Austin Sushi News

Our operatives, under deep cover in far North Austin, recently relayed this tidbit via secure fax:

Suzi's China Grill at Shoal Creek and Anderson Lane will soon install a sushi bar inside. It should open in late October.

Suzi's China Grill
7858 Shoal Creek Blvd
(corner of Shoal Creek and Anderson Lane)
(512) 302-4600

We got mentioned (http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2002-08-09/food_foodofile.html ) in the Austin Chronicle again. They spelled my name wrong (it's Levitt, not Leavitt, sheesh!), but I was touched, nonetheless. You rule Virginia!!!!!

Meanwhile, the New York Times was busy sniffing out the oh-so-obvious trends and arrived at this drug-reference-in-a-headline (because everyone knows that sushi tastes best when you're really stoned):

"Sushi Cooks Are Rolling Their Own" (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/14/dining/14SUSH.html?ex=1030428382&ei=1&en=3513642df6b3541f )

Amongst the boring quotes from people who, for one reason or another, have made some sushi for themselves, was one interesting point:

Nat Sawatphadungkij (no relation to Apu Nahasapeemapetilon) is still slinging his freelance sushi for your bar mitzvahs, weddings, private soirees, and gay salons. By day, he's a professional sushi chef. By night, he can prepare professional quality sushi in your kitchen.

I recently attended a sushi party he was hired to cater and the sushi was excellent -- three kinds of rolls, lots of nigiri and sashimi, all professionally prepared and served on large wooden boats to the oohs and ahs of the assembled crowd.

Surprisingly affordable, but not cheap.

Nat in the Kitchen
sushinat@yahoo.com
Pho

As you may recall from last month's edition of Austin Sushi News, a Kobe Japanese Steakhouse will open in late August at 183 and Anderson Mill Road.

Meanwhile, we just discovered that Kyoto II is remodeling half of their sushi bar to create a Japanese Steakhouse as well. And it will open in late August. Coincidence, or the tip of another boom?

Kyoto II
4815 W. Braker Lane #580
Phone: (512) 346-5800

It was only a matter of time before some Asian flava hit the Soco strip in South Austin, 78704. Zen Japanese Food Fast is adding their second location by remodeling the old City Tile Company building just 2 doors down from the Continental Club.

It's a pretty sweet business model -- take the high margins on sushi bar fare and serve it in a "fast" food setting == $$$$.

Opening late August.

Zen Japanese Food Fast
1305 S. Congress
No phone yet

Zen Japanese Food Fast
2900 W. Anderson Lane #250
phone: (512) 451-4811

In the year 2054, there will never be a need for Austin Sushi News, because a trio of genetically modifed "pre-cogs" will be able to predict where and when someone will open a sushi bar. But like any good sci-fi movie plot (I'm ripping off the new movie, "Minority Report", can't you tell?) things aren't what they seem. Did they get it wrong or will a sushi bar actually appear? When will these sushi fiends be brought to justice?

This is really gripping, so I'll come clean and let y'all know that Odaku II will likely open later this week. They aren't a sushi bar, however -- because they don't have a sushi bar. It looks like they're going the Japanese "fast food" route. Check it out.

Perhaps inspired by Seoul Sushi Bar's monday night disco party (has anyone been lately? Is it still going on?), or maybe Avenue A Sushi in Manhattan, which has a sushi bar in back and a dance area up front, Pango's Tea Bar has added a DJ spinning every thursday night from 9pm to midnite starting June 27th. DJ AM (AKA Aaron Morris) sets up his turntables to pump out bossa, nuJazz, downbeat, brokenbeat, and deepHouse there.

DJ AM (http://dj.aaronmorris.org )
Pango's Tea Bar
718 Congress Ave
Thursday Nights starting June 27th
9pm - Midnight

Avenue A Sushi
103 Avenue A
New York, NY 10009
(212)

A new Kobe Japanese Steakhouse will open at the end of August, according to the owner, but will it have real Kobe beef? The owner says he has a supplier, but that it will depend on "demand" whether or not they put it on the menu.

What's so special about Kobe beef? According to one web site on the subject:

Kobe Beef is a legendary delicacy of Japan, a type of beef that is so well marbled that it goes right off the charts for Prime grading in any other country. The meat ends up looking like it has been left out in the snow because of the intensiveness of the white fat marbling -- rivals foie gras for richness and caloric content, and costs an obscene amount, often $300 a pound or more for the real thing from Japan.

Sushi, undeterred by the ebb and flux of Austin's economy, marches onward, and the local paparrazzi can't get enough of it.

The Austin Chronicle's exhaustive two-part review of Austin sushi bars appeared in their May 10th and May 17th issues, and it's already out of date (Mikado is now open).

Props out to Chronicle food writer Wes Marshall who cites austinsushi.com as a web site that "we love" in part two of the review.

Austin Chronicle, two-part sushi guide --

Part I (http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2002-05-10/food_string_all.html )
Part II (http://www.austinchronicle.com/i

Musashino, our number one rated sushi bar, now opens
their upstairs mini-sushi bar for lunch from 11am-2pm, Monday-Friday.

Since the upstairs is ostensibly run by Chinatown, and not Musashino, we are uncertain whether they will maintain the quality of the downstairs venue.