A Succulent Sushi Success

Alright, after the negative-nancyness of last night’s entry, I felt compelled to bring some positivity to this infant blog. In the month or so that I’ve been living in Arizona, there has been one thing that has made this cross-country relocation bearable enjoyable – weekend trips to Scottsdale, AZ. This oasis just outside of Phoenix is full of great shopping, a variety of enticing restaurants, and a handful of entertaining nightlife hot spots. Last weekend, my roommates Bryan and Andrew and Andrew’s girlfriend Stef made the well-worth-it 3 hour drive to Scottsdale for a short weekend getaway. After lounging at the pool all day, we debated where we’d settle in for dinner, but left it up to birthday-girl Stef who had been craving some sushi. So, we browsed a few reviews and menus online and decided to give Sushi Roku at the W hotel a try.

I didn't know Japanese could be so hip

Truth be told, Sushi Roku was pretty impressive - the ambiance and decor, the service/wait staff, the menu, the food, even the furniture drew considerable attention. After (thankfully) catching the last 5 minutes of Sushi Roku's top notch happy hour (featuring apps & rolls from $3-5 and 60 oz pitchers of signature cocktails for just $15 - we snagged 2 with literally seconds to spare on the bargain, phew!), our waiter Zach walked us through their menu and suggested going with a family style approach by ordering a selection of hot/cold apps for sharing. We agreed on Edamame, Japanese Yellowtail Sashimi with diced Chilies in a Ponzu sauce, Tuna Sashimi Carpaccio with Sesame Soy & Garlic Chips, Popcorn Rock Shrimp Tempura in a Spicy Miso Glaze, and Filet Mignon Wrapped Asparagus with Soy Mirin Sauce. Each dish was thoughtfully presented, properly prepared and down-right delicious. The sashimi dishes featured the freshest fish I’ve ever tasted—a highly unexpected surprise given my low expectations for good Japanese food out here in Arizona. In fact, New York, I’m very very sorry, but these delicate pieces of Yellowtail and Tuna set the standard for sashimi freshness and quality. My only complaint was that the fish itself was of such a high-grade, it didn’t really need to be paired with such bold sauces. The sauces, though delicious, threatened to steal the fish’s thunder, and I found myself wishing I could more thoroughly enjoy the fish’s taste. The staff, including the hostess, bartenders, and our waiter, were refreshingly personable and professional and really helped to make the experience a memorable one. Our waiter even offered to help us cut the line upstairs at The W’s 24 hour dual pool and nightlife hot spot “WET” later that night. I left Sushi Roku satisfied, rejuvenated, and excited for the long night of dancing ahead. Thank you, Scottsdale, for giving me faith along this quest for good eats in this strange territory I’ve entered.

Summary
“Sushi Roku” 7277 E. Camelback Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85251 http://www.sushiroku.com/

Ratings
Food: Delish
Service: I left wishing the bartenders and waiter were my friends. Just kidding, but seriously – they were fun, personable, and professional - unlike all some of the waittresses we've encountered here in S.V. who are utterly devoid of personality.

Atmosphere/Décor: Dark, traditional Japanese with a chic contemporary spin? Whatever, it was tight inside. Google image it, you’ll see.

Recommendations: Happy Hour is a must, and the Tuna Carpaccio was mmmmmm good.
Overall experience: Can’t wait to go back, hopefully if the owners have some spare time they can write “Feast” a manual on running a restaurant and spare poor Tucson from that dining tragedy.

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Well, writing this entry is making me considerably hungry. I’m off to roast a pork loin and attempt to find a way to salvage the green beans that have been comatose in our fridge for far longer than I care to admit…