Restaurant review
By Frank Sabatini Jr. 
Sabuku isn’t your everyday sushi house. At six months old, the operation is the brainchild of a meat-and-potatoes guy from Pittsburgh (Bob Pasela), who brought in a German-American chef from Utah (Zach Stofferahn). Together they’ve created a rambling menu of gorgeous sushi rolls that incorporate things like filet mignon, mesquite chicken and the kind of hickory, honeyed bacon that will send your eyeballs rolling backwards.
Augmenting many of the delights are various scratch-made sauces such as sweet mandarin, ginger aioli and fresh ponzu. Order the “naughty nice & everything spice” roll using yellowtail, spicy tuna and tempura green onions, and get ready for a defiant blast of “XXX sauce” made with five chilies that include the mighty ghost pepper, which is considered the world’s hottest.
Sabuku further breaks clichés in that its name carries no translation in Japanese. The word was supposedly cooked up by Pasela during a night of drinking, cites Stofferahn, who after working 11 years in other sushi kitchens, including Café Japengo, admits that rules are meant to be broken.
A separate menu card titled “beggin for bacon” shows off the pork product in rolls that also incorporate Chilean sea bass, seared scallops, candied garlic and “tempura crunchies.” In one named “just for the halibut,” we discovered how gracefully bacon performs on this Japanese stage. A single strip is encased by spicy tuna, asparagus, cilantro and bonito flakes. Even with the added bonus of bacon-garlic aioli dribbled on top, the essence of the meat strikes a natural pairing to the other ingredients, much like Hollandaise on eggs or cherry sauce on ham.
“A stroke of genius,” my companion commented as we vied for the tail pieces of bacon poking out from each end.
Equally unconventional was an order of nachos that preceded our sushi. They’re made with delicately fried wonton chips and topped with raw, warmed tuna, guacamole, pico de gallo and various sauces. The creation proves that flavorful marriages can be struck between Asian and Mexican ingredients.
From the “tenaciously tuna” section of the menu, we also jabbed our chopsticks into the “t-n-t” roll constructed with tuna, spicy crab and masago (reddish roe from smelt). An outer crust of tempura provided subtle crispiness while siracha and eel sauces omitted the need for soy sauce.
“Almost everything we make is well dressed,” said Stofferahn as we also pushed aside the table condiments when eating the ponzu-kissed “green roll” from the “healthy happenings” category. It’s a vegan creation exploding with lime and cilantro, cooled by avocado and cucumber.
Among the most substantial rolls at the highest price point is the surf-n-turf, which for $19 shakes up the norm with filet mignon clinging to its exterior. Inside is a blend of spicy crab, shrimp tempura and avocado. Fried red onions and mandarin sauce clench the deal, leaving you aquiver over what seems to be a sushi renaissance occurring here.
Sabuku’s sleek, sunny interior gives way to a variety of sake — filtered, unfiltered, infused and sparkling. Visiting midday, we skipped the alcohol and opted for green tea and ultra-refreshing sparkling water flavored with ginger juice. Think ginger ale without the sugar.
We reserved dessert for a next visit, but took note of yet another act of culinary fusion involving tempura-fried ice cream surrounded by all-American pound cake. Across much of the menu, tradition flies freely out the window.
Sabuku
3027 Adams Ave. (Normal Heights)
619-281-9700
Prices: Salads, appetizers and soups, $3 to $14; sushi, sashimi and nigiri, $4 to $19
