Surrender your senses and experience a restaurant like no other. Steak Bar Sushi is a place with no competition in town, where sushi and meat join under one roof. The culinary journey starts as soon as you open up the elevator door.
I really don't know where to start. The vibes, the music, the decor, the colors, the cutlery, the menu. I was excited and ready to play the game.
Service starts as a funny man - which turned out to be the owner - approaches with a paper to sign. It's an agreement to surrender and let go, a cool and professional way to get your name and contacts, bravo! Sit and start discovering. The knife set, the different glass cups, the wooden tables, the red tree in the middle facing the bar and much more.
I loved the drinks menu printed on different sized papers, the thick and heavy menu beautifully illustrated with photos and the glass ceiling. It's dimly lit - a bit too dim but enjoyable at the same time.
Some remarks...
- They have imported beer from Monaco, a selection of four choices but no black or full bodied beers. Great. But beer should never ever be drunk in a bottle! Glasses should always accompany the bottles. A beer experience starts by smelling the aromas, looking at the color and the rest comes after; this can't be done from a bottle.
- With such attention to detail, that big investment, the photos, the social media, the photo collection and everything else... how come the waiters' clothes haven't been included. Why not learn from Nusret' in Istanbul and have nice blazers, and make sure to forbid the stylish jeans and white sneakers. I personally found the waiters clothes to be out of context.
- Smoking... Oh God Why! Surrender you say? Live the experience? How can one do this while smelling cigarettes form all sides? Please reconsider or at least install a proper ventilation system.
Back to the restaurant and its menu. I was really excited to visit this place especially after following "Steak Bar Sushi" on social media. Bravo for the idea, for the photos, for the concept and every detail that's reflected in store. Unconventional is what the restaurant is all about... I was excited to try the food. The menu is divided into two sections, the sushi pages and meat pages. Every item is photographed.
The decor:
Every table is different, every sofa is different, high tables, a square bar for drinks, another bar at the end with the restaurant's logo, a wine display, a wall of greenery, a red tree, brown leather and a floor of grey concrete.
The food is good:
- Appetizers: A selection of skewers landed on the table. Smoked salmon wrapped with cheese and bacon, grilled to perfection with an after-note of grilling. Tender and juicy salmon and crunchy pepper. Another is a different kind of salmon with melted cheese. Sushi teriyaki; super tender meat in its sauce. It's good quality fusion food, with complex flavors, prepared with know-how; respecting the product.
- Sushi came after. Let's start with the presentation, no plastic paper is used, wide plates, beautifully and meticulously decorated with enough sauce on each. No need for any additional soy. Excellent rice, tender and softly wrapped around good seafood. The rolls are not commercial, they don't have excess mayonnaise and contain a balance of enjoyable textures and flavors. The crispy onion jalapeños is recommended. Fresh crab is great, cucumber rolls are excellent. Salmon topped with melted cheese, decorated with crunchy crispy onions and flavored with sliced jalapeños.
- Another round of makis arrived: They do have good quality rolls here. You feel special flavors in every roll decorated meticulously with flowers. It's fusion food without being complicated.
- The meat: Very good quality, full bodied meat, enjoyably firm under the teeth, fatty inside out awaiting to be sprinkled with a bit of salt. The meat comes on a heated stone. It's called Pure Beef and I recommend it. I really loved how the meat is handled here.
- Macaroni and cheese: Spiced up with truffle oil is good but I would use bigger sized pasta for easier enjoyment. The pasta is too small for the mini forks used here.
An enjoyable experience ends with a mouth watering dessert: Chocolate orgasm all the way! That dark chocolate molten inside out, a soft cake embraced with dark chocolate. Keep some space for dessert - you won't regret it.
Bravo for this innovative concept, for the food, for the attention to detail and the passion poured into every plate.
I would suggest adding more flavor to the sauces and take it easy on the flowers used to decorate all plates... and to have a bit more light. These days your customers can become your ambassadors if they can, at least, take good photos.
I'll be back to relive this unique experience - this time I hope you can open during lunch.
