Restaurant Review: Yamashiro Sushi Bistro

On my initial visit, I put myself in the hands of a talented young sushi chef late of Belltown's Wasabi Bistro and mentioned I like "the weird stuff." By Belltown standards, 20 bucks bought me $30 worth of high-quality seafood: salmon, yellowtail, maguro and tender octopus — all sliced thicker than a purist might prefer. But I wasn't complaining, especially when this generous selection also included super-white tuna, gently marinated saba (mackerel), creamy monkfish liver and a rosette of red snapper sprinkled with tobiko.

With room left for a couple of nigiri sushi, the chef suggested I forgo the sea urchin roe I'd inquired about ($3.25), offering his delicious house-cured salmon roe instead ($3). At Yamashiro, nigiri is priced per piece rather than by the pair. The better to sample the likes of Hawaiian moi (threadfish, market price) and local geoduck ($2.75), or, if you don't eat raw fish, perhaps a finger of seasoned rice sporting seared beef ($2.50) or shiitake mushroom ($1.50).

Proving this is no traditionalist's sushi parlor, the extensive list of maki (sushi rolls) ranges from a vegetarian roll sprouting pickled cabbage ($5), a heat-packing, deep-fried Dynamite Roll stoked with jalapeño ($7), to the Mango Tango, a pair of tempura shrimp dancing with red pepper, cilantro and tropical fruit ($6.50).

Choose your poisson — perhaps a raw fin-fishified Paradise Roll with maguro, albacore, salmon and whitefish ($8), or a Snow Storm Roll ($11): two rice-and-nori-bound tempura-fried shrimp wearing a blizzard of mayo-moistened crabmeat, blow-torched (!) before your eyes.

Nancy Leson, Seattle Times