Shoyu Sushi Shows You A Good Time

Japanese restaurants are a common sight throughout most areas in Westchester, and it can be difficult for one to really stand out nowadays. Shoyu Sushi tries, offering fresh ingredients, gorgeous plating, and some tasty food options.

The atmosphere is standard fare for a Japanese restaurant – if a little classier than some. Wooden booths are cozy yet large and long enough to accommodate big crowds. Low lighting in the evenings sets an appropriately relaxing mood. And unlike some counterparts, Shoyu takes pains to be a welcoming and family-friendly place. Ultimately it feels like like just another Japanese restaurant, albeit a good one.

The menu contains everything that you'd expect: a variety of tempting appetizers, lunch/dinner specials, and sushi rolls.  So I had to try at least one of each.

First up was the beef negimaki, seared rolls of beef wrapped around crunchy scallions and served in a light bed of teriyaki sauce.  Carefully arranged next to a carrot flower and sprig of parsley, the plating resembled a sushi roll – too bad the taste didn't.  The beef was dry and a little over-cooked, and the scallions amplified that dryness.  Although the teriyaki sauce helped a bit, it couldn't change the texture of the beef, which was disappointing.

Fortunately, the sushi was Shoyu's saving grace.  Our table sampled a variety of orders, ordering the spicy tuna, spicy shrimp, yellowtail, and Alaska rolls to feast upon. 

As a big fan of spicy tuna, I try it at every sushi place I eat. Shoyu's spicy tuna roll was up there with the best: it was delicious, hot, and crunchy. 

The spicy shrimp wasn't very spicy, but it was tasty nonetheless. The shrimp was cooked very well and the roll was crafted meticulously, which must have been difficult with the sheer amount of shrimp and avocado packed inside each piece.  You definitely get your money's worth with this one. 

My yellowtail roll tasted extremely rich, but a bit plain. A bit of soy sauce and wasabi remedied that problem, and the creamy fish goes well with a little zing.

The Alaska roll might have been my favorite of them all. Combining smoked salmon and avocado makes a great contrast of smoky and creamy, and when I finished it, I immediately wanted more.  It'd even make a great breakfast!

My main course was the scallop teriyaki, which came with soup and a salad. It's not easy to cook scallops perfectly, but the chefs at Shoyu Sushi pulled it off, skillfully searing them to create the perfect balance between crispy and smooth, charred and buttery.  Drenched in teriyaki sauce and balanced with udon noodles and a number of vegetables, it was a satisfying and tasty dish that I'd absolutely order again.

The service was fast and friendly, and the atmosphere authentically charming, with Japanese decorative art and music setting a pleasant ambiance.  My waiter was generous enough to provide an extra bowl of miso soup for our table, as the scallops only came with one. 

Shoyu Sushi is in a convenient location (on Weaver Street, right off the Heathcote Bypass) and is definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.  The sushi is well-priced and delicious, and the service will make you want to keep coming back.  And although it might not be the most unique restaurant around, Shoyu has more than enough to offer.