Photo by Jenn Ocken

Sushi Yama is a sage choice for serious sushi aficionados in the Capital City, and one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes is its plainly named appetizer Atlantic Salmon. “It’s a very simple dish, but it’s prepared with the best ingredients,” says Oui Wang, Sushi Yama chef and owner. Wang starts with Scottish salmon, which he says imparts firmer texture and brighter color than other varieties. He arranges petals of the sliced fresh fish on a cold plate over a mint leaf, and then drizzles them with the best white truffle oil he can find. He scatters pine nuts and scallion slivers, and finishes the dish in soy-lime sauce. The flavors explode, and the salmon seems to melt. “It has just the right aroma and texture,” Wang says. “Everything comes together and works.”

Sushi Yama
7731 Perkins Road, Suite 120
Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Closed Sunday
767-8880