OKLAHOMA CITY — Sushi in Oklahoma used to be a joke. Like, literally a joke. In the 1980s of my youth, mentioning sushi would garner guffaws and comments like, “Why not just eat at the bait shop?”
And, to be fair, Oklahoma didn’t have the culinary reputation then that it has now. Nor were there nearly so many ways to ensure fish arrived fresh (or at least correctly frozen) at the time.
In the here and now, the quality of the fish is less of a concern in Oklahoma. In fact, it’s safe to say that many restaurants are purchasing fish from the same suppliers. Heck, given how enormous tuna are, there’s a fair chance you could eat parts of the same fish at different restaurants.
If the fish is the same, then what sets one sushi restaurant apart from another? Technique, price, and service. And Inaka Sushi & Bar near The Village nails all three.
That said, if you’re not a fan of sushi or even fish, Inaka still has something for you. There are a wealth of dishes that are a) fully cooked and b) contain no fish. In fact, even if there’s someone in the party who only eats chicken strips and nuggets, they’ve got you covered. It’s called karaage chicken and it’s a popular Japanese snack (especially with beer).
But wait, there’s more! If karaage isn’t enough fried chicken, check out the chicken katsu—a breaded and fried cutlet sliced into crunchy strips and serves with savory tonkatsu sauce. It’s not sushi, but it sure tastes good.
One of my favorite Japanese dishes is the kind cooked on a hibachi grill or a teppanyaki. But after so many “butter…fly” jokes and onion volcanos, I’m far more interested in tasty food than I am flashy knife skills. Luckily, Inaka cooks their hibachi entrees in the kitchen, not right in front of you, which cuts down on the wait and the price.
As a lover of all fruits of the sea, I chose the shrimp hibachi meal and was pleased with the amount and the cook. The shrimp were big and had a lovely sear on them, as did the pile of grilled vegetables accompanying them. These entrees also come with clear soup, ginger-dressed salad, soba noodles, and fried rice. It’s more than enough for dinner and lunch the next day.
It’s only available at lunch, as the name indicates, but the Inaka Lunch Box is about the best deal around. In addition to miso soup, gyoza, and rice, the lunch box comes with plenty of choices for diners, including teriyaki, katsu, tempura, and a variety of sushi. At $10.95, it’s a lot of food with lots of light and healthy options.
That said, when I go to a sushi restaurant, I’m getting some raw fish. One fish dish I cannot mish, er, miss is the yellowtail jalapeno appetizer. Diners receive thin slices of yellowtail topped with thinly cut jalapeno and a bit of sriracha with a splash of ponzu sauce. Each slice of fish is a little treasure, as the blend of green heat and slightly sour sauce balances the freshness of the yellowtail in every bite.
The truffle king salmon is similar, except the yellowtail is replaced with salmon slices drizzled with spicy chili oil, topped with salmon caviar, and served with a truffle ponzu sauce. It seemed like it had too much going on for my tastes, but your mileage may vary.
Sushi restaurants certainly don’t shy away from sauces and a large swath of the Inaka menu has some combination of spicy mayo, eel sauce, and cream cheese. I usually try to get my rolls with a mix of fish and veggies, sans sauce, which is why I recommend the Alaska roll with salmon, cucumber, and avocado inside and a Masago topping. Salmon is a flavorful fish, cooked or raw, and all the accoutrements in this roll help showcase that taste.
The Ocean Code roll is a whole lot of fish with a center of spicy tuna, tempura flakes, and avocado topped with slices of seared pepper tuna, spicy mayo, eel sauce, sriracha, Masago, and green onion.
One seafood that isn’t particularly common in sushi is scallops, so I was intrigued by the Dancing Dream roll with spicy scallops and tempura flakes inside the roll and alternating slices of salmon and yellowtail topped with tobiko. This one had a surprising kick to it, but it was quickly finished.
Another fish-heavy roll is the Tomo, which rolls up spicy yellowtail, crunch flakes, and asparagus with slices of tuna, salmon, white tuna, and avocado. I particularly love the asparagus inside the roll, which gives the texture a bit of a snap and adds subtle sweetness.
I’m also smitten with the veggie trio roll. Vegetable sushi doesn’t get enough love and this roll, with avocado, cucumber, and asparagus in the center, is light on the palate, but still filling enough that no one leaves hungry.
As diverse as the menu is and as good as the dishes are, what truly makes Inaka great are the staff, who are extremely welcoming and patient. And patience comes in handy if kids are in the party and don’t quite know what to eat.
- Inaka Sushi & Bar
- 9321 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City
- (405) 242-2224
- inakaokcity.com
Long-time food enjoyer Greg Elwell writes about food, restaurants, and trends. He has his own blog "I Ate Oklahoma" and has written for The Oklahoman, The Oklahoma Gazette, and others.
