Sushi Roku
Caesars Palace (last visit: September 2005).
Japanese.
This is a small California based chain. The atmosphere at the sushi bar is OK but needs work. For example, when you first arrive, you are greeted loudly (good). However, after that most of the sushi chefs are silent. Only one chef (left most, perhaps the most senior) was a little talkative. On the positive side, the patrons were very friendly; I don't know if this is normal, or was just a coincidence.
In my two meals at the sushi bar, I've tried:
- ankimo (steamed monkfish liver). Five medium slices; firm, with a very rich texture. Excellent.
- uni (sea urchin). Pretty good, but wasn't as firm or tasty as it could be.
- ama-ebi (raw shrimp). Good overall. The heads were served tempura style, but were not as juicy or as crispy as they should be.
- awabi (abalone). Good
- unagi (barbecued eel). Pretty standard. It should have been hotter and a little crisp.
- hamachi (yellowtail). Good.
- Smoked salmon wrapped ankimo topped with toro tartar, uni and caviar. It also included a layer of spinach, and gold leaf was placed on top. There were three pieces, each piece too big to eat in one bite, so eating it was tricky. Other than that, it was very tasty. Very good to excellent.
- Bincho maguro (albacore). Seared, topped with onion and a vinegary sauce. Good to very good.
- Kohada (shad) served with shiso leaf. Moderately strong flavor, but milder than other similar fish (like saba/mackeral). Very good.
The sushi was generally very good, but not quite up to the standards of Hyakumi or Okada. It was cheaper than Hyakumi but no cheaper than Okada. Keep in mind that I'm comparing Sushi Roku to my two favorite sushi bars in all of Las Vegas.
The Bill
At the sushi bar, it depends on what, and how much, you order. Figure $50 (moderate sized meal of standard dishes) to $100 (large meal, including a special roll), plus drinks, tax and tip.