Modern and traditional go together like soy sauce and wasabi at Wakuda. Cultural classics and inventive, elevated eats make this Japanese restaurant a standout among Las Vegas’ vast dining options.
Before diving into delicious dishes here, you’ll notice the stunningly stylish space offers exceptional ambience. Lush cherry blossom trees line walkways between tables in the warmly lit dining room while two opposing rikishi statues face off atop their central marble pedestal, surrounded by curved booths and rich, dark woods. The juxtaposition between contemporary design elements and traditional imagery sets the scene perfectly for what’s to be expected on the menu.
Photo by: Courtesy
Your mouth is probably already watering at the prospect of tasting delicately prepared sushi and sashimi, but slow your roll a bit—you’ve got to order a starter for the table! If you can’t wait to taste what’s in store from the sushi menu, order the big eye tuna sashimi toast and prepare to be delighted by the buttery, crunchy bread that serves as a vessel for thinly sliced fish, wasabi butter, shallots and tobiko.
Now that your appetite is thoroughly whetted, order sashimi specialties like the king salmon truffle, made with rich salmon slices, or fried nori chips with your choice of tuna or scallop. For something a bit punchier, try the kanpachi carpaccio, a beautifully prepared combination of citrus segments and the mild, slightly sweet fish, accented by drops of yuzu kosho (a chili paste made with chili peppers, yuzu peel and salt), dressed with ponzu and olive oil and sprinkled with micro mizuna.
Sushi rolls present the opportunity to enjoy exquisite cuts with a bit of additional flavor and texture courtesy of rice, nori and whatever neat ingredient combinations a chef could cook up. At Wakuda, you’ll find the refreshing blossom roll with cucumber, squash blossom, romaine hearts, chives and shiso lettuce for the vegetarians, and the lobster roll with wasabi, mayo, asparagus, chives, shallots, lemon and chili butter ponzu for the pescatarians. Carnivores can try the ultra-umami Japanese A5 wagyu roll, made with exceptional beef from the Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan, marinated egg sauce, sweet shiitake mushrooms, chives and a soy mirin reduction.
Don’t miss the opportunity to taste the premium quality proteins on their own, either. Order nigiri to let ingredients like kanpachi, otoro and uni be the stars of the plate, only to be lightly accented by sticky rice and soy sauce.
Photo by: Courtesy of Golden Gai
While this restaurant has an abundance of sushi options, all of which are absolutely delectable, the menu also features some hot specialties that can’t be skipped. The tobanyaki Japanese scallops are drenched in flavorful garlic yuzu butter and served sizzling with the yummiest mix of Japanese mushrooms to ever grace this writer’s palate. Oh, and the seabass miso … there are hardly words for how heavenly this preparation is. Marinated in Original Saikyo miso from Kyoto, Japan, this flaky filet comes perfectly caramelized with hints of citrus that brighten up the savory entrée. It’s simply irresistible.
Imbibe & Vibe
Browse the cocktail menu for creative mixed drinks (featuring hard-to-find Japanese ingredients) like the Snow Monkey, made with gin, gentian amaro, lemon, yuzu, egg white and kinako powder. For a sipping adventure, stop into the restaurant’s bar, Golden Gai, to explore an inspired mixology program.
The Venetian, 702.665.8532. venetianlasvegas.com
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