bar culture

Beautiful West Coast sushi restaurant rolls into downtown Austin

Sushi Roku is opening its first Texas location February 16.

Photo by Richard Casteel, courtesy of IDG

As Austin's sushi infatuation continues, an alluring newcomer from California steps onto the less coastal scene. Sushi Roku is opening its sixth restaurant on February 16 in downtown Austin. This is the small chain's first Texas effort.

The new sushi restaurant is inside a glassy, avant-garde tower that's also new to the Warehouse District, at 405 Colorado St. It joins the portfolio of locations in Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Newport Beach, and Pasadena in California, and Las Vegas in Nevada. A Palo Alto, California location is opening in spring of 2024.

Los Angeles residents are likely familiar with Sushi Roku, which first opened in Hollywood in 1997. As one might expect, this was an upscale establishment, and the following locations were similarly dramatic inside. Different locations look different inside, and the Austin restaurant appears simultaneously to be one of the more dramatic and cloistered environments.

Partitions, small tables, and semi-circular benches break up the dining room, while an abundance of creative lighting barely tips the room into its dimly lit state. (That's in pictures anyway — it may be a little better-suited for menu reading in person.) There's artful clutter displayed throughout, including lots of greenery.

A chic live-edge walnut bar serves both drinks and sushi, centering the two offerings.

Sushi Roku Austin interior Photo by Richard Casteel, courtesy of IDG

“We are thrilled to bring Sushi Roku to the Live Capital of the World,” said Innovative Dining Group (IDG) partner and co-founder Lee Maen in a press release. “We’ve seen an increased demand from our tech-focused guests who visit California and Nevada from Austin, or have relocated to Texas. When expanding we look for markets where our quality dining experiences and one-of-a-kind concept restaurants would make a big impact and rapidly growing Austin is a natural fit.”

By now, most Austin diners know what to expect from an upscale sushi restaurant; This one by Chef Sang Kim combines "Western influences with internationally inspired accents." That means dishes like the "signature" hanabi — like nigiri, but on crispy rice — baked crab rolls served warm, and truffle Brussels sprout chips. One dish is exclusive to the Austin location: the Waterloo Ichi Roll with tuna, yellowtail, snow crab, mango, avocado, cucumber, kiaware (daikon radish sprouts), chili oil, sriracha, and spring greens.

There are 16 rolls and 18 sashimi options on the menu. Diners who like sampling might consider the sushi plate or the seven-piece daily selection and custom hand roll.

Sushi Roku plates Photo by Richard Casteel, courtesy of IDG

A specialty cocktail selection is perhaps the most adventurous part of the menu, including a range of tropical ingredients from yuzu, to pomegranate, to coconut. Espresso-washed Whistle Pig adds a bold twist to an old fashioned, paired with honey, ginger, cucumber, fresh serrano, mint, and angostura bitters. The Shoman Glory is also exclusive to Austin, and is made with Don Londres Blanco tequila, cucumber, kiwi, and yuzu.

The beverage program by General Manager Jasmine Lee Garcia also boasts "a large collection of sake, Japanese beer, and whiskey," according to a release.

“We are excited to welcome guests and host a myriad of special events in Austin’s new Sushi Roku, from the sushi bar to the semi-private dining room,” said Garcia.

Sushi Roku Austin interior bar Photo by Richard Casteel, courtesy of IDG

Sushi Roku's starting hours are 5-10 pm Mondays through Thursdays, 5-11 pm Fridays, 3-11 pm Saturdays, and 3-9 pm Sundays. Brunch will be available starting at 11:30 am in spring of 2024. Parking is available on the street and in the garage, as well as $12 valet. Reserve via SevenRooms or OpenTable (not yet open). Walk-ins are welcome in "proper attire," although the website does not specify a dress code.

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Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

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