One of the best sushi establishments in Utah, Tsunami now has three locations. The third and newest location, in the river bottoms at 106th south, in South Jordan, just opened, and I figured that would give me a good excuse to put up a review. The other two locations are Sugarhouse (their original location), and Fort Union.

The Tsunami restaurants are, I will admit, a little trendy for my tastes, and not very traditional at all. The first time I walked in to the Sugarhouse location, I felt a little out of place. The clientele seemed to be lots of young hipsters and older, wealthy people. The new location seems to cater more to the BMW and Mercedes crowd, but if that doesn’t put you off, you definitely need to check this place out.

I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t tried any of the regular menu entrees at Tsunami. I go to Tsunami for their sushi, which is excellent. Their selection isn’t vast, but what they do have is very high quality. They have the usual (in North America) plethora of rolls and other ‘tame’ stuff you’d expect to find, as well as nigiri and sashimi. They do not have temaki, or hand rolls, on the menu, but if you politely ask your sushi chef, they might be willing to make one for you.

My last trip to Tsunami was at an odd time (about 4:30 in the afternoon), so I enjoyed the undivided attention of an excellent Itamae named Scott. I asked him what was fresh, and what he recommended that day. His tastes, apparently, run very close to my own. He started me of with some seared maguro (tuna) sashimi that was served with some green onions, daikon radish, a shiso leaf, and a special dipping sauce. I’m not usually a fan of seared or grilled fish, but this was excellent. The maguro was very tender, almost like tuna belly, and the flavor was very bright and not at all fishy. This is definitely worth trying.

After the sashimi, I had some Scottish sake (salmon), which was excellent. It was a farm-raised salmon, but it tasted more like the wild varieties. According to Scott, this salmon is raised in deep waters in a much more sustainable manner than domestic farmed salmon. However it was produced, it was very tasty – tender and flavorful.

The most wonderful thing I enjoyed that day was some kampachi nigiri. Kampachi is a Japanese Amberjack. This was a new fish for me, and it was just delectable. Scott prepared the kampachi nigiri with a little course sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. He then advised me to use just a drop or so of soy sauce. This was nearly a religious experience. I have to admit that this was the best nigiri I have ever had. I am totally in love with this fish prepared in this manner. The sea salt provided a slight crunch, and brightened the texture, while the lemon juice made everything just come alive. The touch of shoyu was just the thing to tie everything together. It was perfect. After I declared my delight with this fish, Scott mentioned that he made a special roll with kampachi that is not on the menu. This roll included kampachi, jalapeño pepper and mango, and is dressed with sea salt and lemon juice. I told him that I thought it sounded amazing, and he was kind enough to make for me a small sample of the main ingredients – some jalapeño and mango, sprinkled with lemon juice and sea salt, and then rolled in a piece of kampachi. After I popped it into my mouth, I thought I would just die from delight. He truly hit the magic spot with that combination. The next time I venture to Tsunami, I’ll find Scott and ask him to make one of those rolls for me.

So, if you’re not put off by the trendy/rich crowd, try Tsunami. The food is excellent, and the service is very, very good. I always leave there happy, and I’m sure you will too.

–Jason

A quiet little place in Provo’s Riverwoods, Shoots restaurant is a fabulous place to eat. I’ve been several times now, once with a business group, once with Joe, and once again with my family. I have to say that this is one of the two best Chinese restaurants in all of Utah County (the other being Four Seasons Hotpot and Dumplings). The food is fantastic, the restaurant is always clean, and the staff are very welcoming. In fact the owner, Gary, is also usually waiting on customers and making sure everybody is happy. He works hard to make his customers feel at home in his restaurant, and I think it really shows. He is a wonderful and charming person and I appreciate his friendliness. The last time I was at Shoots, I brought my wife and our three kids (all under 5) with me. My two-year-old was not feeling very well at the time, and was a little fussy. Gary came out several times, making a big fuss over the children and won smiles from each of them. It sure made them happy, and helped their parents to not be too stressed out about their kids behavior in public.

Okay, so now that I’ve told you about the atmosphere, let’s move on to the cuisine, shall we? As I mentioned before, their food is fantastic. It always tastes much more fresh than almost all of the Chinese food that you can get in Utah. They have the usual assortment of traditional Chinese fair, but Gary has added a few things to the menu that you don’t usually see. He has some delicious salads, Honey-Roasted Walnut Shrimp, and a Salt and Pepper shrimp or chicken that are just fantastic.

