Japanese Archives -

Phat Boy Sushi Lounge recently opened a new location at The Walk on University. Now you can find their combination of unique creations and Japanese classics much closer to home.

Navigating Phat Boy’s Sushi Lounge menu is like walking down a side street in Tokyo during dinner hours. You will find a wide selection of Sushi, Yakitori, and Ramen, along with your favorite beverages on the menu.

One of their popular drink creations is the Lychee Martini. A great gin martini, flavored with the sweet nectar of Lychee, you will find it hard to just have one.

A traditional appetizer choice, Agedashi Tofu, its lightly fried tofu in a subtle Japanese broth. A wonderful way to wake up your taste buds.

The chef had a special Sashimi salad on the menu. It was a generous pile of fresh Tuna and Salmon served on top of a bed of kale, with a citrus sauce bringing it all together. The texture of kale provides a good contrast with the fish, a surprisingly light starter.

If you want to experience the full Sashimi experience, try their Sashimi platter. It’s a great assorted combination of Salmon, salmon belly, hamachi, (Pacific yellowtail) hamachi belly, and escolar. All the fish is extremely fresh. The salmon egg encased in hamachi belly is a tasty treat, where each bite creates a small pop of buttery flavor in your mouth, coating your taste buds. You have a choice of pickled or standard wasabi. The pickled wasabi provides a different flavor profile, which is highly recommended if you haven’t tried it in the past. Ribeye tobanyaki offers your steak lover a tasty Japanese variant. The ribeye is grilled, sliced, and served in a savory soy sauce with enoki mushrooms, shishito peppers, and tomatoes. A wonderful blend of umami flavors that go well with a side of rice. Beware, a small percentage of the peppers will be spicy.

Another traditional main course choice is Tonkotsu ramen. Ramen, an adaptation of a Chinese noodle dish, allows chefs to showcase their imagination, and has become one of the national dishes of Japan. Phat Boy Sushi Lounge’s ramen noodles are light and fluffy. The ramen are drowned in a tasty broth with hearty servings of egg, pork, and mushrooms. It’s great for lunch or dinner.

Phat Boy Sushi also offers a great selection of desserts. The fried Oreo cookie is a splendid creation that you must try if you love Oreos. Oreo cookies are fried tempura style, and while still warm, combined with refreshing green tea ice cream. It brings memories of summer fair and is a great way to finish your meal.

There are three Asian/sushi restaurants that I eat in regularly. They actually triangulate our readership area and depending on where I am when the desire strikes, that’s where I go. This month, having just realized that it’s been years that I am a customer and I never reviewed them, I am singing the praises of Japango, located north of Hillsboro on the west side of 441. It’s been around for a long time, which should indicate how good it is. It is also sexy in its décor and has an exceptionally wide variety of styles and choices of fish, poultry, and meat specialties, cooked, lightly cooked, and raw.

Most “sushi” eateries are simple, small, and aimed at serving fresh fish in an old country-style diner-like atmosphere. For me, as in Japan, that’s the way it should be. Except at Japango they tweaked the philosophy just a bit. It is a “real” restaurant. It is smartly laid out in soft lighting, mellow colors, and encourages a slower dining experience, one where we sit and savor our dishes. Of course, when you try to guide your clientele toward a relaxed atmosphere you run the risk of having poor service. Not at Japango. They have the service timed to coordinate with each table’s rate of eating; a perfectly timed dining choreography.

None of this would mean a thing if the food was lousy. Japango’s fish is fresh, cut to the exact size called for (sashimi is cut thinner than nigiri and nigiri is the better name for what most of us call “sushi”).

Let me explain – technically any fish served with vinegared rice is sushi, but that type of sushi served in rectangular slices – or round – is nigiri. I recommend, without authority, an article at allaboutsushiguide. com/types-of-sushi.html for those of you who are really curious.

Another wonderful treat at Japango is that they have an extensive menu. Some sushi restaurants add some meat and poultry dishes to satisfy the few remaining people who scrunch up their faces at the sound of sushi. At Japango, you’ll find a full Asian/Thai menu and a fairly wide array of Vegan dishes. So, even if your newly converted vegetarian college student son, daughter, or grandchild waxes endlessly about the dangers of this food or that food, even they will not go hungry (don’t send me letters complaining about my insensitivity – I was that person).

While I have sampled much of the menu I have not had each and every item. But, I have had some of each: Japanese, Thai, Sushi, Wok, raw, cooked, and even vegetarian. I have never been disappointed. I feel confident that you will be happy when you visit and return time after time.

However, I feel compelled to tell you about some of my favorites.

The Ultimate Sea Bass Roll – made with shrimp, mango, masago, scallion, asparagus, and enclosed in soy wrap with avocado and grilled miso seabass on top with miso butter, eel sauce, red and green tobiko – is outstanding. The Japango Lobster Bomb – made with tempura lobster, scallions, asparagus, ginger, fish eggs, rolled in seaweed and topped with jumbo prawn with spicy mayo, eel sauce, and further accompanied by tempura lobster in a shell with spicy wasabi – is equally good.

Sometimes, when I am feasting on raw fish I miss the “chewing” sensation so I order a Soft Shell Eel Roll – made with soft shell crab, volcano shrimp, and ginger wrapped in soy paper topped with avocado, eel, and eel sauce. The softshell crab allows me to crunch a little and my palate is sated.

If you enjoy more than miso soup (I love miso soup) you must try the Shrimp and Lobster Wonton Soup – made with homemade shrimp and lobster gyoza in chicken stock, topped with shredded bok choy. It is wonderful.

Are you still looking for warm, cooked food? OK. The Black Bean Basil Sea Bass – made with red pepper, green pepper, onion, jalapeno chili with black bean basil sauce, or the Garlic Lobster – served with two lobster tails, snow peas, mushroom, carrots, baby corn, celery sautéed with garlic sauce, and accompanied with jasmine rice – will each knock your socks off.

They serve only premium hot sake and, as usual, I cannot get enough. I never drive when I visit Japango.

I conclude by telling you that Japango is a sushi and Asian restaurant, suitable for a fine dining experience but lending itself, as well, to a lighter lunch or evening dinner. Bring your guests, your family, and friends. It’s fun, fine dining in a well-lighted, happy environment.

By Charles Marcanetti

[February 2017]

Tag: Japanese

Phat Boy Sushi Lounge rolls into Coral Springs

Japango

Let me explain – technically any fish served with vinegared rice is sushi, but that type of sushi served in rectangular slices – or round – is nigiri. I recommend, without authority, an article at allaboutsushiguide. com/types-of-sushi.html for those of you who are really curious.

However, I feel compelled to tell you about some of my favorites.