Sushi in the Desert

I admit that for the past week, I have visited too many drinking holes to have time to jot down a few reflections on those experiences. I have some catching up to do. Last Thursday, “The Girls” and I met for sushi. Interestingly, Utah has quite a tally of sushi restaurants given that we are in the desert and are land-locked. It seems to me that there are at least 100. Contrast this with other major land-locked cities like Dallas and Denver which have over 200 while sea-faring cities like San Francisco and New York have sushi restaurants in the thousands. But considering the population comparison… I'd say we have a fair amount of sushi restaurants in the area. Some have faded away, others are strong contenders, then there are the trendy spots and of course those that are cheap and satisfy a craving on the go. Well for “The Girls” night out, we tend to go on the higher end of the scale. In the past, we have met at other acclaimed sushi restaurants Mizumi, Tsunami, Ichiban and Mikado. I wanted to try something new so I did some research on Yelp and Takashi showed as the #1 reviewed restaurant. With everyone’s approval, we were off to Market Street which hosts some of the most highly reviewed restaurants in Salt Lake like the New Yorker and the eponymous Market Street Grill.

Takashi is an intimate restaurant that seats about 80 people by my assessment. It has a modern, chic atmosphere created by Rothko-meets-Warhol type paintings on the wall and a large, mesh fish sculpture hanging from the ceiling complimented by Ikea-like bubble chandeliers. The sushi chefs are visible from the brightly lit bar working rapidly and efficaciously on their award-winning concoctions. There isn’t any music lulling in the background which I appreciate so as not to distract from any interlocutions. The crowd consists of range from hip, 30 somethings to a select amount of business folks. It doesn’t seem to have an air of pretension – the staff are professional, prompt and staying busy. Valet parking is available or you can park in the lot across the street for $5.

It is important to note that your whole party needs to be present to be seated. One may conveniently sit at the bar and order appetizers and drinks while waiting for your party. Take a look at the cocktail menu which features some unique mixtures and ingredients; it is clear that the Mixologist is adventurous. One of The Girls ordered the Shima Saketini which is “inspired by Caribbean painkillers”. I just love that description. It has an odd but still appetizing combination of Saketini with orange, coconut and cinnamon. I ordered a drink which was basically spiked salsa. I’ll update the blog later once I find out the name of it. It had jalapeno, cilantro and Japanese rice vodka. The rolls which are equally experimental as the drinks as they are a fusion of unlikely culinary marriages.




I was in a punchy mood so I wanted to continue the spicy theme from my drink to my food. I ordered the Shishito peppers (the sauce has fish so I just ate them with soy sauce). Now they aren't really that spicy, although this is coming from someone who originates from cajun country and has a higher tolerance for heat than the average Utahn. I am vegetarian, not a pescatarian mind you, but can always find some great veggie rolls at any sushi restaurants. Takashi is no exception as they feature some great options for those of my eating persuasion. My favorite roll was the the Buddha, a fried roll containing sweet potatoes which was flavorful and hearty. Takashi features a number of spicy entrees including their hyped “Strawberry Fields”, located on the Beatles section of the menu which has other famous tunes you can eat like “Yellow Submarine”. "Strawberry Fields" has the obvious ingredient of strawberries but what you might not expect are the other food pairings of chili peppers, almonds and eel sauce. One of The Girls interjected throughout the conversation calling out the spiciness of the roll.

For you non-vegetarians, the fish eaters were very pleased with the meal and said they would come back again. Takashi has fish flown in daily – although I hear that fish just does not taste the same after 6 hours from being caught. Takashi cooks a sizeable amount of their menu offerings, however, and indicated which rolls are cooked with an asterisks; this proved helpful for the pregnant women at the table. I went back to Takashi two nights ago with some co-workers visiting from out of town, one of whom used to be an experienced sushi chef from Cleveland via the Bay area. Given that he offers a thumbs up and comes back consistently when in town, sushi goers can be rest assured that Takashi has received rave reviews for a reason.

How does Takashi compare to others sushi restaurants in Salt Lake? Well I used to frequent Ichiban on a weekly basis and while their rice is incredible, their rolls are unimaginitive in comparison. It can house a lot of people though and is therefore a good option for large parties. Tsunami tastes great and has creative rolls and I would put it just below Takashi. But remember, I am vegetarian and have a limited opinion on this matter of sushi restaurant rankings. I like Mikado for their sake samplers and Mizumi has good Purple Haze but I think Takashi takes the cake for creative cocktails and a variety of good sake. But there are some places I have yet to try like Shamu Shamu and the Naked Fish which are also acclaimed by locals.

Readers, if you would, place a comment stating 1. Your favorite sushi restaurant 2. Why you like it 3. Which has the best drink menu/and or sake offerings and 4. Best cheap and/or quick sushi. Also, how do you think sushi in Salt Lake compares to that of other cities? Where is the best sushi you have ever had in your life?

The Girls and I do this at least once a quarter to catch up on our lives as they have changed through the years and our conversations typically revolve around dating, marriages, babies and work, which is where we all met some years ago. I am the only single one of the bunch so I think they invite me along to hear lively tales about my travels, encounters and my sometimes outlandish behaviors. While I travel to a fair degree, it’s nice to have some exotic places to go to in my own back yard and I place Takashi in the category of a nice getaway in one's own city.