To start your meal at Shoots, I’d recommend the Po Po Platter: a appetizer combination of egg rolls, two kinds of fried wontons, fried shrimp, barbecued pork and beef skewers that are served on a platter with a flaming brazier in the middle. You can roast the meat over the brazier before you eat it, so that it will be very hot, with a nice charred crust. If you like hot and sour soup, Shoots’ is some of the best I’ve had.

As for the entrees, take a look at the menu on their website. You really can’t go wrong. Because of the quality of ingredients that they start with, the beef at Shoots is so much more tender and delicious than you would expect to find at a Chinese restaurant, so definitely try the Mongolian Beef, Tangerine Beef or Beef with Broccoli. I have tried several of their shrimp dishes, and haven’t found one I didn’t love. The noodles there are fantastic too.

For beverages, you have the usual choices you’d find at any good restaurant, but they also serve green, oolong, and jasmine teas. Something you might want to try, however, is the boba. It is hard to find in Utah (in fact, I think that this is the only place in Utah county where you can get it), and most people here don’t even know what it is. Boba actually refers to an ingredient in the drink (largish tapioca pearls), rather than the drink itself. The drink originated in Taiwan, and was first made with tea. Nowadays, however, you can find boba served in smoothies, milkshakes, and other beverages. Shoots serves theirs in several flavors of smoothies. The drinks are served with a straw that’s about a half an inch in diameter so that the boba can be sucked up with the smoothie. The first time you try this chewy beverage, you will probably be a little surprised by its texture, but you will soon become addicted. It’s definitely something that you should try.

A final recommendation is Shoot’s shaved ice dessert. This is not your typical snow-cone — it is served in a bowl and will feed several people. Their dessert is a small hill of shaved ice in the center of a large bowl, over which is poured some strawberry syrup, heavy cream, and then your choice of up to three fresh fruits. It’s truly beautiful. The next time I go, I’ll try to take a picture of this (and our entrees) to get your mouths watering.

So, to sum up: Shoot’s is a fabulous restaurant with fresh ingredients and an exceptional staff. Try it once, and I guarantee you’ll be craving it fortnightly.

–Jason

Sam Hawk Korean Restaurant is located in a seedy-looking strip mall in Provo. The atmosphere outside leaves much to be desired, but inside, it is a little better. They have some attractive decorations, and you can tell that they worked hard with what they have and taken pride in their appearance. So, if you want atmosphere, go to Pizzeria Seven Twelve or Yapona. Now, if you want some really good Korean food, then Sam Hawk is the place!

I have been to Sam Hawk several times now, and I have never been disappointed with the food. The have great appetizers, like the traditional Korean seafood or green onion and kimchi pancakes, and maki-sushi like rolls containing korean ingredients. Their Bulgogi and Daeji (pork) Bulgogi are excellent. Their Kimchi Jigae (a very spicy, very hot (it’s served while still boiling) soup or stew made from kimchi, red pepper, pork and some vegetables) is also fantastic. They also serve japchae (Korean chop suey), Duk Mandu Guk (another Korean soup), and many other soups, noodle dishes, and various meats and seafood.

All of their entrees are served with traditional banchan or small side-dishes. You will find in your assortment of banchan such items as kimchi, sesame flavored bean sprouts, boiled peanuts, sweet potato, pickled cucumber with a spicy sauce, and others.

I am a fan of Sam Hawk, and look forward to returning. This is definitely a place worth trying.

–Jason

Good sushi is one of the few foods that can be as healthy as it is delicious. Those who know Joe and I know that we love sushi. I am enamored of the food not just because it’s tasty, but also because of how it looks and how it makes my body feel. Sushi really is an art form. Well prepared sushi is a beautiful thing to behold, and it pleases the eye whilst pleasing the palate.

Because I am such a fan of sushi, I have eaten in many, many sushi restaurants. One of the restaurants I frequent is The Happy Sumo at the Riverwoods in Provo (there is also a Salt Lake location in the Gateway). The reason I go back to this place is because it is much closer to my office than either Yapona or Tsunami, and because it is occasionally very good. Usually, however, it is mediocre.

The service at The Happy Sumo is usually fairly ambivalent towards the customers, but there are a few waitresses that are very friendly and helpful. In particular, my waitress this evening, Jessica, was very nice. She has waited on me before, and I always appreciate her friendly smile and careful attention.

