In 2012, Park City restaurateur Bill White added Sushi Blue in Kimball Junction to his roster of restaurants, which currently includes Grappa, Chimayo, Windy Ridge Cafe & Bakery, Billy Blanco’s, Ghidotti’s, and Pine Cone Ridge. It opened in the space that was previously Hapa Grill and, like all of Bill’s restaurants, it’s eye candy with vibrant decor, lighting, and original art. Bill White’s eye for art and detail runs through everything at Sushi Blue from the chopsticks (not throwaway wooden ones) to the unique ceramic dish plates and glassware.
We stopped in for lunch recently and were told that the restaurant was getting ready to close temporarily and will be receiving a makeover and maintenance during that time. They are scheduled to be closed until November 11. So if you’re planning to visit Sushi Blue, call ahead to make sure they’ve reopened.
The pan-Asian menu at Sushi Blue is an eclectic one. Yes, there is sushi, sashimi, nigiri and such, as expected. But in addition to sushi, the menu is peppered with other enticing items such as Tako (Octopus) Ceviche ($25), Tempura Shishito Peppers ($12), Asian Lettuce Cups ($15), Tonkotsu Ramen ($18), Thai Beef Salad ($18) Teriyaki Bowl ($20), Wonton Chicken Salad ($17), Blue Burger ($17), and more.
Citrus Prawns
The “Starters” side of the menu offers up Seaweed Salad ($8) to which you can add red crab for an additional $5, pork or veggie Gyoza ($12), Sunomono Salad ($8), and an appetizer we loved: Citrus Prawns ($14). They are plump prawns that are flash fried with either a dusting of cornstarch or gluten free flour, since they are listed – as are many Sushi Blue dishes – as being gluten free. The shrimp are served with a silky citrus aioli, julienned green onion, and thin-sliced lemon.
Blue Lemonade
There’s a gorgeous bar area at Sushi Blue where you enjoy beer, wine, sake, craft cocktails, mocktails and more. Or, you can sip them at your table in the main dining area. Standout cocktails include the Grilled Pineapple Mojito ($13), Mango Mai Tai ($14), Coconut Margarita ($14), and Blue Saketini ($14). My wife loved her non-alcoholic Blue Lemonade ($5) – lemonade with raspberry syrup and blueberry boba.
Funky Finn Roll
Cleverly named maki rolls such as Salmon L. Jackson, Tuna Turner, Mike Thai Son, and Jenny From The Block lend a light, humorous touch to the serious business of making sushi. We really liked the Funky Finn ($19), made with spicy tuna, rice, avocado, scallions, and nori. It’s tempura fried and topped with wasabi aioli. We were surprised that the menu indicated that the Funky Finn roll is gluten free since it’s made with tempura batter. But when we asked about it we were told that the kitchen uses a special flour and dedicated gluten free cooking area for that and other gluten free dishes.
Kampachi & Maguro Nigiri
Nigiri and sashimi options at Sushi Blue include Octopus, Fresh Water Eel, King Salmon, Albacore Tuna and more, including a daily fish selection (ask your server). We ordered Big Eye Tuna nigiri ($10), which is maguro from the South Pacific and it was terrific. However, the Kampachi nigiri ($10) from Hawaii was a miss. We had lunch at Sushi Blue on a Monday and I don’t think the A team was in the kitchen because our Kampachi had skin and something tough and crunchy like cartilage attached to it. I’m surprised it ever left the kitchen. However, we spoke to a manager about it and he apologized, spoke to his kitchen staff about the error, and took both the Kampachi and the Maguro off of our bill.
Surf & Turf Roll
The kitchen knocked it out of the park, however, with the outrageously delicious Surf & Turf roll ($22) we ordered. It’s an other-worldly melange of tempura asparagus (again, gluten free), red crab, and avocado, topped with melt-in-the-mouth seared Koji Wagyu beef slices, garlic unagi sauce, crispy fried shallots, and togarashi. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever put into my mouth.
Monday through Thursday, from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm, Sushi Blue offers lunch specials to guests: Standard Rolls for $9 apiece, a Sushi Power Bowl or Poke Bowl for $20, and a Blue Plate Special for $14. The Blue Plate Lunch Special is two courses with a choice of miso soup, edamame, or side salad to start, and a main dish of Yaki Soba, Blue Burger, Wonton Chicken Salad, or Banh Mi. There’s also $8 wine by the glass or Wasabi Bloody Mary for $8.
Knowing how skilled and creative Bill White’s decor and design team is, I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeve for the new Sushi Blue 2.0 that’s about to debut. It’s bound to be the talk of the town.
Photos by Ted Scheffler
Culinary quote of the week: “You know how kids dream of being soccer players or actors? Well, my dream was to be a sushi chef.” – Nobu Matsuhisa
