I consider myself well versed in the world of sushi. I know what I like and the quality of fish that I should expect from a restaurant. But recently, a friend pointed out that I rarely deviate from my standby dishes at my standby sushi places. So my friend and I decide to try a place we’ve never been before – Sabu Sushi Bar, a restaurant on the quieter side of Whyte Avenue.
We start with a familiar menu option, the salmon sashimi – it’s my go-to order for a reason. The fresh salmon melts in my mouth and, if I hadn’t been taught to share way back in kindergarten, I would probably eat the entire order myself.
But we are here to try new things, so we also split the bagel roll, which sees smoked salmon atop a roll of rice filled with cream cheese, green onion, sesame and cucumber. The cucumber adds a solid crunch to the roll, and the flavours of the smoked salmon and cream cheese meld together nicely. This isn’t a delicate roll where the rice overpowers its contents, but rather every ingredient makes an impression on my taste buds.
But the one that is most outside my comfort zone is the tai carpaccio. It consists of fresh red snapper arranged in a flower, with a centre made from organic greens. The dish is topped off with lemon slices and capers, and is heavily dressed in a citrusy yuzu sauce. The mild taste of the snapper takes backseat to the intense burst of citrus. Although the flavour is unexpected and it’s not my usual order, I’m surprised at how much I enjoy it. (7450 82 Ave., 780-756-7228)
