To kick off my showcase of Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 or @azrestaurantwk on Twitter, say hello to Andrew Nam aka @tweetthekorean who is the Executive Chef at Stingray Sushi which has two locations Biltmore and Old Town and a third coming to Scottsdale Quarter.
I picked Stingray because I like their swanky and zestful style.
Seafood, in general, quite frankly has not been that great of an experience for me here in Phoenix, at least in my 11 months here so far, but again, I am from the Bay Area in California and I have been spoiled rotten, not just by freshness, and flavor, but choices like people don't eat giant clam here, salmon is the standard fish, and rolls seem to be the common fare for sushi.
However...
Andrew let me try some of their Chilean Sea Bass with Yuzu sauce topped with petite greens and wow! I now have my first positive fish experience in Phoenix. This dish is not on their special AZRW 2010 menu, but Andrew said, "try this" after I went on about how I've been underwhelmed with fish since moving here. I've been eating more fish in general to get the health benefits from Omega-3.
I loved this Sea Bass dish because it was light, tender, and the petite greens was a nice touch to the health nut in me.
Next, I tried their Cabo Blanco Roll which has spicy crab, salmon, halibut, cucumber, and avocado topped with ponzu sauce and pico de gallo....which was a first for me, but a cool way to inject some southwestern flair into sushi. I ate half the roll at the restaurant, and took the other half home and ate it for breakfast believe it or not....it was better than eating a bagel or McSomething.
Again, this roll is not on their AZRW 2010 menu and I will say upfront that I didn't try any of the dishes showcased for AZRW, but don't let that stop you from trying out the place this week because $39 for a 3 course meal here is an amazing deal and great way to try something new. Here is Stingray's AZRW2010 Menu.
I rather enjoyed that Andrew got my to try some new things to help me see that seafood can be a good experience in Phoenix, and that we are not deprived out here in the desert. Stingray gets their fish delivered fresh every single day, and one thing to point out about their tuna, Andrew uses Big Eye for its richer red color and flavor.
Healthy flair for those gluten-free and who are pregnant (but not necessarily one in the same)
On the health front, one very BIG thing to point out is that Stingray offers a gluten-free soy sauce. Yes! Try finding that in your standard sushi place - it's so uncommon which is why I bolded it in 24pt font. The great thing about a sushi place is that there will be more options for those who are gluten-free because we're basically talking rice, seaweed, and fish on a simple level. When you get to the rolls which can be filled with multiple things, you'll have to ask the server.
Another nice health thing, Stingray offers a selection of dishes for women who are pregnant and are worried about what seafood they can and cannot eat. I was impressed with that detail to attention.
If you happen to see Andrew at one of their locations, do say hello to him because he really is a cool guy with a great sense of humor. I feel very lucky to have gotten to spend some time with him and indeed he did help shift my perception of seafood in Phoenix.
Besides Stingray, Andrew has a new Chinese restaurant called Jimmy Woo's opening in less than a month so guess where I will be very soon!...and not just because I think Andrew is cool but being Asian there is like hardly any Asian food in Scottsdale other than chains PF Changs and Panda Express. I'm looking forward to trying another option!
Visit Stingray Sushi on Facebook.
