Review: Sakana Sushi & Grill - Scottsdale, AZ (w/ photos!)

[Seth Chadwick]

I had another opportunity to help Dad expand his palate and we had been working our way around Asia. Out of the blue, Dad announced that he wanted to try sushi. Well, okay, Dad. Anything to keep me in the will.

So, I got some recommendations from the good folks over at Chowhound and got a litany of great suggestions on how to break Dad into the sushi scene. J. was in town so the three of us got into the car and headed to Sakana Sushi & Grill in Scottsdale. I know that Dad was a little nervous because I had to assure him that there was a big difference between sushi and sashimi and that J. and I would do our best not to freak him out. Still, he wasn’t convinced, but said he was going to be a trooper anyway.

We arrived at Sakana and found it in a strip mall plaza at the corner of Indian Bend and Hayden Road. Parking was a breeze and the outside was pretty non-descript. I opened the door and was pleasantly surprised. The interior was clean and sharp with several tables and a sushi bar along the west wall. The sushi chef nodded to us and a very nice hostess took us to a four-top table in the center of the restaurant. One thing I noticed right off the bat was that there was no fishy smell in the restaurant. The place was spotless and fresh.

I also noticed the large lunch display they had set up at the beginning of the sushi bar. The large wooden platter that ran about $10.00 included tempura, sushi, sushi rolls and hand rolls. For what was on that platter, it was a steal for the price.

We waited a few minutes and a very friendly server arrived with menus and asked for our drink orders. Dad and I had Diet Cokes ($1.75 each) while J. had the Hot Green Tea ($1.75). As our server retrieved our drinks we went over the menu. The selection was very good, but I was also tempted by one of the Katsu dishes. I told Dad to just trust us and J. and I went down the list as to what we would get.

When our drinks arrived, we placed our order. (Unfortunately, I was unable to note all of the prices, so the total bill will be presented at the end of this review). For the table to share, we ordered the following: two orders of Shrimp Sushi, one order of Raw Shrimp Sushi, one order of Yellowtail Sushi, one order of Spicy Scallops Sushi, one Crunchy California Roll, one Spicy Tuna hand roll, one Cucumber Roll, one Octopus Sushi, one Salmon Row Sushi, one Egg Omelet Sushi, and one Sea Urchin Sushi. I gave into my katsu craving and ordered the Pork Donburi.

Our server left and we spent some time telling Dad what to expect. He had that nervous smile on his face. I thought he was having second thoughts.

Our server reappeared a few minutes later and set down two small bowls in front of me. One contained Miso Soup and the other a Green Salad with a ginger-based dressing. I didn’t catch that these two were included with the Pork Donburi, but they were indeed, which was a bonus for us. The soup was slightly thickened and was quite rich. Salty and hearty, I really enjoyed it as did Dad and J., although I know plenty of people who would have hated it because it wasn’t translucent enough.

The green salad was a simple mix of greens and red cabbage topped with a tangy ginger dressing. It was very good. The lettuce was fresh and crisp and I just loved the dressing. J. and Dad had similar feelings.

The first sushi to hit the table was a plate containing the Shrimp Sushi and the Yellowtail Sushi. Dad just sort of stared at it all and I encourage him to grab a piece of the shrimp sushi, a bit of ginger and dip it in the soy sauce and wasabi mix. He cautiously did so. “Hey, this is good!” Dad exclaimed. Yes. Yes, it was. The sushi rice was perfect. It held together well and had a very subtle sweetness to it. What really surprised Dad was how much he liked wasabi. Thankfully, he didn’t ask if there was peanut sauce available. We all liked the shrimp sushi. Simple and delicious, it was exceptionally fresh.

J. tackled the Yellowtail alone. I am not a fan and Dad hadn’t worked his way up to the raw stuff just yet. J. said that the yellowtail, like the shrimp, was simple and fresh. “Not at all fishy,” J. said.

Our server brought my Pork Donburi, which consisted of pork katsu cooked into an egg mixture and served atop a bowl of rice with teriyaki sauce. It was blazing hot, but the taste was excellent. The pork was tender and I loved the Panko coating along with the egg flavor. The dish was a success for everyone at the table. It hit the salty, savory, and sweet buttons on my tongue. If I had to find a negative, it was that there was way too much rice for this dish. I love rice, but that was a serving for three.

The Spicy Scallop Sushi and the Egg Omelet Sushi arrived on a platter and when I mentioned scallops, Dad’s eyes widened a bit as that is one of his favorite seafoods. He took one of the pieces, slowly dipped it into his soy/wasabi mixture and took a bite. He smile. “Wow. I like that. And it has a nice kick to it.” I could then see a wave of relief come across his body. He quickly grabbed the second piece and gobbled that down, saying he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I took a piece of the Egg Omelet Sushi and added a bit of ginger and soy and took a bite. It was rather bland. I guess I was expecting a bit more flavor. It wasn’t bad by any means, just not as “thrilling” as some of the other things on the table. Dad had a taste and only gave it an “okay.”

