Sakura misses the mark

Sakura Sushi & Hibachi
7951 One Calais Ave
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 766-2088

Hello after a long time, EBR-ites. My quest for the best things to eat in Red Stick recently brought me by the recently opened Sakura Sushi Bar and Hibachi, housed in that little piece of real estate hell known as One Calais, in the building that has previously been the dining kiss-of-death for such forgettable attempts as Louisiana Pizza Kitchen and (most recently) Vincent's Italian Cuisine in addition to countless others.

After shoehorning the old SUV into one of Sakura's limited parking spaces, we were greeted by the charming spectacle of busboys congregated outside the front entrance having a smoke. We entered the foyer to be greeted by a pleasant smiling hostess asking us whether we wanted to eat "traditional or sushi," which was a bit of a head-scratcher as I've never known those two terms to be mutually exclusive. Apparently, what she meant was sushi-bar seating, or seating in the cavernous, maze-like dining room. Seriously- this place is huge, looking even bigger inside than one would surmise from viewing the exterior. We were seated in the hinterlands of one of the rear dining rooms- an outpost so removed from the rest of the restaurant that we thought we might have to order via telegraph or carrier pigeon. It was an odd sensation to go from the bamboo and black lacquer cliche' of the foyer to the warm beige and ochre dining room- completely unchanged from its previous incarnation as Vincent's, right down to the paintings of Venice on the wall. Even the pens we were given to fill out our sushi slips were still labeled as Vincent's- I guess they came with the paintings. We sat bathed in hellishly bright ceiling mounted floodlights that didn't exactly scream "atmosphere." Feeling like french fries ready for pickup, we decided to press on.

Our meal began after a drink order from a rather surly server, whose frustrated visage belied her attempts at being nice and polite. We thought it might be because they appeared to be slow this night- odd, considering it was the first Friday night during Lent in south Louisiana. Our server clarified with surprising candor- it seems they were breaking in a new manager (apparently just having fired the old one) and the transition wasn't going so smoothly. A passing server stopped to chime in, and it looked as though there might be mutiny. Throwing caution to the wind, we elected to press on, trying the "Sushi for 2" ($32) which features 18 pieces of chef-selected sushi, a California Roll, a spicy tuna roll, and tempura roll, along with a salad and miso soup. The soup and salad arrived first. The miso soup was terribly watery, thin, and lacking flavor. Moving on the salad, we found bagged iceberg lettuce mix topped with a bottled ginger dressing. Neither of these first two courses were finished. Mercifully, the sushi arrived next on a huge white platter. It was presented beautifully, fanned out from the center like a star, with rolls on each corner and a little tree made from an herb sprig planted in a mound of wasabi. Nice!

Our buoyed spirits were short-lived though, as the sushi failed to deliver on its promise. The salmon and tuna nigiri were good, although under seasoned- no sweet-and-vinegary tang in the rice, no wasabi under the fish. This made for a rather bland bite as the fish itself lacked in flavor. The shrimp nigiri was old and brown around the edges- unpalatable. The snapper had an off-scent. The whitefish garnished with green onions was better, surpassing the rubbery fluke alongside it. We ate what we could stomach and left the rest behind. Our server passed by once with an "Any complaints?" which there surely were, but her bluntness left me speechless. After it became apparent that the order of a second glass of wine had been missed, we elected to make for the exits.

I'm not sure whether Sakura is a lost cause, but it is certainly teetering on the brink. Half-empty on a night it should be packed with hungry Catholics, it doesn't look good. Sakura seems to lack focus... it's menu is all over the place, trying to be all things to all people (there is a full Chinese menu as well, which is concerning in a place that bills itself as a sushi restaurant)- and misses its target altogether. It has no brand, no vibe, no consistent feel, this Asian mess stuffed into an old Italian joint. Perhaps the new manager was warranted considering the lack of discipline and professionalism displayed by the staff- and if they get that turned around, and get the kitchen committed to delivering FRESH food made with care- Sakura has a shot. This night, though, Sakura had the feel of a loose ship tottering on a uneven keel.

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Soaking up Philly like a sponge...