So, why do I say that the food is often mediocre? Well, let’s take tonight’s meal as an example. I ordered some tuna and salmon nigiri and a “Marz Roll” for my entree. The tuna was very stringy. This isn’t something that you want in sushi. The salmon was good though. All of the rice I ate this evening was pretty mushy. Sometimes, the Marz roll has a very bright flavor, and a nice variety of textures. Tonight, it didn’t really have either. It was fairly bland, with all of the textures (mushy rice, un-crispy tempura shrimp, crab salad, tuna sashimi) blending toghether. The last time I was here though, my roll was terrific. I also ordered some Hokkigai (surf clams), which were beautifully presented, but they were tough and dry around the edges and seemed to be freezer burnt.

Tonight, I also ordered a dessert — the “Mount Fuji”. This was a “chocolate lava cake” served with ice cream and whipped cream. When my dessert came, it was served on a heavily chipped and cracked plate (the NSF and health departments have rules against serving foods on cracked or chipped porcelain, as they can harbor microorganisms, even through washing). The cake had good flavor, but the texture was rather course. The ice cream that came with it was freezer burned and grainy. All in all, it was a disappointing dessert, although it had great potential.

So, what’s my overall take on The Happy Sumo? Although I am often disappointed when comparing it to the likes of Tsunami or Yapona, it is a fairly decent place to grab a bite to eat.

–Jason

A recent find (introduced to me by Joe), Phở Green Papaya has become my absolute favorite Vietnamese restaurant. The ingredients are fresh, the atmosphere is classy, and the service is impeccable. There is an incredible variety of selections on their six page menu. Although I have by no means tried them all, everything I have tried has been top notch. Their prices are reasonable too — my most recent meal, consisting of tea, an appetizer, and a large bowl of phở, came to less than $19, including a generous tip.

When you go, start with an appetizer. Though not typical Vietnamese fare, their chicken satays are fantastic — coconutty, lightly sweet, moist and tender. I like the fresh spring rolls (Gỏi cuốn), but their crispy, deep fried rolls (Chả giò) are also excellent.

If you like tea, they have a broad selection of green and black teas, as well as a couple of herbal tisanes, all served in a cast-iron tea kettle. I am a big fan of green tea, and I always order a pot when I’m there. I especially love Chinese jasmine pearl tea (Dragon Pearls), jasmine scented green tea leaves and sometimes a jasmine flower, hand rolled into small pearl-sized balls, and was delighted to find it on the menu. If you like teas, try it — you won’t be disappointed.

The first time I went, I had the Bún bò Huế — a mildly spicy soup noodle soup originating in the town of Huế, in central Vietnam. This soup, although a Vietnamese noodle soup, is very different from phở. For starters, the broth much more substantial, red, and flavored with lemongrass and shrimp paste, rather than star anise, cloves and ginger. The noodles are different too — thicker and closer to spaghetti or soba noodles. Finally, the meats served in this soup are much different than what you would typically find in a bowl of phở. Typical ingredients include marinated brisket and slices of various Vietnamese sausages and meatloaves. Phở Green Papaya does it right though. To the usual assortment, they add a pig’s knuckle (ham hock to the Southerners) some cakes of coagulated pig’s blood, and a couple of other meats. I’m not much for the blood cakes, but the rest of it is truly fantastic. This is real comfort food.

The second time I went, I had the phở. I ordered their house special version, which included rare steak (it’s put into the bowl raw, and it cooks by the time you eat it), both lean and fatty flank, brisket, beef meatballs (bò viên), tendon and tripe. This was far and away the best phở I’ve ever eaten in a restaurant. The broth was clear and clean, with a heady aroma of star anise and other spices. The meats were perfectly prepared, with the tripe being cut into thin, lacy shreds and the tendon cut into nice, thin, manageable strips. Words (at least my words) just can’t express how good this soup was.

Needless to say, I will return again and again. If you are looking for some good Vietnamese cuisine, Phở Green Papaya is the place! Even if you are a little timid, you should try this place. Order the phở tái bò viên — phở with steak and meat balls. This is an exceptional soup, with no ingredients that would be intimidating to an American palate (such as the tripe or tendon in my soup). This is my four-year-old daughter’s absolute favorite food.

