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| - I seriously doubted I would be able to find five star sushi in Phoenix. I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Yasu...what a pleasant surprise. The place could be lost in a strip near a Target and REI, but once you walk in you are transported. The decor is minimalist and soothing. It's small enough to feel intimate but not crowded. The sushi bar is small, with just four seats (two to a bench). It was a little odd to not be able to see through to the sushi chef's prep area, but in this case it didn't matter. After the first bite we offered ourselves up to Yasu's expertise, deciding we trusted him completely.
From the kitchen we had sake steamed Manila clams. They were fresh and smooth. The broth was light and buttery. We also had the grilled scallop in bacon. The scallop itself was huge, and braised to perfection. But let's continue to the sushi!
Our tastes are rather simple when it comes to sushi...no crazy rolls involving tempura, spicy anything or cream cheese. Along with our standard tekka (tuna) and Kappa (cucumber) rolls, we did order a soft shell crab roll. Well-done. The rest of our items were either nigiri or sashimi: octopus, chu-toro, mackerel and salmon (be sure to get Yasu-style: just a touch of flame with ponzu, no need to dip). Specials included striped jack, fluke, and Kumamoto oysters. All of the fish was high quality, fresh and expertly prepared. The rice had a perfect consistency. I think my favorite of the night was the fluke. It was served with ponzu instead of soy sauce, allowing the light, subtle flavor to shine.
The chef, Yasu, and his assistant, Takeshi were helpful and very friendly. They made sure to encourage us to ask if we had questions, and to make some suggestions. Be sure to ask for fresh grated wasabi instead of the regular stuff. Oh, and save room for dessert. The green tea tiramisu was unreasonably, ridiculously delightful.
I am thoroughly impressed with Yasu, and look forward to returning next time I'm in Phoenix.
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