The Vitals:
the spot: Texas Sushiko 440 E St Elmo Rd Ste B-2, Austin, TX 78745 (parked at Texas Sake Company)
the eats: Sushi hand rolls
the bucks: $40-$50 per person
the full nelson: a relative deal for high quality sushi in hand roll formats
Over the summer I dipped over to Texas Sake Co to quench my thirst and try what I had been told was a must visit sushi joint in Austin. What makes Texas Sushiko a must visit? Great quality sushi in a food truck setting. Some might balk that such a thing can’t turn out well. I beg to differ. While the effort pulls no punches, the only downside is imagining how this experience could unfold in a proper dining room.
But wait, it’s also sushi as tacos. Well, open faced hand rolls at least.
Michael and his partner Danielle grew up in South Texas where sushi just wasn’t a thing. But it was for these two chefs. Michael has extensive experience at DK Sushi, Uchi, Musashino and Ten Ten. Danielle transitioned from doing the books at Uchi to sushi chef at Tare and now Texas Sushiko. Many of these sushi restaurants are on my bucket list and the reason why I haven’t crossed some of them off? Price. Good sushi ain’t cheap in Austin but there are a few exceptions to the rule.
Ranging from $8 to $15(hello bluefin tuna) these are definitely pricey for “tacos” but you’re getting more than a mouthful of Nigiri. Remember when I said good sushi at cheap in Austin? Well the sushi here is pretty darn good, so that means you’re gonna spend a little dough. Enough so that I opted for round two.
I splurged on the King Crab hand roll at a whopping $25. This one is decked to the 9s with black truffles and the crab is poached in butter. As decadent as it sounds, my fav of this bunch was the scallop. The sweet and pristine nature of scallop hits so much more straightforward, it’s peak sushi eating. You might pause and say to yourself “damn I’m eating this in a parking lot?” As far as the salmon skin goes, I didn’t mind it but I enjoyed the other fare more so.
This bill rang big($110 w/ tax & tip) but what do you expect? Sushi ain’t cheap and it sure ain’t cheap in Austin. Still, if you want a taste of what a proper Omakase/chef’s tasting menu of sushi could entail and don’t feel like investing $150+ per person, Texas Sushiko is a fine start. Must trys: Bluefin tuna, Scallop, Salmon, Yellowtail. On a budget? You could just go on a salmon bender for a reasonable tab(like half what I spent).
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