Archive for the ‘Galleria’ Category

SUSHISAMBA continues its monthly two-part sushi and sake seminar, Sushi & Sake 101, where guests will be taught the basics of sake and guided through a do-it-yourself sushi-making class. The March and April classes, to be held Saturday, March 22 and Saturday, April 12 from 5p – 7p, offer a unique opportunity to sample two Namazakes, unpasteurized sake only available at Springtime.

During the class, participants will be guided through a tasting of five different sakes (including the two Namazakes) by SUSHISAMBA sommelier Monica Samuels, as well as learn about sake, its production, a myriad of varieties and the best food pairings. In the second part of the seminar, guests will discover the art of sushi-making with SUSHISAMBA restaurant executive sushi chef. Topics such as buying raw fish, how to cut it properly, presentation tips and how to make the perfect sticky rice will be showcased. The class will end with each person creating and eating their very own sushi rolls, and Sushi & Sake 101 graduates will also receive an informative take-away guide.

Although the distinction between pasteurized and unpasteurized sakes is not blatantly apparent, there are certain characteristics of the latter that make them inherently ‘nama.’ The youthful quality of these sakes is often expressed in great flavor intensity and acidity, often tasting incredibly juicy and luscious. There is also a ‘green’ quality: some namas actually have a green tinge and give off herbaceous aromas that are telling signs of the living enzymes inside the bottle. Namazakes also have more acidity, which makes them undeniably mouthwatering.

Namazakes are hypersensitive to heat exposure/temperature and must be handled with delicate care and refrigeration. Without pasteurization, there are still active heat-sensitive enzymes and microorganisms left in the sake that can activate at higher temperatures and affect the flavor or character of the sake. For these reasons, until recently, very few people in the U.S. were afforded the luxury of experiencing nama firsthand. The SushiSamba team works hard to offer as much variety within its sake selections as possible and felt that the lively and aromatic intense qualities of these sakes are worth the complex logistics and effort.

The monthly Sushi & Sake 101 costs $75 per person, and credit card reservations are required by calling 214.866.0214.

SUSHISAMBA
13270 Dallas Parkway (at The Galleria next to The Westin Hotel). For more information, visit www.sushisamba.com or call 214.866.0214 for reservations.

Sushi Samba is a visually dynamic restaurant (located on the west side of the Galleria Mall next to the Westin Hotel) featuring cuisine blending a mix of Brazilian, Peruvian and Japanese. Dallas is new to the lineup with companion locations in Chicago, New York, Miami and Tel Aviv.

My dining companion and I visited Sushi Samba to sample the Sunday brunch menu and started with Batidas ($5.50) which is a combination of up to three fruit juices and on this trip we selected Asian Pear, Mango and Blueberry and the Mangolini ($6.50) which is a blend of sparkling wine, fresh mango and peach. Both drinks were an excellent beginning to the dining experience.

As a massive sushi enthusiast, I withheld from ordering from that section of the menu and instead focused on the Family Style Brunch which at $15 per person ($8 for under 12) is an astonishing value for the amount of food you receive.

We began our brunch with the Smoked Fish Platter ($13.00) which was a selection of smoked white fish, salmon and trout with homemade bagel chips along with capers, thin strips of red onion, tomatoes and creme fraiche. We initially began by placing selected items onto the large chips; however, the chips are so light and crisp that they weren’t practical to eat from in this way without crumbling at the first bite. We opted to use cutlery and just snack from the chips (we noticed another table experiencing the same thing). An excellent job was done on the smoked white fish and everything on the dish was fresh and tantalizing.

We then received the Eggs Benedict ($13.00) with aji panca hollandaise and smoked salmon served on a large slice of brioche bread - which was the perfect lightweight accompaniment. The aji panca hollandaise was a welcome change and the eggs were prepared perfectly.

The third dish was the Doce de Leite French Toast ($10) with seasonal fruit and powdered sugar. As someone who is not a big fan of French Toast, I was very surprised by the lightness of the bread and accompanying sauces and fruit garnishes of strawberries and blueberries.

The final dish was South American Frittata ($9.00) which was comprised of lingia, asparagus, heart of palm and manchego cheese. This was served in a small cast iron skillet and seemed a bit overcooked. The lingia added a nice amount of spice to the dish.

The Sunday brunch attracted a good crowd and our server was the best I’ve experienced in almost 10 months (I’m notorious for receiving terrible service). The pace in which the dishes were served was relaxed so we didn’t feel the need to rush before the new dish got cold though on one occasion the support staff took a dish before my companion had finished.

Dallas can be a fickle market when it comes to new dining options as we have such a wide variety to choose from and our standards can be more exacting than in many other cities. However, with a few minor adjustments, it appears that Sushi Samba will be able find their perfect niche.

We look forward to sampling the evening version of Sushi Samba in the near future and giving you the details.

The Facts on Sushi Samba:

• 13270 Dallas Parkway (Galleria)
• Dallas 75240
• 214-866-014
• www.sushisamba.com
• AE/V/MC/D
• Average Meal: $30 - $75
• Hours:
  Sun-Mon: 11a - 10p
  Tue: 11a - 11p
  Wed - Thu: 11a - midnight
  Fri - Sat:  11a - 1a