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| - The quest for enlightenment has taken Westerners to many Eastern locales...including but not limited to Tibet, Polonnaruwa, the Wat Phra Kaew, and now Scottsdale's own Stingray Sushi. For here, not just food is on the menu, but a spiritual awakening itself as proven by the restaurant's liberal use of "wise sayings". Ironically, Zen, which is often associated with Japan, focuses most on knowledge gained through personal experience not theory. But in hindsight, this is all for the better.
Immediately upon opening Stingray's door you are almost always greeted by cacophony. Hardly the place one might think to enjoy deep meditation, but as I would learn, the restaurant embodies the Four Noble Truths of restaurants in Scottsdale perfectly.
First, space is the ultimate luxury. Agoraphobics beware, Stingray's design may hint at Asian sensibilities...but it's really more about the high rent. To your right is the sushi bar and several dining tables. To your left is the other kind of bar with the other kind of tables. Outside are yet more tables on a patio. If you are in a group, you undoubtedly risk a wait. But despite this, I've often been seated within minutes of showing up...especially at the sushi bar.
The next maxim? It's not a restaurant, it's a destination. When evaluating a sushi joint, the most important distinction is one that is invisible...literally. It's how well the rice is treated with the vinegar. In that regard, Stingray does fine. Some of the fish come out stronger and fresher than others...but I have not yet uncovered a pattern.
Which brings us to the next truth: sex sells. Take the dim, dark surroundings and add raw meat and you already have the makings of a potboiler. But Stingray, like many sushi establishments of its kind goes to great lengths to milk the exotic allure of Asian culture. How far you ask...far enough to hire a small coterie of young, comely women to serve you regardless of their service skills. Some are excellent, some are clueless, and some ignore me because I am...alas....a table for one.
And then there's the last axiom: you get what you pay for. For if Stingray's is not the most remarkable cuisine, or service, or decor...what then causes the Ed Hardy army to drop unspeakable amounts of money within its walls? Yes, to call the crowd here "scenster" may be an understatement. But the people-watching, as already stated, will not disappoint.
Yet Stingray does have another allure: it's kitchen is open until midnight. So I have found myself stopping in after going to a movie, only to see it packed and vibrant. Yet no one disturbs me, leaving oneself to attend to one's bliss....and the spicy tuna.
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