–Jason

Where do I start with Four Seasons? This place is one of my very favorite restaurants in all of Utah. Run by one of the cutest couples I have ever met, this is a family business in every sense of the word. The restaurant, for the most part, serves two things: hotpots and dumplings (did you expect something else?). The hotpots are cooked in the traditional way, at the table by the customer, and the dumplings are made fresh to order by the owners. I love watching the couple that run the place make their dumplings. They so obviously enjoy each other, it is a joy to watch them work together.

They serve several different kinds of dumplings: boiled and steamed Jiaozi, tasty Xiao Long Bao, and my favorite, fist-sized Baozi; all served with their special dipping sauce. You can choose from a variety of ingredients for the dumpling fillings. You can choose vegetarian dumplings, or you can choose from pork, chicken or beef. Once you’ve chosen a base, you can choose several from any number of vegetables to add to the fillings. The dumplings will then be prepared for you by the proprietors as you wait. These are seriously delicious dumplings. The Jiaozi are not unlike what are commonly called “potstickers”, however they are steamed or boiled, rather than being steamed and fried. These are very light and tasty. The Xiao Long Bao are like small purses (about the size of a walnut). These are then steamed to perfection. These are also very light and fairly healthy. The Baozi are much larger, about the size of a fist, and are a different animal entirely. Made from a raised dough, and filled with a larger quantity of fillings, these are not as light as the other dumplings that you can find here. They are, however, very good, and I highly recommend ordering one per person to eat with your hotpot.

Now, for the hotpots! If you are having a hotpot for your meal, you first choose a broth. You can choose from a chicken broth, a Chinese miso broth (great with seafood), or my favorite, the hot and spicy broth. If you can’t make up your mind, they have a special pot with a divider down the middle that will allow you to have two broths in the same pot. Once you choose a broth, they make it in the kitchen and then bring it, boiling, to your table. The pot of broth is then put onto either an electric or gas burner at your table to keep it boiling. Once you have your broth, you can go to the ingredients buffet and choose from a wide assortment of ingredients to put into your hotpot. Included in the array are the standard pork, chicken, and beef (all raw), as well as some other, more exotic ingredients. You can choose Chinese meat or fish balls, tofu skins, shrimp, eggs, a wide assortment of vegetables, noodles, and much more. Dinnertime has an even wider assortment of seafood, including mussels, fish, whole jumbo prawns, and squid.

Once you have your plate full of raw ingredients, you bring it back to the table and begin to cook them in the broth. Everybody puts a few ingredients from their raw plate into the broth, and as they cook, you remove them. You will have a second plate on which to place the cooked food. There you can dip it into the house special dipping sauce, or as Joe calls it: Awesome Sauce, and then eat it. It’s a really fun meal, and as you cook as you go, it’s great for socializing with those at your table.

Once you have eaten what you like from the ingredients bar, your broth will have become fantastically seasoned. Now for the best part: take some noodles and put them into a bowl. If you like, add some vegetables or other ingredients (choose ones that cook fast), and ladle in some of your broth. Now, eat one of the best soups you’ve ever had!

After your meal, the host or hostess will invite you to help yourself to the ‘dessert freezer’. Inside the freezer is an assortment of ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and other frozen treats. It makes for a pretty good bargain as meals go, especially since a drink is also included.

I just can’t say enough good things about The Four Seasons. The proprietors are so warm and inviting and the food is just excellent. Also, while not the most kid-friendly of meals, the restaurant itself is very kid friendly. Joe and I brought our families once, and our kids were treated to plastic cups and plates which had fun Asian cartoon characters on them. The kids loved them, and it was obvious by their kind words and doting attitudes that the couple that run the place were very happy to see them.

I’ve gone back here many times, and will continue to do so. I feel it is important to support small businesses like these, especially when they are so fantastic. Please give this restaurant a try, I’m sure it will become one of your favorites as well!

