic theme washes over the dining room, with sea life painted on walls and ceiling fixtures configured in pronounced curve-like waves. I must confess, however, that the neon green and purple lights that zigzag across the walls and the paint colors dated the decor — I couldn’t help but feel like I had stepped back into 1984, half-expecting the original cast of Miami Vice to join me at the bar.
There were some gems on the appetizer menu. The Dynamite ($6) blended sticky sweet sushi rice, chewy baked scallops and mushrooms under a creamy brown caramelized sauce, presenting a delicious earthy and sweet combination. Shrimp shumai ($5.50) were steamed dumplings that included shrimp in the doughy filling as well as perched atop each tiny mound. The shrimp taste lingered throughout each fluffy bite while a sweet ponzu dipping sauce nicely soaked the porous dumplings. White tuna tataki ($9.50) could ease even the wary into sashimi (raw fish). Beautifully plated, thin slices of white albacore tuna sat in a tangy brown sauce surrounding an elevated mound of slightly tart relish. The dish was topped with sweetened scallions and a dollop of red roe (fish eggs). Each fish slice had seared edges but remained tender and succulent in the middle and was elegantly set off by the sweet scallion and tart relish.
For those beginning to acclimate themselves to sushi, the futo maki roll ($6) artfully displayed a tame amalgam of sweet egg omelet, crabmeat, avocado, cucumber and kampyo (Japanese squash). The Sunset Roll ($9.50) added some oomph to the typical California roll by topping it with pink salmon and a thin lemon slice. The refreshing zest added a citrus flair that brought out the salmon’s nuances.
Carnivores will enjoy the hardy Red Bull ($13), rolled-up spicy crab, scallions and beef tataki (seared sirloin) dressed in a sweet house sauce. The medley of cooked beef with cold rice, delicate crabmeat and sweet sauce presented a nice assortment of textures and flavor. Sapporo also offers Japanese noodle dishes, teriyaki chicken, salmon, beef or red snapper, and salads and a large menu of Japanese beers, sake and wine. Entrees arrive with a heavily salted butternut squash-colored miso soup (sprinkled with tofu and seaweed), and a simple iceberg lettuce and tomato salad covered in a creamy, sweet ginger dressing.
I tried the beef teriyaki ($18), which plated grilled pieces of sliced New York strip steak glazed in thick teriyaki and doused with sesame seeds. A potpourri of bland sauteed vegetables offered nothing more than color; the potatoes, particularly, were undercooked. The steak, however, was tender. I also revisited my old friend, barbecue eel ($16) and once again fell under the spell of the thin slices of this delicate snakelike fish that were served around a white rice mound. The eel had a creamy, sweet texture — a definite must-try.
For dessert my server recommended two ice creams, green tea and red bean ($3 each). The mint-colored green tea was fragrant and refreshing. With its jelly bean-like texture, the slightly chewy alternative was made with kidney beans. To my surprise — but not my server’s, who predicted that I’d prefer it — I enjoyed the bean more than the green tea.
If You Go
Sapporo Japanese Grill and Sushi, 1706 Bardstown Road, 479-5550. Open Sunday through Wednesday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 5:30 p.m.-midnight.