353 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Baton Rouge, 70816. Phone: 225-293-1003

Some of life's greatest pleasures are simple. In a sense it's harder to make a dish with only a few ingredients really sing than to create an ornate, involved dish. There's nothing to distract, nothing to mask or hide less than fresh ingredients or flawed preparation. In the same vein, as someone who eats out a lot sometimes I have to set aside the beurres blanc and demiglaces and curries and whatnot and just go get something simple and good... the perfect burger, some fried chicken and another of my favorites, a good Philly cheese steak. Alas, an authentic Philly has usually been very hard to find in a town like Red Stick. There are many pretenders, but most folks here just don't really nail it, as there are few here who've actually had the real McCoy to use as a frame of reference.
When I stumbled across South of Philly- newly arrived on Sherwood Forest Boulevard, I approached with a bit of skepticism. S.O.P.'s menu claims "Authentic Philadelphia Cheese Steaks and More", so I set to put them to the test. Entering the restaurant, I felt as if I had stumbled onto the set of Sponge Bob Square Pants... in its previous incarnation, this space was obviously a seafood joint, complete with the requisite aqua paint scheme and kitschy nautical nonsense on the walls. So far, it seems, the decor hasn't caught up with the new cuisine. Resisting the urge to order in me finest pirate voice, I approached the counter and observed my first good sign-literally. Above the counters was a bright sign explaining the proper ritual for ordering a cheese steak. Starting with size, and "wit" or "witout" onions, and what kind of cheese, you tell them how to make your masterpiece. Normally I like provolone on steak sandwiches, but in the interest of authenticity, I ordered mine as God intended in the City of Brotherly Love- with onions and yes, Cheez Whiz. Cheez Wiz? Yes. Cheez-freaking-Whiz. Those looking for a less authentic Philly experience can also opt for American, Provolone, or Mozzarella.

Lesser cheese steak purveyors use cheap minute steaks, so my validating experience continued when my Philly arrives full of minced rib eye, sauteed onions, and Cheez Whiz on Amoroso bread- the real Philly cheese steak bread served in Philadelphia. There's only so much waxing poetic I can do, but suffice it to say I was blown away by this cheese steak... a hot, fresh, satisfying meal. The bread was fresh, hot, and soft. The minced rib eye was hot and juicy, the onions perfectly caramelized around the edges, and the cheese melted perfectly on top. Another pleasant surprise came in the form of the fries served on the side of the Philly- too often, a soggy afterthought. These fries were hot and crispy, and still had the skin on like honest-to-goodness home fries- like fries should be. When it comes to their signature dish, South of Philly hits a real home run.

South of Philly also offers other Philly-based sandwiches like pepper steak, pizza steaks, and mushroom steaks, all in $6 to $10 range. SOP also offers an array of poboys, or a build your own burger setup for those less enamored with the pinnacle of Pennsylvania cuisine. For me, though, I've found a new home in which to scratch my cheese steak cravings. So, don your lime green jogging suit and gold chains, and head over to Sherwood Forest to soak up a taste of Philly like a sponge.

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Carrabba's... that's amore'!

This year Valentines Day falls on a Saturday, and many people will avoid the weekend crowds by dining out earlier in the week. That's why Carrabba's is offering consumers the ultimate pre-Valentine's Day celebration "Dal Cuore Nights," meaning "From the Heart Nights" at Carrabba's.

About The Dal Cuore Nights Celebration

• The Dal Cuore Nights celebration includes a Prix Fixe Menu (Less than $20 per person) and $10 off any bottle of wine, including Ruffino's Dal Cuore di Carrabba wine, a limited-edition baby Super Tuscan created exclusively for Carrabbass. The prix fixe menu includes an appetizer, entreé and mini-dessert. Featured entreés include Carrabba's favorites such as Sirloin Marsala, Chicken Bryan, Chicken Marsala, Polo Rosa Maria and Grilled Salmon with the sauce of the day.
• Topping off the evening, guests on February 11 and 12 will receive a special Dal Cuore Valentine's Day Card featuring a "heartfelt" quote. One lucky quote recipient will win a romantic Italian escape for two including 7 night cruise and airfare. Beginning Sunday, March 1, 2009, the winning quote will be revealed on Carrabba's website at www.carrabbas.com, where complete details are available.

Eat Baton Rouge Quick Bites: Importfood.com

If you are an aficionado of Thai food, check out importfood.com- it's my favorite online Thai grocery store and recipe site. It's got all the traditional recipes that you'd find in most American Thai restaurants as well as some street vendor food recipes that are dy-no-mite. If you have trouble finding Thai ingredients where you live, those are available too... and not just canned or boxed mixes- they also have fresh ingredients like lemon grass or kaffir lime leaves they can ship right to your door. There is also a section for Thai cookware featuring hot pots, mortars-and-pestles, and other de rigeur Thai kitchen equipment.Sawadee!

