Courtesy of Wabi Sabi by Shuji
Shuji Hiyakawa, former executive sushi chef of Kuro at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, brings Japan to Miami through his first solo venture, Wabi Sabi by Shuji. The Upper Eastside space serves basic, ingredient-based Japanese sushi bowls. The menu is small but packed with flavor. Four bowls ($11 to $18) are available, including the Wabi Sabi, filled with tuna, salmon, crab, tobiko, cucumber, avocado, seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms. There are three cold-pressed juices ($7), from the fruity blend Geisha to the strong and sharp mix Samurai. And there are daily specials, cooked fish, and six flavors of mochi ice cream, including matcha green tea and salted caramel. Hiyakawa offers high-end catering too. It's called shidashi, a Japanese word for "luxury sushi trunk," where he fills three-level boxes with an assortment of nigiri and rolls for $200. It feeds a few diners. Customers who bring their own bottle, bowl, or box receive $1 off their purchase. And those who bring back their shidashi box save $75 off their next order. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.