Coastal Virginia Culinary Awards Winner 2024
From the Nov.-Dec. 2024 issue of Coastal Virginia Magazine:
Chef/owner Mike Hart’s serious sushi chops come by way of extensive study (including under Iron’s Chef’s Morimoto), but a knack for playful experimentation make eating at sushi aka in downtown Suffolk an adventure worth the price of admission. Sometimes tradition is kicked to the curb with gusto (love that Cowboy Roll, y’all). But, wrote one panelist, it’s always “an exceptional dining experience, exquisite fish and carefully sourced ingredients tended to with creativity.”
Always check the specials—or score a spot at the tiny bar and ask the chef yourself. You’re likely to find seasonal jewels, maybe oysters or softshells, and inventive vegetarian twists. Go for the sushi and sashimi, of course, but also: the Salmon Carpaccio or Gochujang Shrimp starters, the Hamachi Crudo or Tuna Pizza, and the Crispy Rockfish with coconut curry rice entree. The cocktails are a glory on their own as is the selection of Japanese whisky, sake, wines and local beers.
