It was Friday night at the sushi bar. The chefs were busy creating roll after roll, going about their exacting business as kimono-clad servers barked orders, two gay guys next to us sat scooping up rainbow rolls, and the post-workweek celebration had begun for a couple of professional types getting blitzed across the bar.
When Hubmeister and I go to Sushi Tsu, we sit at the bar because he likes it there. It's not that the restaurant doesn't look inviting - with its warm red and gold hues and a choice of either teppanyaki or standard dining tables - there's just something intriguing about eating at the bar.
We are certainly not there to converse with the chefs, whose accents are so strong that when our chef presented one of the rolls, I looked confused enough that he gave up repeating himself, picked up the sushi menu and pointed out which one it was. Oh, Philly roll!
That was part of Hubmeister's order. I had a crunchy, spicy tuna roll and a spider (soft-shell crab) roll. Hub loves the ice-cold house salad with the tangy ginger dressing, so he had that as well, and we split an order of gyoza. The tender, meat-filled dumplings were fabulous and I could eat several orders of them and call that my entire meal. They had a pan-fried crispy sear on one side and a steamed soft exterior on the other, and the accompanying salty dipping sauce made them as irresistibly dunkable as donuts into coffee.
One thing is apparent when you dine at the bar and that is the just-reeled-in freshness of the fish. It looked gorgeous laid out in front of us in its icy bed. The squid glistened, its little suction cups looking as if they might still muster a mean grip. The white fish, salmon and tuna practically sparkled. What a difference from the ashen, "previously frozen" supermarket fare. My rolls were scrumptious, crunchy as promised, lending a great textural contrast to the slightly warm and pliable sushi rice.
Perhaps the fun of sitting at the bar lies in its communal nature, where people from all walks of life share a common pleasure. A melting pot of humanity comes together to appreciate the chefs and delight in their edible art. It's a place to discuss carefree topics like your favorite movies, a happy spot to relax and expand your culinary horizons.
Restaurant Info:
Sushi Tsu Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
15363 Amberly Drive
Tampa
813-910-9404
http://www.sushitsu.com/
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