Review: Yoshi's in St. Louis

Yoshio Aoki doesn't represent himself as "Mr. Sushi" these days, nor does he sing the way he did while he carved fish into intricate slices and designs at his former operation, the tiny I Love Mr. Sushi, where everyone was forced to become friends. He and his associate, Anny LeSeure, have moved west, to what once was a Jewish-style delicatessen.

It's unrecognizable as a previous deli, with sleek, clean, pale wood, a long sushi bar and a calm, quiet decor, as is the wont with Japanese restaurants.

Aoki creates superior sushi, working swiftly and carefully to slice the fish, arrange it atop a small mound of rice, then display it once again on a platter where each piece of fish, each roll, stands out like a jewel in a display case. He uses excellent raw material, and dinner with Yoshi is an outstanding event.

But. . . .

His new restaurant seats many more people, and he remains the sushi chef. The sole sushi chef, at least for now. Since he crafts each piece individually, it takes time. Diners come to him because they enjoy the careful preparation, the elegant look of a slice of tuna or yellowtail, the rich flavor. The same holds true for the many different rolls he makes.

As a result, do not go to Yoshi's in search of a fast meal. Except for a few tempura appetizers and a couple of entrees, he does all the work on every dish. It takes time, and hungry people get disgruntled. The Guru and friends were there recently, and several dining parties were that way. To stay gruntled (the opposite of disgruntled, the Guru believes), be prepared for a leisurely meal.

After all, if an average diner has six pieces of sushi, and there are 50 people in the restaurant, that's 300 pieces of sushi for Aoki to prepare, one at a time. Rolls are faster, it's true, but other dishes, like the warm white fish carpaccio or the salmon pizza or the tuna tartare (isn't it nifty to see Italian and French on the menu in a Japanese restaurant?) still feel the master's hands.

The rolls are very good, with some interesting combinations and assemblages, like fried softshell crab in the spider roll, its legs replicating those of the spider, or the caterpillar roll, with rich, sumptuous avocado and alfalfa sprouts to represent its feelers. There are separate menu categories for rolls, special rolls and hand rolls, and except for the fact that hand rolls are in a cone shape and the others are sliced, I'm not sure what the difference is.

Salmon skin roll, a favorite, has fish and rice wrapped in the crispy, crunchy skin of the salmon; the others use a pressed seaweed to hold the ingredients.

Tempura comes as shrimp and vegetables, crab and vegetables or just vegetables, and the crust, dry and crisp, melts in the mouth while the flavors of the inside remain strong. Mushrooms are great in tempura (the Guru has never tasted an un-great mushroom), as are green peppers, eggplant and other vegetables, including sweet potato and several types of squash. The shrimp, by the way, is available as an appetizer or an entree, with different amounts of shrimp and different prices.

More than two dozen fish are on hand for sushi, and they range in flavor from the extremely familiar salmon and tuna, to the smooth and succulent yellowtail, chewy and delicious red and white clams, the flavorful and ocean-tasting mackerel, salty red caviar and squid and octopus, the latter usually tougher.

Aoki also has devised some special appetizers, most of them large enough for a meal, or for several people to share. Warm white fish carpaccio is a tender, thin sashimi-style fish (sashimi means no rice) atop a salad with a little hot olive oil and Japanese sauce poured on top for additional flavor and a bit of warmth. Salmon and tuna pizza, easily recognizable by all, has the fish on top of a tortilla. Tasty, but the Guru prefers his sushi straight.

And there are a few entrees, like chicken in teriyaki sauce, a grilled salmon steak and a "Million years ago Hot Stone Bowl Sushi," which involves fish, caviar and rice in a large bowl topped by a spicy sauce. The Guru passed on it, but when a bowl went by later to as nearby table, it was a unanimous decision to try it next time.

Superior meals with Yoshi Aoki, but be prepared to make the meal the evening's leisurely entertainment. The sushi bar is the ultimate open kitchen, the sushi chef a master of his art. Local chefs like Yoshi and Nobu, both with excellent eponymous restaurants, will show you all about it.