The Freestyle Magic of Tokyo Joe’s Sushi

Good news travels fast in Morro Bay. Since opening early summer, Tokyo Joe’s Sushi, the brainfood child of entrepreneur Joe Yukich and Chef Hiroki Ohata, has rapidly gained a following for its high quality sushi, its small (seats 32, 10 at the bar), cozy, relaxed café atmosphere, and friendly, attentive staff. But that’s only where Tokyo Joe’s begins, or takes off...

Behind Tokyo Joe’s local chic is fine hotel dining at its gourmet best. Spinning out world-class creations from a colorful palette of international influences, Chef Hiro prepares sophisticated dishes that constantly dazzle with their visual appeal, amaze with their levels of time-release tastes and flavors, and delight with his magician’s finishing touch.

One of the top sushi chefs in Hawaii, Chef Hiro learned the art of French, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Cajun and Caribbean cuisines on land and sea until his passion for fusing the tastes of the world became his specialty. The secret of Tokyo’s Joe’s success lies in the sushi master’s world of experience, his artistry, and his ability to surprise unsuspecting diners with new and exciting dishes that change in a flash the way people think about Japanese food

If it’s rolls that rock you, there are more than 30 rolls on the menu, all the classics, favorites and specials, and even more off the menu. Go for the daily specials on the blackboard, like the Lava Flow Roll with spicy tuna, deep fried and cut in to eight pieces, served with a teriyaki sauce, the Chef’s special spicy mayo sauce and a Sriracha hot sauce, which makes it look like lava flowing down a volcano ($9.50); the Big Bertha Roll with deep fried spicy tuna, avocado and cucumbers, topped with slices of salmon and served with ponzu (citrus soy sauce) and teriyaki sauce ($14); or the Olivia Roll with shrimp tempura and cucumber rolled and topped with California roll, crab and avocado and served with teriyaki sauce ($8.75).

Tokyo Joe’s offers everything you go to a Japanese restaurant for, the best cuts of sushi and sashimi in all its forms, but Tokyo Joe’s is much more; it’s a most unique and unusual hybrid of sushi and beyond, offering up dinner specials on and off the menu that vividly illustrate what Chef Hiro calls “freestyle” —boldly combining two or more cuisines in one dish to create something new and special.

Setting the stage, the Mix Sunomono appetizer—thinly shaved cucumber with tender shrimp, crab, octopus and radish sprouts in a ponzu sauce ($4.95), and the udon—thick, soft noodles—with salmon roe, onion, micro greens and baby tomatoes in a sesame/wasabi/garlic sauce ($4.75) are intensely satisfying, elegant harbingers of a new wave in Morro Bay.

Risk and reward play a big part in Chef Hiro’s culinary art. Sameness is not on the menu. Breaking new taste barriers makes everyone happy, and Hiro’s special dinners are natural mood escalators. That’s why the sautéed salmon filet in a fine tomato/butter sauce ($13.95), the beef rib-eye slices with cucumber, spicy grated radish and Japanese dikon noodles in a garlic/citrus ponzu sauce ($9.50), and Hamachi Kama—grilled yellowtail cheef served with ponzu sauce, green onion and spicy grated radish ($11.50) tend to leave behind only blissful smiles and warm congratulations to Chef Hiro.

Tokyo Joe’s offers something for everyone and at reasonable prices. Prepared with the same creative flair as all their dishes, the chicken, beef and salmon teriyaki dinners with soup, rice and salad average $8.95. The sushi combination ($16) and sashimi ($20) aim to satisfy fish enthusiasts, while the Combination Dinner Box features chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki, sashimi or sushi with rice, soup, pot stickers, fried chicken, California roll and ice cream ($15.95).

Tokyo Joe’s offers a lunch menu of over 20 rolls, salmon and chicken teriyaki dishes with rice, soup and salad for $9.95 each, as well as a wide variety of chicken, beef and tempura bowls cooked with egg and onion and served with miso soup ($6 to $7.95), as well as sushi and sashimi combo lunches for $8.95 and $9.95. For dessert there’s green tea ($2.25), tempura ($4.95) and mochi ice cream ($3) and banana tempura ($3.95), all sweet and rich complements to the best sushi in Morro Bay and for miles around.
                                         
Tokyo Joe’s Sushi, 3118 N. Main St., Morro Bay, off Hwy. 1 in Manfredo Square. Open Tues.-Sun. Lunch, 12-3 p.m. Dinner, Tues.-Thurs, Sun. 5-10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 5-11 p.m. Closed Monday. Website: www.tokyojoesushi.com. Tel: (805) 772-7987.

—Ed Ochs
August 2009