Su & Sa & sensational
I’m not sure about calling a restaurant Su & Sa, which is a delicious and aesthetically pleasing and comfy restaurant that opened on Bank Street in New London last year.
The first time I saw the sign, my brain pronounced it “Suh and say” but that didn’t make any sense. I sounded it out as “Sousa,” like the famous march composer — but unless I walked through the door and found myself inside a place selling band instruments, that didn’t make sense, either.
Turns out, it’s short for Sushi and Salad. Seems like they could have just called it “Sushi and Salad” and, while that wouldn’t be the most dazzlingly original name I’ve ever heard, it would get the job done and you’d have been spared the opening paragraphs of this review!
Anyway, back to the delicious and attractive parts.
The restaurant has a curious bipartite layout, with a small outdoor patio and a tile path that leads inside and several feet to a quasi-hostess station. But by the time you get there, you’ve already passed two narrow dining rooms on either side, each of which can be accessed from the patio. Locals might remember the location as it once housed the Lazy Leopard Thai Café.
You’ll figure it out.
Over the course of two visits — once with my pal The O Man on the sunny patio and once indoors with my wife Eileen during an afternoon rainstorm — the service, food, presentation and atmosphere were completely charming. There’s a vaguely tropical feel to the place, with a black and orangey/terra cotta color schemed, large plants and, on the right portion of the restaurant, a sushi station.
The menu is heavy on sushi — Naruto, maki, “signature” and Temaki rolls and various combos thereof — with appetizers, soups, and a small array of entrees including shrimp/vegetable tempura, chicken teriyaki and Ramen noodles. Salads? There’s a house version, seaweed salad and four types of spicy salads: crab, shrimp, octopus and mixed sashimi.
Our server — the same gentleman both times — politely answered our questions and was quick with a smile and to bring food and refills.
Food we liked (which is to say, everything we tried):
Miso Soup ($8) — The first sip’s sweet, then the broth’s umami flavor rises to embrace al dente tofu, seaweed, scallions and enoki mushroom threads. It all results in a kaleidoscopic collision of layers of texture and taste.
Steamed Shao Mai ($11) — An appetizer comprising, O Man said, “eight pillowy, thumb-sized” shrimp dumplings, served with a ginger dipping sauce and lightly festooned with julienned carrots and parsley. I could have popped these in my mouth all day long.
Naruto Salmon Roll ($17) — Another from the appetizer list, it featured salmon and avocado twisted into a delicately sliced bark of cucumber and served with a sparkly Ponzu sauce. This was the first dish where I thought, “This stuff is beautifully created.” And the subtle combination of flavors is harmoniously mellow.
Lady’s Fingers ($30) — I associate the phrase “ladyfingers” with a sponge cake but, at Su-Sa, Lady’s Fingers refers to a five-fish roll including squid, eel, tuna, salmon and shrimp. Avocado, rice and herbs accentuated the respective flavors of the roll. It was all, sayeth The O Man, “arranged to maximize the impact of the deep, saturated hues.” The requisite ginger and wasabi rounded out the visual and flavorful components.
Miracle Veggie Roll ($20) — Included as one of the restaurant’s “signature” rolls, this 10-piece pleasure boat featured mushroom tempura, asparagus, avocado, rice and eel sauce. Again: beautiful and happy collision of snap and creaminess.
Texas Roll ($19) — This dish permanently ended my Su-Sa dining exploration. Going forward, this is the only thing I’ll order at Su-Sa — and I’ll order it a LOT. Naturally, being a native Texan, I had to try a Lone Star spin, and … it’s a dazzling creation. The “Texas” comes from the brilliant idea to include nuggets of raw jalapeno — providing both crunch as a “western” as opposed to “eastern” heat — along with the more traditional elements of shrimp tempura, cream cheese, smoked salmon and eel and spicy sauces. Oh, and throw in some sliced lime! Freakin’ brilliant. That dash of citrus sparkle was inspired. As I scarfed my way through the plate, my tongue felt like it was spinning in an all-loving carnival ride of Greatness.
I will say Su-Sa is a bit pricey, but it’s in line with other sushi restaurants and also in line with the slow increase in restaurant prices in general. It's worth noting that there’s a generous and creative cocktail menu, and also that it’s operated by the same fine folks who own the very tasty Noodle & Rice Bistro up the street.
In Bank Street’s up-and-down struggle, Su-Sa is yet another recent presence that makes me feel good about the future of New London’s downtown.
Su & Sa45 Bank St., New London
suandsanl.com, (860) 574-9298
Cuisine: Sushi, salad and more
Atmosphere: Intriguing layout with colorfully elegant but casual
Service: Polite, quick and helpful
Prices: A bit high but competitive with the market
Hours: Noon-3 p.m., 4-9 p.m. Mon., Wed.-Fri., noon-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat.
Handicapped access: Narrow on right side, roomier on the left
Credit cards: Yes
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