With dozens of red orbs dangling from the ceiling and abrdance-music soundtrack pulsating through the air, thebratmosphere at RA Sushi feels more like a club than abrplace that's serious about sushi. But make no mistake; thebrupscale restaurant that rolled into Southlake's Park Villagebris serving up some of the area's most creative and artfullybrprepared sushi.br
Open for lunch, dinner, happy hour and Sunday brunch,brRA Sushi's impressive eight-page menu appeals to bothbrsushi novices and connoisseurs. There are dozens of sushibrofferings, each one meticulously designed and presented.brBut if raw fish isn't your thing, the restaurant also offers abrfew chicken and steak selections.br
We started our meal with the Garlic Edamame, whichbrwas lightly lacquered in an Asian garlic butter sauce. Itbrwasn't overly oily like some edamame appetizers. We alsobrcrunched our way through an order of the “RA”ckin' Shrimp.brThis tempura-battered goodness was expertly crispy, andbrwhen dipped into the accompanying ginger teriyaki sauce,brthe shrimp was divine.br
For lunch, our group gravitated toward the Viva LasbrVegas roll, a chewy mixture of crab and cream cheese rolledbrin rice and seaweed and then lightly tempura battered. Abrsweet eel sauce lifted this roll into a whole new realm ofbrdeliciousness.br
The Spicy Chicken Teryiaki Udon was an appetizingbrchoice for those in our party who preferred to steer clear ofbrsushi. A departure from typical teriyaki dishes, this offeringbrconsisted of juicy slices of chicken nestled atop a bed ofbrthick, al dente udon noodles. Spicy teriyaki sauce wasbrartfully applied to the sides of the plate, making this dishbras pleasing to view as it was to taste.br
If you're looking to mix things up for brunch, give RAbrSushi a try. Its Sunday brunch runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.brand offers our brunch-time favorite: bottomless drinks.brBut don't expect to find the usual; the restaurant puts itsbrunique twist on brunch-time beverages.br
The Tokyo Bloody Mary is a wake-you-up mixture ofbrAbsolut Citron and Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Sake that's shakenbrwith crushed cucumber and a signature wasabi-infusedbrBloody Mary mix. The result is a perfectly balanced drinkbrthat pays homage to the classic but offers some Japanesebrflavor.br
If sweet is more your speed, try the Ginger Mimosa.brIt's made with sparkling wine and ginger orange juice.brBoth drinks are available by the glass, but let's be real:brBottomless is the way to go for brunch.br
Regardless of when you visit, you're in for a feast ofbrflavorful meals, innovative sushi and top-shelf cocktails. RAbrmight be a trendy take on “raw,” but to us, it's more of abrcheer for the newest addition to Southlake's sushi scene.
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RA SUSHI BAR RESTAURANT
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1131 E. Southlake Blvd.br817.601.9590 RASushi.com