Sato Sushi Bar & Restaurant

PHOTO COURTESY OF EAT | BY DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

By Kim Fuller Published in EAT Magazine

Above the long sushi bar at Sato, uniquely-shaped lampshades each cast an individual glow, illuminating a row of guests holding chopsticks and grabbing bites among their ordered selection of rolls and sashimi.

Another low-lit bar nearby houses Japanese libations. Bottles stand as a backdrop, lined up for a unique taste of culture or a specialty craft cocktail. Try fine Japanese whiskey like Nikka 17-year whisky and Nikka Coffee Grain whisky, or order craft Japanese beers and Ramune Japanese soda for the kids.

Duck Confit and Forbidden Truffle Risotto, with ginger-thyme dewmi-glace, cherry syrup, chive oil.

“The Nikka whiskey sour cocktail with Yuzu and lemongrass simple syrup, and a Hot and Spicy mocha with Patron Cafe, cayenne, chocolate, and espresso are sure to warm up your winter nights,” says Dominique Taylor, bar manager.

Sato also has an extensive list of sake to sip. It’s the ideal drink alongside clean cuts of fresh raw fish.

The new Eagle Roll, created by sushi chef Peter Ma, is wrapped in sesame-crusted salmon and filled with seared tuna and tempura asparagus, drizzled with a unique sweet and spicy sauce.

Executive chef Atsushi Minami says he and his staff strive to make the dining experience memorable, and meals there certainly seem to stay on my mind for a while.

Here’s a “must order” from the menu: the spicy tuna sashimi salad, to share or on your own. It’s a mound of tuna sashimi mixed in with macadamia nuts over a base of scallion oil and chili oil, and topped with the most beautiful, flower-like avocado crown and served with crispy wonton chips. The dish is visually striking, and succeeds as a delicious play on a tartare.

Don’t fill up so much on sushi that you miss out on an entrée. The pine nut-crusted salmon filet falls right off with the light press of a fork, and the Italian flavors all meld beautifully with the side of purple cauliflower puree and drizzled scallion oil.

Minami has also created a new duck confit entrée this season, served with a forbidden rice risotto. He’s taken a very classic dish and infused it with distinctly Asian flavors in the rice and through seasonings in the curing process of the duck.

Complete your evening with a Sato favorite — the white chocolate bread pudding. It’s served with a warm, white chocolate sauce that melts its way into your mouth and into a blissful finish. •

Price
Appetizers: $4-$24; Entrées: $22-$34; Sushi rolls start at $10
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Ambiance
Sushi bar and restaurant
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Signature dish
Spicy tuna sashimi salad