Naturally, you can enjoy great seafood and Mexican cuisine in Rocky Point, but who would expect there to be a plethora of Sushi restaurants?
Sushi has become a culinary favorite around the world and Rocky Point is well-suited to the craft with fresh fish right off shore and species like salmon and tuna now readily available. There’s an art to the preparation that blends flavor and presentation, creating plates of rolls that are nothing short of artwork.
In Rocky Point, Sushi Sun at the top of Calle 13 is probably the best known. Their chefs are artists and the atmosphere is relaxed and inviting. There’s patio seating for the shoulder seasons and plenty of room inside with comfortable tables and soft lighting.
Chef Tony’s Molly Molly Sushi bar is now tucked into the back of a strip mall on Sinaloa at Manuel Arista – watch for the LaBelle Spa up front. It’s a little hard to find but well worth the effort. You’ll discover a large variety of hand-rolled, ultra-fresh and flavorful sushi.
The real sleeper in Peñasco sushiland is Saikó Sushi. They are in the Plaza Melani on Freemont Boulevard. Here too, the food is artfully prepared and presented, and somehow they infuse an extra punch of flavor in their rolls, sauces and soup. The atmosphere is casual and the sushi is stellar.
If you’re looking for sushi-to-go, for a quick meal or a party, Koi Boxed Sushi in the plaza behind Shrimp Park has an extensive sushi menu. There is some seating in Koi and in the courtyard, or walk across to the park and enjoy a sushi picnic.
On Boulevard Josépha Ortiz Domínguez, at Calle Lázaro Cárdenas del Río, is Bamboo, the sushi restaurant Victor Gonzalez has operated for 12 years. There is comfortable seating for 16 inside or take out. Bamboo has mastered “infusion” sushi. In addition to fish, shrimp and crab, they create rolls with beef, chicken and (wait for it …) bacon. In addition to traditional soy, ginger and wasabi for dipping, they offer a chipotle cream sauce, soy sauce infused with jalapeno and a refreshing soy sauce with lime and orange.
In all of these sushi restaurants you with find rolls made with cream cheese. At Las Olas in the Lluvia hotel on Benito Juarez, it is in virtually every roll.
The use of cream cheese in sushi started around 1980 and was introduced as an alternative to fatty tuna because it gave the same creamy texture without the heavy fishy flavor. Though you won’t find it in traditional sushi in Japan, the popularity in the U.S. and Mexico is growing.
In most of the sushi restaurants you can request rolls without cream cheese and with only raw fish. By health department regulations, all fish for sushi must be frozen before it is prepared, to eliminate any organisms that could be a health problem.
Whether you’re a purist or an infusion adventurer, happy hunting on your Rocky Point Sushi Safari.
Sushi with bacon? Hmmmm!
Cutlines:
Presentation is half the game and the Rocky Point Sushi chefs are artists.
Most of the restaurants are making 10-piece rolls, so bring your friends and sample a variety.
Settings are casual. At Molly Molly, you can sit at the sushi bar and watch the preparation.
