Sushi in Stamford? Why would anyone living in Teaneck and all the kosher eateries it offers consider driving across state lines for a spicy tuna roll? In a word: Soosh.
Soosh, located in the Crown Plaza Hotel in downtown Stamford, Connecticut, opened six months ago, and my husband and I had a chance to experience it this past Saturday night.
The first thing I will say is that everything about Soosh was a refreshing departure from today’s “buy 2 rolls get one free,” take-out, fast-food approach to the popular Japanese cuisine. I am not sure we would have considered driving to Stamford for a sushi meal on a Saturday night (or anywhere on a typical Saturday night, for that matter) if we didn’t have to pick up our daughter from a Shabbat sleepover, but now that we did it, we are sure to return. Considering how late Shabbat ends, we were pleasantly surprised that Soosh opened at 9:30 p.m. Motzei Shabbat, and judging by the number of customers that were being seated at 11pm, when we departed, it seems to be filling a real need.
The restaurant itself has a cool modernist vibe, hip atmosphere and plenty of seating including an open bar area where you can watch your food being prepared by several sushi chefs. As soon as we sat down, we were personally greeted by the owners, a lovely couple, who were gracious and thanked us for patronizing their new establishment.
Besides the expected rolls, sashimi and specialty sushi items available on most sushi restaurant menus, Soosh also features an interesting variety of delicious appetizers, two of which we sampled. The Crispy Rice was as delicious to eat as it was to look at. Presented as a deconstructed dish, small crispy rice “chips” can be dipped in a healthy portion of fresh spicy tuna and topped with a tangy seaweed salad. The Soosh Spring Roll made with Chilean sea bass and mixed vegetables in a crispy filling was a little messy but rich and flavorful.
But, what about the sushi? After our appetizers, we each enjoyed a specialty roll from the menu’s “Exquisite Rolls” section—and exquisite they were. I had the Famous Roll made with a blend of spicy kani salad and cucumber inside and spicy tuna, spicy salmon on top with wasabi mayo sauce. My husband enjoyed the Orange Dragon Roll with spicy salmon and crunch inside topped with salmon and avocado. In both rolls, the fish was fresh, the combinations in the rolls were inventive and the presentation was beautiful. I think both of us would have liked them a bit spicier but we had plenty of extra spicy sauce to dip them with.
Of course, we did have to feed the kids, even though they didn’t accompany us and I am glad we did. We got to sample the delicious Salmon Yaki Udon Noodle dish (one of several noodle-based entrees) that our daughter ordered, which was a comforting blend of thin udon noodles, tender pieces of savory salmon bites and a colorful variety of saut?ed vegetables all covered in a sweet and garlicky sauce.
In addition to a variety of interesting noodle dishes, all kinds of sushi (including vegetable and fruit versions), there are several fish entrees, soups and sides that caught our eye, which we hope to try the next time we visit, including the Miso-Marinated Black Cod and the Soosh French Fries with truffle oil. When our bill came, we were also pleasantly surprised as it was much more reasonable than a typical light dinner in the city.
So, I still don’t have you convinced to try sushi in Stamford? What if I told you that it took less time, was easier to park and less stressful than going into the city? Our ride to Soosh on Saturday night from North Riverdale (which may not be typical of all times) was under 30 minutes, parking was free and steps away from the restaurant’s entrance.
When you factor that into an already excellent experience, with delicious Japanese food, artfully presented in an inviting atmosphere—it’s clear that dining at Soosh is a no-brainer.
By Shoshana Winter
