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by Steven Doyle
What are great qualities of a sushi chef? Amiable, imaginative and raw talent are a few things that come to mind. Certainly these words all hold true when describing Master Sushi Chef Hiroyuki “Fuji” Fujino. We might toss in charming for good measure, and perhaps when we sup on the omakase at Five Sixty atop the tower at the Hyatt downtown the master might toss an extra morsel of the good stuff our way.
Omakase is when you trust your sushi chef to plan your meal for you in place of ordering ala carte. You will find the chef more giving in his rarer stock with more visits when the chef starts trusting your palate as much as you trust that he will prepare something hopefully more rare than those around you. This is a tasting menu with few rules.
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Fujino is a true American import from Japan who has been working with Wolfgang Puck since the early days back in the 80’s. He grew up in a small fishing village in Japan and knows his sushi well. Probably more so than anyone in the state of Texas.
The evening we paid a visit to Five Sixty we were ushered to our seats at the sushi bar, which does not require the strict reservations that the rest of Five Sixty adheres to. Because of the uniqueness of the restaurant, and the great buzz about Pat Robertson’s cuisine, it can be difficult to score a table in the revolving restaurant. It is good to know that you can entertain guests at the restaurant last minute without those pesky reservations.
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Once seated you may start ordering your favorite rolls or go for some of the items the chef has on robata, which is nothing more than charcoal grilled items. On this particular evening we scored skewered duck that was sidled up to an exquisite stuffed mushroom filled with a strawberry-raspberry compote. If it was possible to subsist strictly on this dish, it would be considered an option.
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A sashimi plate was presented that included a few fish that had our eyes rolling in the back of our heads. Think Bigeye Tuna, White Salmon and a Hotate Scallop. The salmon had the table in a flurry for the next 20 minutes.
The cost for the omakase is in line with most chef’s tasting menus in Dallas running $90 for nine courses, $60 for six courses. You may also choose Sushi, Sake, Dim Sum & A View which includes many items including a selection of dumplings and a choice of sake or sparkling wine for just $25. A true bargain with a spectacular view of the city.
Here are a few other items we sampled that night.
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This was the dish of the day: Hamachi, Shrimp, shiso leaf, cucumber, avocado Yamagobo and sushi rice wrapped in thinly sliced daikon instead of traditional nori.
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King Crab Sunomono
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Nyu Men with Ebi Shinjou, which is hot broth somen noodle with deep fried shrimp ball
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