Life’s too short for bad sushi.

I’ve found myself not eating sushi as often as I used to enjoy it — mainly because my taste buds are looking to be “wowed” now. I’m not interested in tasteless fish … and I’m guessing the wonderful perks of this job are partly to blame.

Thankfully, while staying at Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, CEO and Publisher Francis X. Gallagher and I were both in the mood for sushi on a recent business trip. We ventured outside the hotel toward Giraldo Plaza and decided to try our luck at Ōsumi Cocktail and Sushi Bar.      

Ōsumi Sushi is warm and upscale with innovative flavors against traditional sushi ingredients. We grabbed two seats at the bar for easy conversation and to fully enjoy the chef’s preparation of each item. Although there weren’t many visitors on a Tuesday night, the staff was attentive and provided excellent service throughout our meal.

We started with a bottle of Sancerre before choosing our favorite sushi rolls to share. I suggested the Roppongi Roll with toro, caviar, chives and tangerine. Toro is one of my favorite sushi flavors, and I couldn’t wait to kick off our meal with these rich yet delicate rolls.

While the chef prepared our Karamaguro roll with spicy tuna-bonito tartare, we watched a different chef flambé the tuna tempura roll with avocado and crispy quinoa. There was quite a significant flame coming out of the culinary torch, and we both agreed to order it next time, if only to see the entire fire presentation once again!  

Finally, we also enjoyed a large Nigiri Special plate of yellow tail, yellowfin and salmon. Of course, the presentation was exquisite and each individual piece delicious.

My boss knows me well — hence the reason he agreed take a look at the dessert menu. I was all too happy to find a lychee granita dish called Nukarumi Lyche. The granita resembled an icy snowcone flavored with lovely lychee (one of my favorites) and paired with a cheese mousse at the bottom of the opera glass. This light dessert was topped with tiny frozen kiwi flakes, causing the entire spoonful to melt in your mouth at one time.

I’m glad I’ve become a picky sushi eater. It made this trip to Ōsumi Cocktail and Sushi Bar all the more enjoyable. If you’re on a leisure or a business trip to Coral Gables, be sure to check it out.

— Carrie Cox, account executive