Our review of Sushiko

Would you believe that the sushi scene in DC is only 36 years old? You can scarcely go into a strip mall in the burbs, or walk a couple blocks in DC without coming across a sushi restaurant. But it was 1976 when the trail blazing Sushiko first opened its doors as the first sushi bar in the District of Columbia and they have been creating innovative Japanese cuisine ever since.

I had dinner there this week with a couple of Cloture Club contributors at their Chevy Chase location and we really enjoyed the meal. The dishes were edgy and playful, and executed with the dedicated precision you expect from a fine Japanese restaurant.

The first course we had was the Seared Tuna. The fish was seared perfectly giving it a nice slight char on the outside while keeping it rare and flavorful on the inside. It was served with earthy shitake mushrooms and taro root in a dashi broth. The dish was rich and savory and it struck me as a playful adaption of steak and potatoes.

Seared Tuna

The flavor of salmon can be aggressive and will sometimes overpower a dish. I was impressed by the Salmon Ceviche at Sushiko. The flavor of the fish was fresh and mild and it married well with the tartness of the yuzu sauce. Little salty orbs of salmon caviar popped in my mouth when I took each bite. I feared the red onion would be too strong but it worked well. It was an elegant dish with well-balanced flavors.

Salmon Ceviche

One of the most interesting maki rolls I have had in some time was Sushiko’s Element Roll. Chopped tuna rested on top of a maki roll that contained avocado, red onions and shiso leaf. There was a wonderful crunch from the slivered potato chips that were sprinkle on top and it is served with a wasabi tartar sauce that cuts the fatty richness of avocado nicely.

Element Roll

My favorite dish that night was the Kanpachi Usuzukuri. Delicate slices of amber jack were beautifully arranged in a puddle of vinegary ponzu sauce. The flavors were bright and vibrant and the pink peppercorns studded each slice of fish. You would think the peppercorns would dominate the dish, but they only yielded a light peppery tang. It was as delicious as it was beautiful.

The Seared Lobster was the only dish I would suggest you avoid. The flavor was fine and there were no culinary errors, but I felt it was significantly overpriced for the portion size . It just didn’t wow me. However, the Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura was a heaping pile of fried deliciousness and the tempura batter was spot-on. It was like eating fluffy and crisp deep fried clouds. The dipping sauce was robust and you could tell the ginger was freshly grated into it.

Seared Lobster

Also to note: they have a new Head Chef, Handry Tjan, who is very capable and doing some impressive things. When time permits, and at the customers request, he will create Omakase meals out of his head with dishes that are not on the menu. He develops innovative specials on a weekly basis that incorporate the fresh fish he flies in from all over the world.

Sushiko has been a mainstay of Japanese cuisine in DC for over three decades. They are a solid choice if you are craving a delicious Japanese meal.

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