"This is the best sushi in Dallas," says the guy next to me. His name is Mark, and he's been here already loads of times. And Pearl Sushi only opened a few weeks ago.
"Our credit card company even put a hold — they thought something was suspicious," says Stacy, Mark's wife, about their numerous visits. Really? I inquire naively. "No, not really," she replies. Stacy might be joking about the credit card company, but she's not about the sushi. It's fantastic.
Born in Yamanashi, Japan, Chef Shine Tamaoki attended high school and college in North Texas, before working as a sushi chef at Nobu Dallas. There, he worked alongside Chef Leo Kekoa of Frisco-based Kinzo and met lawyer Todd Landis, a customer and future business partner. The result of their friendship is Pearl Sushi, one of 2023's hottest new restaurants.
Chef Tamaoki makes modern sushi — beautiful art you can eat. But, he does so without losing the intrinsic flavor of the fish, which can be a problem with high-end sushi in the U.S. Chef Tamaoki's creations pull out the flavors and not smother them. Take, for example, the red snapper that's garnished with black lava salt or the kimedai with lemon zest. The additions are accents, and welcomed ones at that.
And this is serious sushi. Wasabi is hand-grated from the plant (no green-colored horseradish here), and Chef Tamaoki is serving up such delicacies like nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) and uni (sea urchin) as well as old favs like saba (mackerel).
But sushi alone isn't the only draw. Chef chats with customers at the counter, creating a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Heck, he's having fun with the menu, too, serving up his take on fish and chips.
Drinks programs at restaurants, especially sushi ones, can feel tacked on — like an afterthought. Kaya Turner, Chef Tamaoki's wife, created one that could stand on its own as an excellent, must-go bar.
Another guy next to us is a couple of dirty martinis into the night. It's his birthday, and he's here to celebrate with his wife. But we're sipping on a delicious gooseberry cocktail — a Kaya creation. It's fantastic.
The night goes late. Stacy and Mark are long gone. A rare bottle of sake makes an appearance, and the chef tells us he is working on expanding the maiden menu. But so far, only a few weeks in, Pearl Sushi is a truly impressive debut.
