Sushi at Sakura

My dad and I have a standing tradition of going out for sushi as a Christmas present. This year, travel/work/grad school schedules extended the holiday season into March :) Sometimes, delayed-gift giving is much more fun because it gives you something to look forward to at an unexpected time. I also love experiential gifts overall, with foodie experiences high at the top of the list. Plus, my dad is amazing and getting to spend time with him while enjoying a meal together is the best thing. 

Our favorite sushi place in Minnesota is Sakura in downtown St. Paul. Prepare for a sushi montage, with a few bonuses at the end...

1. Hot green tea in earthy mugs.

2. Wasabi shumai.  Steamed rice-paper dumplings infused with wasabi and filled with shrimp and pork. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice takes these over the edge.

3. Goma-Ae. Boiled spinach, served cold, and topped with sesame sauce and seeds. I could eat order upon order of this. So delicious.

3. Maguro sashimi.

4. The Number Nine Roll. I loyally order this delicious creation every time we go to Sakura. Shrimp tempura on the inside with salmon and avocado on the outside, topped with eel sauce.  Also pictured, the special roll that night: Spicy salmon hand roll.

5. Mochi for dessert. Vanilla and strawberry ice cream surrounded by a sweet rice cake. 

6. If you are a fan of ginger, I highly recommend the green salad with house ginger dressing. My dad and I each had one, but in my utter excitement, I forgot to document it. The dressing is that good. 


And now, the bonuses.

You  may be wondering,  'How do sushi and Irish literature go together in a post'? After dinner, we headed over to the St. Paul Library where the lovely Irish power couple Paddy O'Brien and Erin Hart (read more about them here, and here) were doing a book reading for each of their newly-released books. My dad and I have each read Erin's 3 previous mysteries and loved them. I can't wait to dive into both of these books over spring break. An additional note, Paddy is an absolutely amazing musician and I am particularly excited to read his stories about developing his passion for music. He played at our wedding in November along with two other wonderful musicians, and it was the most special thing.

 

Happy Friday, happy sushi-eating, and happy reading dabblers!

-The Delicious Dabbler