A big plate arrived containing a feast of Salmon Roe Sushi, Octopus Sushi, and a Spicy Tuna handroll. J. was in heaven, I was full from the pork, and Dad was a bit squeamish at the dishes on the plate that was right in front of J. We tried to coax him into trying the octopus, but he got a little nervous and said, “Maybe next time.” Fair enough. J., however, was not going to be stopped. With the exception of the Hand Roll, J. cleared the plate in no time, noting how good the sushi was. J. did finally get Dad to try the spicy tuna hand roll which he thought was “pretty good.” J. thought it was all excellent and very competently prepared.

The next dish that arrived contained the Crunchy California Roll and the Cucumber Roll. Dad adored the Crunchy California Roll, noting that the crab and the avocado did not overpower each other. He managed to put away most of the large serving along with a piece or two of the cucumber roll. I thought the cucumber roll was very good. The cucumber was crunchy and had a bit of a sweet taste which played well with the rice and the nori.

The last plate to our table was the Raw Shrimp Sushi. Two medium pieces sat on the plate adored with a garnish of two empty shrimp heads. It was an interesting presentation, but a bit much for Dad and me. J. ate both pieces and said they were “decent” but I got the impression that it wasn’t preferred over the regular shrimp sushi. I later discovered that J. didn’t like the rubbery texture of the raw shrimp, but J. did like the sweet taste of the raw shrimp.

One item that didn’t make it to our table was the Sea Urchin Sushi which J. had ordered on a whim. Our server told us that the sushi chef didn’t think it was fresh enough that day, so it was not available.

Having reached our sushi maximum for the day, we asked for our bill and the total was $62.03 which included tax. We thought this was a good deal considering the freshness and the portion size. The service was very good with friendly and engaging servers who were eager to please.

When we got back to the car, I asked Dad what he thought and he said he enjoyed himself, although admitted that he probably couldn’t have handled the roe, octopus or sea urchin sushi. We assured him that he did great on his first journey into Sushi-ville.

So, we drove back to Phoenix with Dad asking lots of questions about what else was good.

Then, he couldn’t help himself and blurted out, “I wonder how some of that would have tasted with peanut sauce.”

I have created a monster.

Sakana Sushi & Grill
6989 North Hayden Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
Dress: Casual
Hours: Lunch served Monday through Friday - 11 AM to 2 PM; Dinner served Sunday through Thursday - 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM; Friday and Saturday - 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM.
Notes: Lunch special served Monday through Friday. Other locations in Glendale, Ahwatukee, and at Superstition Springs.
Website: www.azeats.com/Sakana/default.asp

Additional photos can be found at www.feastinginphoenix.com

[Firenza00]

I go to the Sakana location north of the 101 at 59th Ave for lunch. I usually get the Sakana lunch, which comes with 5 or 6 pieces of sushi, a california roll, and fried (I think) squid. I think it's a steal at $10. When I went more often, one of the chefs remembered I didn't eat the squid and would substitute something else without asking. It also comes with the miso soup and salad. For basic stuff, it's always really good.

[johnseberg]

I like the atmosphere at Sakana (Scottsdale). It's clean, and the help is pleasant. However, some of their more popular choices did not impress me. The Cali roll that comes with the lunch special seems to cater to the lowest common denominator. It's just bland and boring. I had the same opinion of the spicy tuna roll. There was nothing spicy about it. It seemed like both of these had an excess of mayo.

I suppose that I should go back and try to find something to like, because, the fish does seem to be fresh, and the bang for the buck is quite good.

My personal favorite is Sushi Mishima, but, it's not for everybody. I didn't think it would be a good place to take a beginner. This was my favorite solo lunch, when I worked in the area. 5534 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ

[winedubar]

when i worked way out east, i would go to the sakana on elliot. the lunch specials were great for 10 bucks. good service, really friendly staff. some more sushi purists might have quibbled with a couple of the freewheeling rolls, but for 10 bucks? a great value, great flavor, great service. a trifecta!!

[starlightjulian]

Love, love, love sushi and sashimi at Sakana's on Elliot. Try the baked mussels and the awesome hamachi kama (grilled yellowtail jaw). Other sushi places I've eaten here in AZ are:

Kyoto (in Old Town Scottsdale)
The Fish Market (16th St./Camelback)
Phoenix Buffet (next to Leelee's, Dobson/Warner)
Crazy Fish 202 (DON'T EVEN BOTHER!)
Say Sushi (Maricopa... Red snapper in a rainbow roll? Cooked albacore on a sashimi plate?? $15 for a $5 cold sake? I don't think I'll visit this place again)
Whole Foods (Tempe, Rural/Baseline)
Ninja (Elliot and Alma School? $20 for all you can eat? Just choose your selections carefully).

Sakana makes the best rainbow rolls (Paulo, college in Tucson is important, I will miss you!), and the second best are from Kyoto. I think. I'll have to swing by Fish Market very soon to make sure ;). Best soft-shelled crab rolls are from Fish Market. The squid salad is pretty good there, too. I'd give you a great tip for a specialty roll at Kyoto made by Mitsuru, but I'd have to reveal my real name, and I don't know if I'm ready for that level of intimacy ;) What I can say is that it involves salmon, roe, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, and thin-sliced half-rounds of lemon...

[starlightjulian]

Was mistaken about the sprouts used in "my" specialty roll... not alfalfa, but KAIWARE (daikon sprouts).