LB Food Review

Sushi Studio – Online Menu
4917 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA  90804
www.sushistudiolb.com
Lunch 11AM-3PM, Dinner 3PM-10PM

LB Food Review is jumping with excitement about the return of a true Long Beach favorite that we have been without for too long now.  You guessed it; Sushi Studio is back in business and slinging sushi with their signature “Thai kick” once again.

The Studio, located on PCH just north of Clark, reopened on October 13^th after a taking a long layoff to repair damages from a fire last year.  The familiar layout remains intact, with the central, rectangular sushi bar surrounded on all sides by additional tables.  The color scheme has been updated from the old red walls to a soothing sea of blue, welcoming you to enjoy the many delightful creations the chefs have to offer.

All of their fish is incredibly fresh and high quality, so you can’t go wrong with any standby nigiri sushi, including salmon, tuna, and yellowtail among others.  However, where Sushi Studio shines is in their flair for combination and creativity, so you’ll want to try some of their original rolls as well.  As they like to emphasize, there is a Thai influence on Sushi Studio’s menu.  This often comes from the addition of hot peppers or spicy sauces, as is the case with the Sunrise on Second Street, a roll with avocado, spicy shrimp and crab inside, covered with tuna and drizzled in the chef’s secret sauce.

The chefs also integrate fruits such as mango and banana into several of their dishes.  This makes for some lively combinations, including the Sexie Girl, an arrangement of shrimp tempura, jalapeño and mango, and the Symphony of Color, a favorite of mine both for its beautiful presentation and the delicious contrast between the spicy albacore and the sweet mango.

Scallops are another thing that they do very well at Sushi Studio, both on the menu and off.  The B.S.C. roll, a California roll topped with baked scallops, is an awesome combo that is part of the Happy Hour special, a selection of half-priced rolls that differs depending on the day of the week.  Another fantastic scallop-centric dish that we had recently was improvised by the chef, who began with a spicy shrimp, crab, and avocado roll and topped it with a mound of spicy fried scallops that filled three of us to the brim.

Of course, Sushi Studio has a selection of Japanese beers, sake, and various soft drinks and teas.  They also offer several lunch combination specials that include miso soup and salad.  A night at the sushi bar can be pricy, so if you want to get a taste for the place, lunch or Happy Hour may be the place to start.  However you do it, be sure to welcome Sushi Studio back to the Long Beach scene; you’ll be thrilled whether it’s your first visit or just your first in a long time.

Let there be sushi.