RoobiFood

Koi Koi Sushi
450 W Broad St
Falls Church, VA
(703) 237-0101

Koi Koi sushi is a needed addition to a neighborhood that is in the midst of a ‘revitalization’ though its mere presence does not carry it beyond mediocre territory.  While the area is certainly still in need of a great sushi place, patrons will find themselves having a difference experience depending on what they order.  For example, within the realm of appetizers, the soft shell crab was fantastic — cooked to perfection, lightly breaded and fried (no hint of greasiness), and the appropriate portion size to start a meal.  The accompanying sauce matched the subtle flavors of the crab well, with tanginess to keep things interesting.  However, the gyoza we ordered were a complete disappointment, falling short of what I would expect at an establishment of this caliber (and price range!) and certainly falling short of what I would expect from my grocers freezer (which is where I expect they came from).

The duality continued into our main course, where we found a scintillating example of beef udon done right, paired with a rainbow roll that fell completely flat.

Our beef udon was seasoned to perfection, had the right mix of beef and noodles, and was sized perfectly for a single persons entree, with enough for a small bowl to be shared with another, with the added bonus that our waitress actually provided the small bowl even without our requesting one.  The rainbow roll, however, was not quite as satisfying.  The fish that adorned the top were wafer thin, and tasted as if they had been frozen for far too long before being served.  The roll was over-stuffed in the middle such that you couldnt even taste the fish on top without taking the pieces off and eating them separately.

Pricing was OK, and the atmosphere was a bit dour; the sushi chefs were not quite as lively as one might expect from a fairly full dining room on a Friday night.  The final draw-back was our wait – we were seated at a table quickly enough, but our food took an eternity to arrive.  All in all, we likely won’t return, as the positive were simply overshadowed by the negatives.

Bellagio Resort & Casino 
3600 S. Las Vegas, Blvd. 
Las Vegas, NV 89109 
Phone: (702) 693-8300
http://www.lightgroup.com/dining/yellowtail-sushi-bar-restaurant-las-vegas

Advantageously situated in the center of the Bellagio’s water-show ‘lake,’ Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar summarizes much of the Las Vegas experience; glamorous visuals with moderately interesting substance underneath.  The visuals are in the form of a stunning view of the Las Vegas strip, which offers a tantalizing vantage point from which you can watch the Bellagio water-shows while you eat.  The moderately interesting substance indicates somewhat inventive food that ever so slightly falls short of expectations.

If you are lucky enough to land a reservation on the outdoor veranda, then the experience at Yellowtail is certainly one of the top dining experiences in Las Vegas (as far as the ‘total visceral experience) is concerned.  However, since there are only about eight to ten tables available on any given night, the chances of this happening drastically diminish the more popular the season.  At any rate, it is always worth a quick phone call it see if a table will be available.

First and foremost the service experience is immaculate.  Our every need was not only tended to, but anticipated before we actually needed it.  The wait staff was knowledgeable and extremely interested in helping us navigate the menu, which offers unique choices above and beyond your standard sushi restaurant.  Because the veranda is so small, it seems the staff assigned to it are less territorial about their tables, and gladly help out anyone who has a question or request.  Our ‘assigned’ waiter was even nice enough to play paparazzi for us, and took several shots during a water-show with very pleasant results.

For dinner, we went with a mix of sushi/sushi rolls, a signature, and whats termed ‘cool shared plates.’ Specifically, we tried the seaweed salad, Yellowtail Serrano, unagi & banana roll, spicy tuna roll, and Japanese snapper.

In a word, the sushi was…mediocre.  It wasnt unbelievably fresh, nor were the portions even remotely close to what you might find at a DC or NoVA sushi place such as Matuba or Sakura.  And, given the prices, there is a certain sense of sticker shock.  However, I suppose you must bear in mind your surroundings, and when put in context the price and quality are much more palatable.  The Yellowtail Serrano was interesting,  but contained a scant few pieces of sushi, in a sauce that was supposed to contain cilantro and Yuzo-Kosho – though I have my doubts the correct amount(s) were included in our dish.  The unagi & banana roll was served warm (which struck me as odd) and the combination simply didnt sit well with me.

However, this was balanced by the seaweed salad, which was a delightful combination of four different types of seaweed, bound together by a savory and sweet dressing.  Also of note was the spicy tuna roll — though not particularly large in portion size, the flavors were balanced as masterfully as Ive ever had before, with the right blend of tuna and heat, that left you wanting more (we ended up ordering a 2nd roll) without burning you so badly that you are forced to consume an inordinate amount of water.  For dessert we shared some kind of fried rice ball ice cream concoction, but to be honest it wasnt very memorable, and the specific ingredients escape me.

In re-reading my summary of our dining experience, I hope my lack-luster descriptions illustrate my over-all impression of Yellowtail; I was enthralled with the design of the restaurant and the spectacular view of the strip and Bellagio water-show, but for the price paid the food left me decidedly under-whelmed.