A Fish in the Nest - Su Sushi | El Nido
- Robert McCormick
- Sep 3, 2024
- 4 min read
Written by Dani Staley
August 29, 2024
El Nido Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 4:30 to Close
Su Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 4:30 to Close
505-954-1272
1577 Bishops Lodge Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87506
If you know the way to Santa Fe, I’d like to suggest driving 15 minutes North on the I-25 for an extraordinary sushi experience at Su Sushi, El Nido’s sister restaurant, in the quaint Village of Tesuque. Close in proximity to the Santa Fe Opera house, Su is a perfect complement to add to your day.
Established in 1922 and still housed in its original adobe structure, El Nido is renowned for its live fire cooking and homemade pastas and has been an integral part of the Village for over 100 years. Following its temporary closing in 2019 due to Covid, El Nido’s owners decided to take a new, innovative approach to dining with the addition of its dual-concept restaurant, Su Sushi, which opened its doors to the public in 2021.
SU SUSHIAnnexed in El Nido’s original stage room, Su is a sushi bar and intimate dining space serving a superb selection of high-quality sushi and Japanese dishes.
A sushi lover’s dream, Su offers its patrons sushi-grade, ethically sourced fish flown in directly from Hawaii and the Toyosu Wholesale Fish Market in Tokyo, one of the largest fish markets in the world known for its high-quality fish from commercial fishing ports across Japan. Twice weekly, Chef Alex personally hand-selects each piece of fish ensuring ultimate freshness, texture, and flavor. Boasting a menu of sushi specials including Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna, Hamachi (also known as Yellowtail), and Salmon, locals have the advantage of first dibs on freshly cut toro — the belly and the fattiest part of the fish — on days when it’s been brought in fresh to the restaurant. This is a delicacy in great demand and limited in supply as the entire fish must be purchased for the belly. The higher the fat content, the higher the value. Whether or not you are a sushi connoisseur, you’ll savor the opportunity to indulge in fish of such extraordinary quality and freshness. But you’d better reserve a seat before Su’s regulars hit the door; they know what days the fish comes in and they aren’t letting anyone in on the secret because once the belly’s gone, it’s gone.
Chef Alex’s career began at the early age of 17 under the guidance of master sushi Chefs Shoko Fuki, Kuni San, and Masa Hattori respectfully. Enamored by Japanese cuisine, Chef Alex has spent the last three decades perfecting his craft making delicious sushi, tempura, and teriyaki dishes. He gained local acclaim working at Shohko Café, a popular establishment in Santa Fe and one of the first sushi bars to offer authentic Japanese cuisine to the community. Adding his two-year tenure at Su, Chef Alex has solidified his reputation as an ‘Itamae’ or masterful sushi chef. As frequent Su patron and Santa Fe resident Cathy O’Keefe described it, ‘Alex’s sushi is a work of art.’
A highlight of the evening was my server Leslie, a food and beverage industry veteran and consummate hostess, who truly elevated my dining experience. With four years under her belt at the restaurant, Chef Alex has well-earned her respect. ‘He takes this very seriously. He’s here at 9:00 am, going to get his fish and bringing it in, making sure it’s up to standard and doing his special cuts. He will not serve something that is not up to par. He does a really phenomenal job.’
THE FOOD
I opted for the ‘Omakase,’ chef’s selection served over three courses, trusting whatever Chef Alex chose to create for my meal. Below are a few favorites:
Tempura Green Hatch Chile with Stuffed Shrimp – A stellar starter, this plate kicked things off with a big crunch. Served tempura style with locally sourced, garden fresh, green hatch chile, succulent, fresh shrimp, and topped off with a sweet chile sauce, every mouthful was wonderfully spicy, savory, sweet and flavorful.
An unexpected complement to this dish was the pickled wasabi. Made from real wasabi sourced from Mt. Fuji, the stems are finely chopped and left in Chef Alex’s secret sauce to marinate. The result is a tasty condiment that is satisfyingly salty with the same sharp kick of regular wasabi, but with a consistency similar to salsa. Served with tempura chips, it was a unique and excellent reset for the pallet that left me wanting more.
Salmon Toro and Hamachi Nigiri – The salmon belly was a beautiful, light coral color, nicely marbled, silky, and buttery. The Hamachi was firmer in texture, mild and sweet. The rice was fluffy, well-packed, and retained its shape, and each piece of fish tasted incredibly fresh as if pulled straight out of the ocean.
Considered one of the most challenging sushi skills to master, nigiri is the art of hand-pressing sushi rice into bite-sized mounds. To prepare this meal, Chef Alex uses a hangiri, a traditional Japanese wooden bowl, to cool and season the rice to perfection resulting in nigiri that were beautifully proportioned and delicious.
Wild Albacore Sashimi – This piece of fish was served without rice and had a slight chill which made it mouth-wateringly delectable. With a drizzle of sesame and chili oil, combined with a sprinkling of black and white sesame seeds, the flavors were well-balanced with just the right amount of nuttiness and heat to bring out the delicate, mild flavor of this fish.
Otoro Tuna – An exquisite and sublime piece of sushi, this was the highlight of my evening. Served sashimi style, this fish belly was a deep pink color, dense and marbled with fat. This otoro was so rich and sumptuous, my teeth slid into it like a knife cutting butter and it emulsified in my mouth. Incredibly delicious and satisfying.
From tempura to sushi, Su restaurant is an extraordinary dining experience that offers a little something for everyone.
For more information, go to https://elnidosantafe.com/su-sushi/
For writing and business inquiries contact: danielleastaley@gmail.com
Commentaires