Derek Chang's Koto

Derek Chang's Koto Japanese Restaurant
3023 College Drive
Baton Rouge
225.924.1980
http://www.kotoofjapan.com/


Sometimes first impressions can be wrong. It's also said that everyone deserves a second chance. I've visited Koto in the past, leaving less than blown away by what I found. Lately, perhaps due to its impending move into a plush new space off Corporate Boulevard, Koto is being talked about more and more. I'd gotten several reports as to Derek Chang's sushi-roll wizardry of late, followed by looks of blank incredulity when I opined that there were other Baton Rouge area sushi spots that I felt were more deserving of my yen. Things change, I thought to myself, and harkening back to my own experience working the line, I knew that some days just aren't good days at every restaurant- so, with a spirit of redemption, I dropped in to Koto for a workday lunch to see what the fuss is about. Sans dining company and a luxe expense account, I opted for a sushi bento box ($11.50) and Koto's signature roll, 'The Bomb' ($8.00) to get a representative sample of Koto's offerings.

I was seated at the sushi bar, and greeted promptly by a server with a steaming hot hand towel- always a nice, if standard, touch at a sushi bar. My visit came on a chilly Louisiana day, so I began with a pot of hot green tea. Service at Koto proved to be friendly, attentive and efficient... a highlight of this visit. The lunch bento box features a soup (your choice of miso or mushroom... this day, I chose mushroom) fried rice, house salad with ginger dressing, gyoza dumplings and a snow crab roll. The sushi offerings consisted of one piece each of tuna, salmon, crab stick, shrimp, and white fish.

The mushroom soup arrived first, a steaming, clear broth with floating slivers of white mushroom and bits of tempura batter. This was simple goodness and did not fail to satisfy. Next up came 'The Bomb'- billed as Chef Chang's signature creation. Described as grilled tuna inside a tempura roll, dressed in a homemade three-sauce combination, garnished with scallions, sesame seeds and masago. In the interest of disclosure, I can be something of a sushi purist. I'm not a sushi snob, though, and I have no problem eating non-authentic sushi (the ubiquitous California Roll, for example, certainly isn't Japanese.) I also recognize that Chang is known as kind of a sushi-fusion guy who likes to experiment- an admirable trait in the competitive commercial marketplace. It is with these things in mind that something like 'The Bomb' challenges me. When one thinks of Japanese food, one thinks of simple, light, succulent bits of food... balanced,clean, clear, fresh flavors balancing hot and cold, balancing the sweet, sour, salty, spicy and fifth realm of taste then Japanese call 'umami', meaning 'savory'. The bomb roll in many ways in the antithesis of this philosophy. It arrives deep-fried and a little heavy. It's grilled tuna takes away what would have been a wonderful contrast had the tuna been raw inside the warm crispy roll. A flavorful fish like tuna is lost beneath thick, sweet, cloying sauces that cover rather than enhance the taste of the fish. A fried roll such as this would be better served with something lighter and more astringent. Instead, it's a muddle of flavors where no one ingredient shines.

The Bento box was up next, featuring a pair of gyoza dumplings, warm and tasty. Alongside was an iceberg salad with ginger dressing that was enjoyable as well. Things went horribly south with the fried rice that accompanied the Bento box- dry, flavorless, almost stale. At best an afterthought, I found it wholly inedible. The snow crab roll, was a step back to the right direction, although the sweetness of snow crab is effectively lost when served as it is, minced and bound with Japanese mayo. The nigiri failed to impress, as well. None of the fish seemed especially fresh... the tuna lacked in flavor, the salmon was a bit slimy. The crab stick was safe enough as it is a processed food, but the white fish was a poor cut, containing a fair amount of the bloodline- yuk. The shrimp was similarly stale with touches of brown around the edges- a symptom of age. This was so off-putting, I had to eject only having eaten part of my meal.

Now, I'm no Philistine... and I realize that the Bento box is the sushi equivalent of a Happy Meal. Still, if it's on the menu and you charge a price for it, it should be good. Should you pay a visit to Koto, it may be wise to stick to some of the other rolls or go to the Hibachi. As for sushi, I've given Koto two chances, and in a town like Baton Rouge where sushi options grow by the day, that is probably enough.