Sawa Sushi

Sunnyvale, CA

The first rule of Sawa Sushi, is you don't talk about Sawa Sushi. Years ago when Chu-Toro first told me about this place, she said that Sawa housed a sushi nazi. You couldn't even get a reservation unless you were referred by somebody "in the know." A secret sushi clubs of sorts. All very intriguing and curious. In truth, we learned over the course of our meal that Steve is simply a hard working chef who puts a lot of thought and care into his creations.

Echigo beer and Deep Sea water

When we entered the small establishment in a small strip mall next to a subway, there was exactly one person dining there. By the end of the evening, there were a total of seven of us and that's what you would expect at Sawa. Very intimate, not somewhere you would randomly walk into. This is a place where you expect to spend a couple hundred bucks for high quality sushi. Even the beverages were high class, the deep sea water from glaciers in the North Pole, thicker and denser than normal water.

Scallops

We were started with very good raw scallops with a citrus soy broth. 

Uni

Next up was a large mound of chopped tuna (i think) topped by a large mount of uni with a small pile of freshly graded wasabi on the side. The uni was very creamy, fresh and not too heavy. Usually Chu-Toro does not like uni, even if it's flown in from Japan, but described this one as silky and delicious. Although Steve's dish may look simple, relying on fresh ingredients like our first two courses, there's actually little tweaks or treatments to the fish or sauces that he thoughtfully plans to ensure his dishes standout from what you could normally get. The true challenge in this philosophy is not to take away or mask the natural flavors of the fish, which he exhibits masterfully in the next course. 

Ocean trout

The ocean trout in a green citrus sauce was next. Four generously sliced sashimi pieces of excellent fish sitting in a bed of sauce that Chu-Toro said she "could drink up." Kind of tart, very light, extremely fresh and yet added to the natural flavor of the trout. A difficult thing to do with high grade sushi.

"Tuna salad"

I'm not sure what this course was called or even what fish it contained (Steve wasn't speaking with us at that point in time) but to me it tasted like a tuna salad. The fish slightly seared, then tossed in with avocado chunks and ikura bursting with seaweed flavor, a basic concept yet novel flavor combination. 

"White Salmon"

At this point in time, Steve started to warm up to us and even though he still never revealed the contents of the dishes when he presented them, he did answer questions, which helped us determine the fish in this course was "white salmon." The red base had a spicy kick while the yellow sauce atop the fish was a thick citrus and yuzu combination. The fish was slightly seared on the edges before being sliced in filet like chunks. Another winner, excellent flavors in synchronous harmony. 

Flounder

The next bite was a large pile of flounder sashimi which had been specially "treated." Steve never revealed details, but there was something notably different than normal sashimi. The fish was a bit sticky which seemed odd, but tasty nonetheless. 

Nigiri

Steve threw us off base with a simple nigiri offering which ended up being my favorite bite of the night. I'm more classical while Chu-Toro appreciates the contemporary sauce combinations, but we both agreed this was one of the best nigiri bites we'd ever had. We didn't think it was toro because of the color, didn't taste fatty, but it melted in our mouths and left us wanting more. We probably could have popped another five pieces each of the soft, luscious, delectable nigiri. 

Bonito

Although we were getting full, this is the dish that knocked us down. About a dozen thickly but sashimi slices of bonito. The edges had a little bite and mackarel flavor, but Steve scoffed my flavor assessment, as kindly as he could. A good not great dish.

Sea Eel

After getting stuffed with bonito, we let Steve know we could only handle one more dish. It ended up being fresh sea eel atop a bowl of rice and crunchy, marinated daikon. The thin, fresh, tart daikons were Chu-Toro's favorite in this course, wanting a plate to take home to snack on. The eel was soft and delicate, nothing like the over-sauced frozen version you get on a dragon roll. A simple and tasty finish to a very good meal.

Mochi

As we finished our mochi (mango flavor was the best) we reflected on a very good meal. It was one of those experiences where our pallet was constantly challenged and we got to taste a half a dozen flavor combinations that we'd never had before. Steve, self proclaimed himself an asshole, but ended up being an entertaining and kind chef for the evening. He wants to provide product that isn't easily available, with flavors that are original and under his control. From the beverages to each carefully treated fish, radish or green onion, he truly cares about what he's serving. He knows that those dishes are a direct reflection of his art form and craft which he has successfully provided at Sawa for 16 years. We now have an option for high end sushi in Northern California and will be back.

Rating 8/10

August 19, 2011