Takashi

Amelia had a big birthday this last week so we went out to celebrate.  She wanted to do sushi, and we knew that for a special occasion we should do the best sushi in SLC, Takashi.  This was one of the first restaurants we visited when we were new in Utah a few years back and for whatever reason we haven't been back since then.  Due to the special occasion, we sat at the bar and asked for a wide open omakase - and we weren't disappointed.

We started with a seaweed salad (the only item we specifically requested).  It was pretty standard:

First real course was the oysters - they were small (probably from the pacific northwest) and insanely good.  The preparation was pretty standard with some lemon, onion and peppers.  I could have done about 10 more of these guys but we had to move on...

Amberjack sashimi came next with a cucumber garnish, jalepeno and spicy sauce.  Delish.

The torched sablefish nigiri was the best item of the night, hands down.  I've never had sablefish and I really loved it, and the torching adds a great texture to the top of this delicate whitefish.  This is a must-have!

Next we got an evergreen roll, which is albacore tuna, jalepeno, asparagus, cilantro and spicy sauce topped with a jalepeno infused masago.  Surprisingly spicy, and very good.

The next roll was a pounamu roll: New Zealand salmon, kiwi and yellow mango sauce on top with avocado, cucumber and spicy sauce inside.  This was also really good and despite the fruit wasn't overly sweet.

Next we did a mussels course with lemon, peppers and served with a quail egg yolk and avocado.  This is the first time I've done raw quail egg and I'm glad to say I tried it.  This course was probably one I wouldn't repeat, but it was really well done for what it was, just maybe not my thing.

We finished off with a spanish mackerel nigiri course (pictured) and some fresh octopus and seaweed salad wrapped in dried seaweed.  The mackerel was particularly fresh and tasted great.

Instead of doing dessert at Takashi we decided to head over to Zy for an after dinner cheese plate (truffle tremor, triple creme brie and smokey bleu were the selections) and a couple of whiskies, followed by the chocolate souffle topped with fresh raspberry.  Both were great.

The Verdict?  Best sushi in SLC.  The sushi chefs at Takashi are very well trained and should be trusted to create a fantastic omakase experience without hesitation.  I highly recommend that you leave your choices in their hands (providing some guidance on your preferences, if you prefer) as they won't disappoint.