Japan has invaded México, and we’re hooked – By Sandra Berry
What started as a necessity in Japan more than a thousand years ago has become a celebrated art form not only in its home country but also a world away—at Land’s End. Bountiful seas propel the art of sushi forward in México and Japan, and Los Cabos residents and visitors reap the benefits.
Whether you’re a sushi connoisseur or initiate, we invite you to explore the sushi menus at several of Los Cabos’ best restaurants. Consult the itamae-san, or expert sushi chef, at each in order to learn more about the terminology, etiquette, and artistry.
Maki rolls and nigiri are the most common forms of sushi. They are thin slices of raw fish seasoned with wasabi and wrapped around or layered with rice. You can sample them at the colorful and chic Imomo Sushi House* (624-145-6011 www.goldenzonecabo .com) on the Cabo San Lucas Marina. The red-and-white decor with a Japanese flag painted on the ceiling sets the mood as you enjoy an array of traditional and nontraditional Japanese fare. Try one of the special Hawaiian-style makis served with sweet-and-sour sauce or the banana maki with fried banana and shrimp.
Also on the Cabo San Lucas Marina, Dos Mares* (624-143-0582, www.dos marescabo.com) serves a great appetizer of thick tuna sashimi with orange, serranito chile, black sesame seeds, and fried wontons on the side.
The extensive sushi menu at Mango Deck (624-143-0901, www.mango deckcabo.com) has rolls, sashimi, and more. Start with fresh sashimi served with serranito or a sauce made with the milder, distinctive flavor of cilantro. Select the Mango Deck roll, or a colorful rainbow roll made with shrimp; both are topped with mango sauce. The popular kurrikanes—a take on the word hurricane with different spellings in the various Los Cabos sushi houses—are made with crab, avocado, and slices of raw fish topped with an orange and sesame sauce. Don’t miss the sumptuous tempura-style fried ice cream dessert.
I’m a salad lover, so one of my go-to dishes is sashimi salad made with fresh lettuce, then topped with thin slices of fish (tuna, bass, salmon, yellowtail, or octopus) and avocado, and finally sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds and a special sauce created by the chef. At Solomon’s Landing* (624-143-7606, www.solomonslandingcabo.com), the salad comes with little bites of broccoli, and it’s absolutely delicious. Solomon’s has one of the most robust menus in all of Los Cabos, and a separate, extensive sushi-only menu. The dedicated sushi chef creates exciting and exotic sushi; one special roll is made of tempura-style fish wrapped around avocado, cucumber, melted cheddar, and Monterrey cheese on a poblano chile and served with mango-and-chile sauce. You’ll notice that wherever you go in the world, international food is fused with the local cuisine to suit the palates of that country. Take for example Solomon’s Landing’s sashimi topped with serrano chile bits, hot sesame oil, and slices of avocado. Any roll with cream cheese—here called “la filadelphia” is a good sign you are in México.
For a quick sushi snack, stop by the Tiki Bar (624-144-4973) on the Cabo San Lucas Marina and try the popular Sashimi Palmitas (also known as Curricanes), which are made with spicy crab and avocado wrapped in fresh fish slices and topped with sesame seed and orange sauce.
Chef Volker Romeike of Pitahayas* (624-145-8010, www.pitahayas.com) spent several years working in Hawaii, where he was introduced to different types of Asian cuisine. His Pacific Rim menu contains fusion dishes such as a blackened tuna tower with crispy wontons and wasabi mayo, shrimp pot stickers with a black bean garlic sauce, broiled sushi rice paddies with wild Pacific salmon, and Asian noodle salad with a creamy sesame seed dressing. There are several wok dishes at Pitahayas, including a chili citrus–glazed wild Pacific salmon with rice noodle in a sukiyaki broth.
Nick-San* (www.nicksan.com) is a Los Cabos institution. There are two locations, one in downtown Cabo San Lucas and the other at the Shoppes at Palmilla in San José del Cabo, plus several on mainland México. Choose from the variety of sashimi dishes. The black and white sashimi is my favorite; it comes with black and white sesame seeds and ponzu sauce. The tuna tostada is a colorful and spicy start with yellow fin tuna belly on a rice cracker tostada, sliced avocado and habanero-infused red onion and sesame seeds, or another of my favorites is the chile age, small chiles stuffed with spicy crab and deep-fried. This is one of the few places where soft shell crab is served; try it in the spider roll.
What to drink with sushi? To me, it’s almost sinful to eat Asian food without sake. Sake can be served hot or cold—you decide. The drink is made from fermented rice, which some refer to as rice wine, but it is not actually wine. There are more than 10,000 varieties of sake and an entire culture associated with making, serving, and drinking it. Solomon’s Landing boasts 23 kinds of sake. Since it is a social drink, it is usually poured by the host. So, the next time you have the opportunity to indulge, perhaps to learn more about sushi, raise your sake cup with a toast of “Kanpai!” Y
