I'm an avid sushi lover, and I especially appreciate traditional Japanese-style sushi, where the rice complements rather than overpowers the fish and the quality and natural flavor of the seafood take center stage. Unfortunately, my omakase experience at Sazanami was one of the most disappointing I've had.
The geoduck had a distinctly sandy taste...not a sandy texture, but an actual taste reminiscent of sand...which made it very unpleasant to eat. Both scallop preparations had a strong, unpleasant fishy smell the moment they arrived, and unfortunately, the taste only reinforced my concern that the seafood was not at its best.
The mackerel was another disappointment. I'm Ukrainian and grew up eating mackerel, so I'm very familiar with--and genuinely enjoy--its naturally rich, pronounced flavor. This wasn't a matter of mackerel simply being too strong for my palate; the taste was noticeably off and not something I would expect from a carefully prepared omakase.
The shrimp with black caviar was also a miss for me. I grew up eating black caviar and still love it, so I was genuinely looking forward to this course. Unfortunately, the pairing simply didn't work. Rather than complementing each other, the flavors seemed to compete.
At this price point, especially for an omakase, I expect exceptionally fresh, carefully handled seafood and thoughtful, balanced pairings. Freshness is the foundation of this style of dining, and unfortunately, that was where this experience fell shortest.
I really wanted to love Sazanami, and I hope the team takes this feedback constructively. With more attention to seafood quality and consistency, this could have been a completely different experience read more