Category Archives: Sushi Bars

Tomodachi Restaurant

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Exterior
Interior

**** (4 stars)

This is an excellent choice for a neighborhood sushi restaurant, as evidenced by its popularity. The quality and variety of the fish is excellent. Just be aware that portions are very large, so don’t over-order like we did. For example, an order of salmon sashimi included eight pieces! Service is on a tag team basis, and worked very well.

Tomodachi Restaurant
2779 Agoura Rd
Westlake Village, CA
91361
(805) 777-7578
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tomodachi-restaurant-westlake-village

Kabooki Sushi

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Entry
Interior
Chef Henry Moso
Sushi bar
Sushi bar
Interior
Interior
Bar
Menu
Flounder, kanpachi, hamachi
Octopus tempura with squid ink sauce
Lobster
A5 Wagyu and hot rock
Dessert sampler
Private wine lockers

***** (5 stars)

For years I’ve been saying that Kabooki Sushi on Colonial is the best restaurant in Orlando, even surpassing Disney’s super upscale Victoria and Alberts. With this new location near Sand Lake Road’s restaurant row, Chef Henry Moso has even upped the ante.

We’ve had sushi at Nobus and Morimotos all over the world, and none of them comes close to what is happening at Kabooki Sushi. The complexity of the sashimi preparations and the extreme attention to detail, especially on the omakase are simply unsurpassed.

This new location also lets Chef Henry demonstrate his interior design skills, with a build-out that is beautiful, trendy, upscale and welcoming all at once.

We attended a soft opening and already the service is at peak levels, with everything running like clockwork in a packed restaurant on only its third day.

This place is going to be the biggest hit Orlando has seen in a long time, for both tourists and locals, so make sure you have a reservation, because word has already spread.

Kabooki Sushi
7705 Turkey Lake Rd
Orlando, FL
32819
https://www.yelp.com/biz/kabooki-sushi-orlando-3

Ploy Thai

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Front table

Duck

Interior

**** (4 stars)

Terrific Thai food is served in this charming restaurant that’s been in business for 17 years. It is definitely a family run operation, from the gracious hostess to the chef. The restaurant is named after the owners’s daughter, Ploy, who has grown up with it.

All of the Thai favorites are here. The appetizers, while fried, aren’t to oily, and I’m a particular fan of the Talay.

Ploy Thai
1941 W Brandon Blvd
Brandon, FL
33511
(813) 684-5007
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ploy-thai-brandon

SUSHISAMBA – Las Vegas

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El Topo

Peruvian sea scallops

Kanpachi, yellowtail and yellowtail ceviche

Pumpkin spice old fashioned for Thanksgiving!

Interior

**** (4 stars)

Very good sushi with a slight Peruvian spin, such as the sauces used for the sashimi preparations. Fish quality was good, and service was friendly. Chill vibe.

SUSHISAMBA – Las Vegas
3327 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV
89109
(702) 607-0700
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushisamba-las-vegas-las-vegas

SUSHISAMBA – Las Vegas

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El Topo

Peruvian sea scallops

Kanpachi, yellowtail and yellowtail ceviche

Pumpkin spice old fashioned for Thanksgiving!

Interior

**** (4 stars)

Very good sushi with a slight Peruvian spin, such as the sauces used for the sashimi preparations. Fish quality was good, and service was friendly. Chill vibe.

SUSHISAMBA – Las Vegas
3327 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV
89109
(702) 607-0700
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushisamba-las-vegas-las-vegas

Blue Fin

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Interior

Salmon Burger

Chef Boo’s Chirashi Bowl

**** (4 stars)

Restaurants near Times Square don’t need to be particularly good to have a steady stream of customers, so I was pleasantly surprised by Blue Fin.

The narrow first floor space is pleasant and airy, and a broad staircase leads up almost two floors to an expansive and lovely upstairs dining room.

The restaurant offers a combination of cooked food and sushi, and we liked everything we tried. The standout was actually the Bang Bang Edamame, which had been tossed in a wonderful kung pao sauce. Chiriashi was also good, with a nice assortment of fish, although definitely Times Square priced at $33.

Service was friendly and profewssional.

Blue Fin
1567 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 918-1400
https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-fin-new-york

Deep Blue

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Interior

Menu

Chirashi bowl

**** (4 stars)

This place has surprisingly decent sushi for an airport. The interior decor is pleasant; and it’s arranged into two bars, one where the emphasis is drinking, the other for dining. There are also some tables. And of course the mandatory televisions.

All the sushi we had was good, if not cheap (it is, after all, an airport). Be warned, though, that the crudos don’t really match their descriptions (shishito peppers became jalapenos, ingredients were missing) and the ones we tried were both topped with unmentioned olive oil.

Service is pleasant but leisurely, so this is a good choice if you have plenty of time.

Deep Blue
John F Kennedy International Airport
Terminal 5
Jamaica, NY 11464
(866) 508-3558
https://www.yelp.com/biz/deep-blue-jamaica

Samurai Blue Sushi & Sake Bar

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Interior

Sashimi bento box

**** (4 stars)

This is a very cool space for an experience a bit different from the rest of Ybor City. The towering brick walls and exposed wooden rafters create a surprisingly pleasant ambiance for decent sushi. The lunch bento boxes are a good deal, and the sushi is good, if not particularly inspired. Service was pleasant.

Samurai Blue Sushi & Sake Bar
1600 E 8th Ave
Ste C208
Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 242-6688
https://www.yelp.com/biz/samurai-blue-sushi-and-sake-bar-tampa-2

Matt’s Casbah

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Korean Wings

Interior

***** (5 stars)

Usually when small restaurants try to be too many things they fail at being any one great thing, but Matt’s is the exception to this rule. It has separate spaces for fine dining, outdoor beach-type dining, sushi bar, dive bar, and a live performance area. The same menu is served throughout, but there is definitely a different feel to it, depending upon where you are seated.

We had lunch in the fine dining area, and really enjoyed our Korean wings appetizer and the sushi we shared. The sashimi sampler is a great deal, providing 4 or 5 pieces of four different fish, and a large Japanese style salad.

We also liked the unusual roll we had, which incorporated a smoked salmon pate that was very different (and far smokier) that a normal sushi smoked salmon.

Service was friendly and efficient, and the music soundtrack was great.

Matt’s Casbah
801 E New Haven
Melbourne, FL 32901
(321) 574-1099
http://www.yelp.com/biz/matts-casbah-melbourne