Sushi News
Sushi restaurant newcomer fills a gap for needy Dallas neighborhood
A Far North Dallas shopping center boasts a new Asian fusion restaurant, spotlighting sushi but with dishes from a variety of Asian cuisines. Mizu Asian Fusion Sushi & Grill opened in late 2017 at 18204 Preston Rd., at the northeast corner of Frankford Road, in the same center as the Tom Thumb, and is wowing the neighbors with thoughtfully prepared dishes.
The menu includes Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Korean dishes, helping fill a gap left by Pei Wei, which closed in 2016, where Mizu now stands. Co-owner and doting host Sam Zhang moved to Texas from the Northeast, where he'd worked in the restaurant industry for more than 15 years.
"I was in Pennsylania and New York, most recently, as sushi head chef at a popular sushi-hibachi chain called Ooka," Zhang says. "I came to Dallas because I have family here, and I hoped that there might be a place here to do a restaurant."
The soup category is a melting pot, with Japanese miso soup side by side with Chinese hot and sour. There's also a lobster miso bisque with fried tofu, broccolini, and clam.
Appetizers range from calamari to edamame, from black cod with miso to Thai basil lettuce chicken wraps. Entrees are like an Asian greatest hits, with fried rice, General Tso's chicken, and pad Thai.
Best sellers in this neighborhood include kung pao chicken and pepper steak, with sirloin, onions, red peppers, and a spicy red pepper sauce.
There are more than two dozen sushi rolls, including basics like the California roll but also signatures such as the James Bond roll with real king crab, avocado, and almond, wrapped in a sheath of flash-seared salmon, and topped with decadent spicy garlic mayo and basil sauce. Nearly all are priced from $4 to $6.50.
There are also four veggie rolls including one with sweet potato fried tempura style until it gets crisp, and another with shiitake mushrooms.
They get high marks for cleanliness, freshness of fish, and also service; Zhang is an attentive owner who checks in with customers. They serve beer and wine, and offer hefty specials, such as 3 items for $12 — worth a visit, even for those not in the immediate neighborhood.
A mural on the outside of the building includes Texas symbolism, like a longhorn.Photo by Rhema Joy Bell