RA
Sushi San Diego Still Rockin'
RA
Sushi-a staple in San Diego's famed Gaslamp District
that's known for its stylish spin on sushi and cool lounge-like
atmosphere that draws patrons in droves. Nearly every night
of the week throughout its decade-long lifespan, this uber-stylish,
music-filled hotspot packs in pleasure-seeking sushi lovers
who enjoy the kinetic vibe, victuals and visuals.
With
a decidedly attractive and affable serving and bartending staff,
RA Sushi Manager, Heather Lugo, concedes that a key element
of RA's success lies with excellent service provided by a "young,
attractive, and energetic team" that loves and believes
in the brand. However, the success of RA Sushi San Diego is
far more than skin deep. According to Lugo, menu innovation
and diversity are among the restaurant's primary differentiators,
along with its ability to stay "ahead of the curve"
by constantly evolving and perfecting its craft.
Now
a bona-fide downtown draw, the restaurant is also revered by
actors, sports stars, musicians and bachelor/bachelorette partiers
looking for a fun-filled sushi fix. When asked if she could
reveal some of the known celebrity spotting at the site, Lugo
provided quite a list, including Liam Neeson, Tommy Lee, Natasha
Bedingfield, Skrillex, Joey Fatone, Nick Swardson, William Shatner,
The Wailers, Deadmau5, Carmelo Anthony and DMX, among a litany
of others.
One
glance at the extensive and imaginative menu and it becomes
clear why so many famous faces stop in. While sushi menu sections
include the customary tapas, salads, sashimi, nigiri sushi and
maki sushi, it's the "must haves" and specialty roles
that make RA Sushi's cuisine high caliber. Consider this quick
list of my personal fav's:
*
VIVA LAS VEGAS ROLL: Kani kama crab and cream cheese rolled
in rice and seaweed, lightly tempura battered and topped with
spicy tuna, kani kama crab mix and sliced lotus root; finished
with a sweet eel sauce and spinach tempura bits
*
CHILI PONZU YELLOWTAIL: Thinly sliced yellowtail, jalapeño,
cilantro and sautéed cashews; served with a Kochjan chili
ponzu sauce
*
"RA"LLIPOP: Tuna, salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna mix,
lettuce, asparagus and cucumber wrapped in lobok; served skewered
with a garlic ponzu sauce
*
CRAZY MONKEY ROLL: Smoked salmon, mango and cream cheese topped
with avocado, red beet tempura bits and cashews; drizzled with
mango and sweet eel sauces
*
"RA"CKIN' ROLL: Kani kama crab and cream cheese rolled
in rice and seaweed, lightly tempura battered and topped with
guacamole and "RA"ckin' Shrimp; finished with a creamy
ginger teriyaki sauce, red beet tempura bits and togarashi
Non-sushi
aspects of the RA menu are equally enticing, offering a bevy
of sumptuous soups, salads, starters and suppers. Some of the
standouts include:
*
GRILLED SHORT RIBS: Marinated and grilled Kalbi beef short ribs
basted in a sweet and tangy yakiniku sauce; served with coleslaw
*
CRISPY ASIAN TACOS: Spicy Tuna: spicy tuna mix, lobok, lettuce
mix, crumbled wasbi rice cracker bits and guacamole served in
a rice paper shell
*
DENGAKU TOFU: Crispy tofu served with tempura sauce, lightly
fried eggplant and snow peas; finished with a red miso ginger
glaze
*
LOBSTER SPRING ROLLS: Lobster mixed with mango, cream cheese
and mild peppers, wrapped in wonton paper and lightly fried;
served with a mango sauce
*
HOLY SHISHITO CHICKEN: Asian breaded chicken lightly fried and
sautéed in a chili sesame sauce, tossed with fried shishito
peppers, onions, green and red pepper
Beyond
the copious creative menu options, Lugo cites how music plays
a key role in cultivating critical atmosphere, exclaiming, "Our
resident DJ, Mike White, creates a fun environment by interacting
with guests and ensuring they are enjoying their experience
at RA."
Lugo
also shared recent developments that have RA staffers smiling.
She noted, "We just recently started using Open Table,
which is very exciting. It holds a guest database that gives
us more knowledge about our repeat guests. Then, we can accommodations
their personal preferences. It makes us more easily accessible
to the public, allowing them to reserve a place in our restaurant
with a click of a button."
"Then,
there is parking in downtown," she laments. "As some
people know, it can be very frustrating and inconvenient. We
recently partnered up with the parking garage on 5th and Broadway
to reduce the cost of all day parking for RA Sushi guests only."
In
listing other notables about the San Diego location of this
restaurant franchise, Lugo boasts, "We are the first RA
location to do a Locals Only Night where we try and feature
local artists, DJs, breweries and liquors."
In keeping with RA Sushi tradition, the restaurant is continuing
to push the envelope to enhance the dining and entertainment
experience for its guests. This as the eatery strives to be
the go-to downtown sushi destination for everyone, not just
the locals. Lugo says, "We want to be the first place that
is mentioned to travelers when requesting great sushi in San
Diego."
RA
Sushi
474 Broadway,
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 321-0021
http://www.rasushi.com/locations/california/
By Merilee Kern, 'The Luxe List' Executive Editor
"The
Luxe List" Executive Editor Merilee Kern scours the luxury
marketplace for exemplary travel experiences, extraordinary
events, and notable products and services. Submissions are accepted
at www.LuxeListReviews.com.
Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor
and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.
***Some
or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or
service(s) detailed above were provided at no cost to accommodate
this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of
Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***