Needed: Chopsticks lessons.
I have a restaurant confession to make, and I’m so ashamed.
I can’t use chopsticks. Can’t do it. I’ve tried for years, and no matter who tries to teach me or how much I practice, I fumble it all up, send the sticks flying, embarrass myself and delay the transportation of sushi to mouth way longer than it needs to be delayed. Grrrr.
Today, I had lunch at Sumo with Carrie and one of her influential restaurant sources and was humiliated when I had to ask for a fork.
I blame it on being a lefty.
But there is a bright side. My sushi lunch included this amazing special, called the Viva Vegas roll, which featured a crunchy tempura coating and amazing presentation. With the aid of my fork (or Knork, in this case), I was able to grab it up much faster than my chopsticked companions.
Small victories.
Wasabi head chef Eun Young, left, and his staff of sushi assemblers, which includes his wife, second from left.
After months and months and months (and months) of anticipation, Wasabi, a new downtown sushi restaurant at 912 E. Douglas, is finally open. (And because it’s right across the street from our offices, the sushi fans I sit near are at this very moment performing an exotic sushi happy dance.)
Chef Eun Young quietly opened the surprisingly large and attractive restaurant on Monday. The giant, leather-bound menu features appetizers, soups, sushi rolls, sashimi, bento boxes and even a kids’ menu. It also has a special half-price sushi section, and Wasabi serves wine, beer and sake.
Wasabi will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. For more information, call 316-927-3524.
Wasabi, a sushi restaurant that has been in the works forever at 912 E. Douglas, should open this month.
Back in January, I reported that Wasabi, a sushi restaurant planned by Steve Young at 912 E. Douglas, would open “after the first of the year.” That reporting was technically correct, even though it’s now SIX MONTHS after the first of the year.
I’ve been in touch with Steve every couple of weeks since January, and he keeps saying “soon, soon, soon!” He’s faced several delays, but I now believe him that Wasabi really will be open soon, as in July. I just walked across the street to peek in the windows and the place looks ready to go, complete with green booths, palm plants and a nice looking sushi bar. (As I took the above photo, two groups of people stopped me to ask, “Is that place EVER going to open?”)
Steve said he’d call me this week with a firm opening date. He’s going to serve sushi and other Japanese food daily at both lunch and dinner.
I had a very interesting and fun experience in a local restaurant this weekend, and I’m wondering why I’ve never had one like it before.
A friend and I arrived for sushi at Hana Cafe in Old Town Square around 7 p.m. and found that people were waiting for tables. A couple seated in the waiting area told us they were headed for the movies and only had about 45 minutes. Sit with us, they said, and you can keep the table when we go.
We’d never done anything like that before but decided why not? We sat down with the pair, who turned out to be a pair of recently married medical professionals with seven kids between them who were out for a date night. We quickly bonded over sushi and bibimbap, exchanged information and vowed to get together again in a few weeks.
I’m not sure every impromptu pairing would turn out that well, but it was a fun experience that made the sushi taste even better — especially the large plate they left behind when they jetted over to the Warren.
Ever had a similar experience?
The Flatlander's Dream roll at Kanai. Photo by Jaime Green.
If you can believe ANYTHING you read on Wikipedia (which I often do), today is International Sushi Day — a holiday invented last year by the administrator of the “Sushi” page on Facebook. (Welcome to 2010!)
In honor of this momentous occasion, I will now list my top three favorite sushi places in Wichita. Please chime in with your own. Drumroll please…
1. Kanai, 12111 Maple: A few months ago, I gave this place a four-star review. Why? Because it’s sooooo good. Chef David Kanai makes some of the best rolls in town, the nigiri is fresh and huge, and the appetizers are inventive and yummy.
2. Sumo by Nambara, 11233 E 13th Street: This east-side restaurant is a trendy place to go, especially for young and pretty Wichitans on Friday nights. It also serves some of Wichita’s freshest and tastiest sushi. The restaurant has two separate dining areas: One for sushi eaters and one for people partaking of the hibachi grills. Prepare to wait for a table.
3. Hana Cafe, 325 N. Mead: It’s small but expanding, and it serves delicious sushi in addition to several Japanese and Korean noodle dishes.
Who’ve I missed, sushi fans? And what will you do in observance of this most sacred sushi day?