A Sushi Oasis

Sushi in the desert—talk about an oxymoron. But new eateries in the Valley of the Sun are making waves by flying fish in daily, guaranteeing a scrumptious and fresh sushi experience. As the sushi restaurants in the PHOENIX/ SCOTTSDALE area are up against the challenge of being landlocked, any place with raw fish on the menu has gone the extra mile to reel in customers. Sushi in the desert—talk about a truly unique dining experience.

BY KAREN SCHALER

Stingray As a newcomer to Scottsdale, Stingray off ers authentic sushi with a twist, served in a retro-chic environment. From the moment you walk inside, the vibrant décor and pulsating music puts you in the mood for some of Chef Andrew Nam’s inspired creations. Known for his mouthwatering sauces, including a rich truffle oil and yuzu sauce, a tangy sesame honey mustard sauce and a fiery orange habanero sauce, Nam says they “bring out new flavors and new textures of the sushi.”

A favorite dish, the Latin-influenced Hotty-Hamachi, gets its name from sliced jalapeños paired with thinly sliced yellowtail. Another popular choice, the Stingray Roll, is overflowing with a spicy crab mix and cucumbers, topped with spicy furikake, cilantro and jalapeño mix, served with a sweet chili sauce. A lot of manly men order the Godzilla Roll. It’s impressive, standing about 12 inches high, packed with shrimp tempura, soft shell crab, crab mix, spicy tuna, freshwater eel, cucumber and avocado wrapped in green soy paper. To help wash this down, Stingray off ers an extensive wine and sake list, as well as the signature cocktail, the Geisha A-Go-Go, a fresh watermelon Martini. Th e best way to sample the menu is to hit the happy hour specials between 4 and 7pm. www.stingraysushi.com; 480-941-4460

Sea Saw For a more elegant sushi experience, Sea Saw has you covered. Bathed in candlelight with only 28 seats, this intimate south Scottsdale restaurant is run by the James Beard Award Winning-chef Nobuo Fukuda.

Fukuda, who was recently honored as the Best Chef in the Southwest, says his goal is to create a “balance between fine dining and casual service” while still off ering “innovative preparations using very traditional ingredients.” When you walk into Sea Saw, just order a drink and let the chef prepare one of his famous six- to eight-course Omakase (trust the chef) tastings. Some of Fukuda’s most requested dishes include the melt-in-your-mouth seared tuna tataki and the whitefish carpaccio. Another crowd pleaser is the hamachi— yellowtail—served with organic Arizona ruby red grapefruit, avocado and ponzu oil. www.seasaw.net; 480-481-9463

Blue Wasabi Sushi & Martini Bar With two Scottsdale locations and two more opening in nearby Gilbert and Glendale, Blue Wasabi continues to set the Arizona sushi world on fire with Executive Chef Hiroyuki “Fuji” Fujino serving sushi that’s refreshingly outside the bento box. Where else can you find sushi rolls with Fritos or rolls featuring seared beef tenderloin? Th e owner’s children helped name some of the signature rolls, so don’t be surprised when you see the Eating Nemo Roll. Th e décor is off -the-charts hip with flat-screen TVs and a wall of blue lights behind the bar that flashes diff erent hues as the minutes fly by. Blue Wasabi’s crowd alternates between sushi aficionados and a chic cocktail crew sipping one of a dozen designer Martinis. www.azeats.com/bluewasabi; 480-315-9800

RA Another hotspot for sushi and cocktails is RA, one of the first edgy, high-energy sushi restaurants in town. RA now has four sushi bars in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, with more locations slated to open around the country. Corporate Chef Tai Obata says, “Th e RA Sushi menu focuses on unique flavor combinations that still retain classical techniques to satisfy sushi novices and connoisseurs alike.” RA has just unveiled a new menu, off ering a delectable kiwi scallop sashimi, and miso-marinated seared Ahi tuna with sautéed cherry tomatoes, shitake mushrooms and asparagus, served on a bed of wasabi mashed potatoes. www.RAsushi.com; 480-990-9256

There’s no doubt the sushi trend in Arizona is here to stay, with new restaurants constantly sweetening the bait, trying to catch more customers. So before you head for the closest steakhouse, take a walk on the dry side, and order some sake and sashimi. Your tastebuds will thank you.

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SAKE TO ME

SAKE is a Japanese alcoholic beverage brewed from rice. Navigating your way around the different types of sake can be overwhelming, so here’s a quick guide to help.

SAKE TYPES

JUNMAI-SHU

This is a “pure” sake; no distilled alcohol is added. It is strong, and very dry and fragrant.

HONJOZO-SHU

A small amount of alcohol is added, resulting in drier sake with a lighter fragrance.

GINJO-SHU

Composed of highly milled rice, this type is very delicate. (The more rice is milled, the lighter-tasting it will be.)

DAIGINJO-SHU

This is the lightest and simplest-tasting type of sake, made from finer-milled rice than ginjo-shu.

NAMAZAKE

This type of sake, which can incorporate all four above, is unpasteurized. It is fresh and light, like a young wine, and is best served chilled.