Wasabi
First Yelp review of 2021. I hope this year is much more dining out friendly and that 2020 was not just foreplay for what is to come this year. Ah, but the Tic and I have reason to celebrate. After years of pain and shrinking, she gets the first of two new knees replaced tomorrow. That alone is reason to celebrate.
I came for the sushi and I fell in love with a margarita. It's National margarita day so of course you're going out for sushi, or at least I am. This is much more than that though. This is a pre-surgery celebration of a much improved life to come.
Wasabi in Ankeny is located in the "District", an up and coming collection of bars, restaurants and overpriced lofts. I feel old when I come to this part of town but also wise because I know that despite my rather expensive recreational pharmaceutical addictions, I am no where even close to being as much in debt as the people wandering around this area. I understand though. You gotta look the part right.
She was given the choice of surf or turf. She chose surf. Good thing I didn't make any bets because I would of wagered my one remaining testicle that she'd choose turf. The gonad thing, yeah long story involving a freak encounter with psychedelics and a jagged coconut shell on the beach in Playa del Carmen. I was within seconds of massive scrotal failure.
Surf it is. This was our virgin trip to Wasabi but I had high hopes, very high hopes. We walk in and besides the employees, there no one there. To be fair though, keep in mind that we are still in the middle of a pandemic akin to one of the plagues thrust upon Egypt and trust me when I tell you, smearing blood on your door ain't gonna help.
At first they all just kinda looked at us which we've grown accustomed to over the years since, and I say this with all humility, I am a ruggedly handsome man. We were approached and asked if we wanted to sit at the bar.
"Of course we want to sit at the bar"
Given the option always choose to sit at the bar. Why you ask. Because spys and all the interesting people sit and eat at the bar. Plus bartenders are just better servers and storytellers.
Water immediately
Plates immediately
Napkins and Chop Sticks, immediately were all sat before within seconds of us sitting down...at the bar.
"Something to drink"
"Well it is national margarita day"
"How about a spicy margarita"
"A spicy margarita"?
"Yes Sir. They are delicious"
"Sounds good, just don't kill me"
We'll get to the sushi eventually but this drink blew my mind. I've had jalapeño tequila before and it sucked. This though was from heaven. Made with the morning dew from the nipples of angels, one sip and the spirit of Leonard Cohen is singing in my ear...
"She stands before you naked, you can see it you can taste it, and she comes to you light as the breeze. Now you can drink it, or you can nurse it, it don't matter how you worship as long as you're down on your knees. So I knelt there at the Delta at the Alpha, the Omega, at the cradle where the river meets the sees, and like a blessing come from heaven for something like a second I was healed and my heart was at ease".
"How is it?"
"That is amazing. That is so good I'd dip my genitals in it"
He gives me a knowing look and takes our order right before bringing out the shrimp rangoon he convinced me to buy earlier.
She orders the Angry Dragon and the Rock n Roll. I go with the Spicy Mexico and the Marilyn Monroll.
Win number 2. Shrimp Rangoon with homemade cream cheese. Did I hear that right. Doesn't matter because they are delicious and the sauce they are served with is sublime.
The sushi itself didn't blow me away. It was good, make no mistake about that but it was on the level of most of the other sushi joints in town. Nothing really set it apart. Everything surrounding the sushi does stand out which is why I am giving Wasabi 5 stars. The service, the atmosphere, the drink and the appetizer shown so brightly that we were already hooked by the time the sushi arrived.
She was full and announced it as such. The bartender wished her good luck with the upcoming surgery and to come back once she is up and around which hopefully, for my sake, will be considerably shorter then the Doc is projecting. read more