–Jason

Located in a desert (both climatically and culinarily speaking) American Fork, UT is not the kind of place you’d expect to find terrific sushi. Yapona, however, serves just that. Their specialty rolls and their nigiri and sashimi are always very fresh. I must admit, however, that I did have to send a traditional roll back once. It seemed that they had made several of them and put them in the fridge to hold until they were ordered. This is a terrible practice, as the rice gets gummy and the nori gets soggy. That single incident aside however, I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my other experiences with this restaurant. I’ve eaten there 7 or 8 times now, and have been quite pleased each time. Their signature “Yapona Roll” (shrimp tempura, cucumber, unagi, and crabmeat; rolled in tempura crunch topped with avocado, spicy scallops and eel sauce) is amazing. Another of our favorites, though not on the menu, is an inside-out, spicy tako roll (spicy octopus and cucumber). Their udon soups are fantastic, and they have several salads that are just terrific. I highly recommend the sunomono salad (fresh cucumbers marinated in their chef’s special sauce. You can add shrimp, crab, or octopus if you’re feeling adventurous).

And then, there are the desserts… They have your traditional cheesecake. Rich, moist, and delicious. They also serve a Mango Coconut Mousse that is excellent. My absolute favorite, however, is the “Pyramid Noisette”. The noisette arrives as a marbled chocolate pyramid on your plate. Once you pierce the chocolate shell, you will be treated to fantastic chocolate ganache enveloping a sublime hazelnut mousseline. Though not a traditional Japanese dessert, this is one of the best desserts in any restaurant in Utah. The noisette alone is worth the trip.

It has been our experience that most of the truly good restaurants (the ones that aren’t chains, and don’t serve giant quantities of meat and potatoes) don’t last long in Utah County. I sure hope that Yapona defies this rule. It is one of the best restaurants in Utah.

–Jason

Update (28-Jun-2008): So, just a quick note. We went back to Yapona today to take some pictures for inclusion here. The restaurant’s manager came out and curtly asked us to delete the pictures we had taken and not to take any more. So, this review shall forever remain devoid of pictures of the food. It’s a shame. The pictures were good, and the food was awesome.

–Jason

Update (20-Jul-2008): So, I was working my 3rd weekend in a row this weekend and thought I’d earned myself some sushi. I returned to Yapona by my self today, and so sat at the sushi bar. The itamae (sushi chef) today was named Nas. I highly recommend his work, as this was some of the best sushi I’ve had anywhere, ever! I sat at the bar and ordered genmaicha, a seaweed salad and a Yapona roll. I then asked the itamae to prepare for me a few pieces of nigiri, whatever he felt was good today. He very graciously provided me with my salad, presented much more elaborately than usual, as well as taking much more care in the presentation of my Yapona roll. The nigiri, however, was the best treat. Not only did it taste very fresh, but a finer presentation has not been seen anywhere. My hamachi (yellowtail) was sliced perfectly, with both the pink and white flesh in each piece. It was then served with a small garnish of scallion and a dab of sauce on top. Very interesting, and definately tasty. The tuna nigiri were served with thin slices of avocado on top, and the salmon was garnished as well. The plate came with the usual wasabi and gari (pickled ginger), but Nas also added a few slices of takuan (pickled daikon) to the plate to enhance the experience. I wish I had a picture of this lunch for you all, as it was truly as site to behold. This was one of those rare meals where you don’t want to eat the food for fear of spoiling its beauty.

My meal today was very fulfilling, and not just to my palate and stomach, but to all of my senses. I was truly pleased with this meal, and it was made all the better by the fact that I could just sit an enjoy it slowly rather than rush and leave. I can’t wait to go back.

–Jason

Another update (8-Sept-2008): I was back at Yapona today with a crew from the office. I went to the bar to ask one of the itamae what was good today. One of the itamae that I particularly like, Jedediah, was working today, and he offered to make us “…something not on the menu. Something that would blow [our] minds”. How could I refuse such an offer as that? So, with that, I went off to the table to inform my co-workers that we were in for a treat. The roll we received was something that only Jedediah makes. He calls it “The One“. Out of respect for the restaurant (which, as we’ve already said, is a little touchy on such things), I won’t disclose here what’s on it. If Jedediah reads this post, and wants to describe it, I’ll let him comment. Let it just be known, however, that the roll did live up to its advertising. We were very, very pleased.

So, if you are looking for something different, and a little spicy, go to Yapona, find Jedediah, and ask him for “The One“. You won’t be disappointed.

By the way, if you take our advice, and seek out the itamae to ask what’s fresh, and if you are pleased with their suggestions and service, please tip them in addition to your server. These guys put a lot of effort and care into your sushi, and if you ask something special of them (well worth it), please show them your gratitude in the customary way. That way, you’ll both be happy, and your next meal of sushi will be even better.

–Jason