A sampling of the tuna tartar with red pear jus and garlic soy attests to the fact that the kitchen has a sure and steady hand when it comes to raw fish. A tuna ceviche with almonds, red onions and grapefruit juice practically sprung from the plate, it was so fresh. The Kobe beef tataki comes relatively unadorned save for a drizzle of truffle oil allowing the flavorful meat to assert itself. Bathed in a tart lemongrass sauce, the thin slices of fish are enhanced by slivers of jalapeño peppers and the citrus sauce. The yellowtail sashimi “Tiradito” is worth the trip to Lincoln Road alone. The Chilean sea bass “anticuchos” skewers is one of the heartiest small plates as it boasts 2 generous hunks of miso-marinated fish resting atop oversize kernels of Peruvian corn marinated in butter and lime. But the real fun is to be had ordering a mélange of small plates. Steaks and seafood are available as entrees and we spied several tables ordering the generous lobster platters. The menu features some unlikely combinations of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian staples. The circular sushi bar in the center of the restaurant functions as a visual spectacle and additional seating. Lighting is dim, and salsa music pulses throughout the vast multi-tiered dining room. The décor is fun and chic, though it could use a refacing in certain areas. Ordering from the usual menu will also yield a fine tasting odyssey but the better value is in the omakase as Sushi Samba’s prices are not for the faint of wallet. Either 5 or 7 courses, the dishes range from kobi beef tataki to duck wontons to imaginative sushi creations. The restaurant offers a traditional nightly omakase menu, a Japanese term for a chef’s choice. But the prime location on Lincoln Road makes those orange umbrella-adorned tables satisfying both for the good food and people-watching. Known as a restaurant with a nightclub atmosphere, the South Beach outpost of the Sushi Samba empire now has to compete with the recent openings of Quattro and Santo, not to mention all the foodies hopping across the bay to Michy’s and Michael’s.
The restaurant developed back in the day when fusion was a ground-breaking phenomenon, and despite its status and the older and wiser doyenne of Lincoln Road’s high-end eateries, a meal at Sushi Samba proves that the Japanese and South American-influenced eatery has not lost its mojo or its ability to churn out respectable fare.
#Samba restaurant full#
It takes a trip to Sushi Samba Dromo to remind us all that fusion cuisine can be exciting, flavorful and full of unexpected promise. The term has become too trendy, overused and was never quite defined. People in the food world shy away from using the word “fusion” these days.
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