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

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

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