Local sushi empire expands to Scotts Valley
Sushi Garden obviously knows a few things about how to run a successful sushi restaurant—they have locations in Capitola, Watsonville, and now Scotts Valley. With an extensive menu of rolls and nigiri, there are a lot of options to choose from. We spoke with Chris Kim, the head chef/manager of the Scotts Valley restaurant, to get a sense of what people can expect at the new location.
How is your restaurant different than the other two Sushi Garden locations?
It’s the same, except Capitola has the cocktail menu and sake bar. Also, we have a regular menu, which is the same as Capitola and Watsonville, but we have a special menu that’s a little different. It’s got traditional Japanese food. One item I suggest is the live orange clam. It’s not a roll, it’s baked on a plate. It’s a different style, a really traditional Japanese style. It’s healthy. Not too spicy.
What are your favorite rolls?
The dragon roll. It’s got shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, cucumber, fresh water eel, and avocado. It’s really popular. I also like the Eternal Sunshine. That one has shrimp tempura, cucumber, avocado, on top of salmon and a little lemon. I like salmon.
How long have you been a sushi chef?
Twenty-two years. I have a lot of experience. I started here [in the U.S.]. I make sushi traditional-style. That’s why our special menu is traditional Japanese. I use Japanese fish. It’s good because it’s a little oily. For salmon, there are a lot of different kinds. We use Scottish salmon. We get our fish fresh every day.
What’s the best non-sushi item on your menu?
I recommend the Oyako Don. It’s one of the most popular items. Most people like it. It’s a hot pot over rice. It’s made with chicken and egg. It’s very good food. It’s not spicy. It’s a little sweet.
5600 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley. 438-9260. sushi-garden.com.
CHEF’S CHOICE Chris Kim of Scotts Valley’s new Sushi Garden restaurant, with maguro sashimi, hirame nigiri and sake nigiri and ikura. PHOTO: CHIP SCHEUER
