Hyde Park
November 8, 2011

Ever wonder what happened to that swank sushi joint in Hyde Park called Beluga? Well, the location was bought out by Charlie Choi, as the relocation spot for Dancing Wasabi. The midnight-munchie friendly establishment was formerly located in Mt. Lookout. 

You have to respect the North American evolution of sushi since it came over from Japan with its two best friends: green tea flavored ice cream and chopsticks. When I go out for “authentic sushi” I expect to enter a paper walled building where I kneel at the table and leave my shoes at the door. When I go out for sushi in Hyde Park, I expect some chic setting that tries in such a painfully obvious way to distinguish itself among the upper echelon of Cincinnati’s elitist dining.

What I like best about the Dancing Wasabi is that it doesn’t try anything more than to be a good restaurant. It’s small, maybe about 15 to 20 or so tables. Perhaps, the best way to describe the dining arrangement is unpretentious and down-to-earth. Fitting.

You could tell what management didn’t spend on aesthetics were re-circulated into Dancing Wasabi’s ingredients. I had garlic and shrimp filled Asian dumplings as an appetizer, along with an intimidating sushi boat for the whole crew (my favorite being the Dragon Roll with tempura shrimp, barbeque eel and avocado).

Did I mention that sushi is half-price on Thursday nights? This means your wallet has a lot more weight to it once the aftertaste of salmon and fried cream cheese ceases to linger on your tongue (all that remains of your Sunday Morning Roll), and then you realize it just might be time for that second bottle of sake…

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