Akasaka

[Kibbee Nayee]

I have been going to Akasaka for some 20 years, and I can't believe there is no listing in the dining guide. This is as good as sushi gets in that part of Alexandria and for a quite a few miles in any direction. It's in the same plaza as Savio's and about a dozen other food places like Thai Lemongrass and Kabul Kabob. Of all the restaurants in this little plaza, it's clearly the best.

Specials are on the wall, including fatty tuna and many specialty rolls.

We began with the yellow tail collar, which was absolutely top notch. It was the equal of the version at Blue Ocean in Fairfax. What a taste treat.

Next came two huge platters of sushi and rolls, all of which were fresh and flavorful. We had tuna, salmon, eel, yellowtail, shrimp and white tuna among the nigiri, and we strolled through the rolls with spicy tuna, dragon, rainbow, shrimp tempura, eel and avocado, one or two specials....a lot of food. Everything was absolutely perfect, and I would rate this place at least a toss-up with Blue Ocean. Towards the end, I ordered a good bottle of cold sake and sent one to the sushi chef as well. My gesture was awarded with meaty grilled squid tentacles, which was quite a treat.

As I said, I've been going here on and off for a good 20 years, and it looks like it will continue to draw me in.

[Escoffier]

I have been going to Akasaka for some 20 years, and I can't believe there is no listing in the dining guide.

We used to go to Akasaka quite a bit until the ownership changed. Now our preferred sushi spot is Yamazato on North Beauregard.

[grover]

I would say their peak time was early 2000's. They got awards from Washingtonian magazine a couple of times. After the chef/owner's wife got pregnant around 2005 (?) they moved to Centerville. I don't know if they opened a new Sushi place or not.