Shimogamo Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Chandler

To date, this is the BEST sushi I have had in Arizona.

Hirame Usuzukuri: You could see through the halibut, the cuts were so fine. Presentation was gorgeous, and the combination of the slightly-sweet and umami halibut, and the sweet/spicy/vinegary Serrano sauce/dip/dressing... stuff... Mmmm. Amazing. Only a few mouthfuls, but for everyone at a table to share, it really whets the appetite.

Citrus Roll: The star of the night, according to the table. Bright, light, refreshing, and beautifully composed: Each bite is a walk through a lightly savoury, succulently citrusy park. While it says it's got spicy yellowtail and sriracha in it, (to me) it isn't so hot to actually burn: Merely warms the mouth and accentuates the other flavours. However if you have a very low tolerance for spice, your milage may vary. I could eat three and wish I had room for more.

Shimogamo Roll: I'm generally not a fan of tempura or tempura-containing rolls, so take that caveat into consideration. For a tempura roll, it's got remarkable brightness and acidity, amd a good flavour. The crunch is solid, even if you don't eat it terribly quickly- The cabbage and cucumber keep that crispness even if you let the battered shrimp sit too long. And speaking of the shrimp, they didn't skimp! Sits heavier in the belly than I enjoy, but that's a characteristic of tempura rolls.

Surf 'n Turf Roll: Lovely. Absolutely lovely. The overwhelming flavours are in the miso mustard, shrimp, and wagyu itself-- The avocado, scallion, and asparagus are more flavour finishers, keeping the deep richness of the first three from really clogging the tongue. The wagyu is so soft and tender that, texturewise, it's almost a match for fish, lending itself well to a sushi roll. The contrast of soft and crunchy is lovely, and the rich red and fattiness of the beef comes through as king of the flavours. Everything else really serves to lift it up and accentuates it-- An excellent choice for such a rare and choice meat.

Yuzu Tuna Roll: THIS is the spicy roll. The Serrano peppers don't hit at the start... No, three or four chews in and suddenly you're punched outta left field by a fireball that is so so good. By one tiny pepper! Whoever would've thought. (Not me.) The heat dances on the edge of painful and enjoyable, spicy enough to make you slow down and enjoy the roll and not so spicy you want to stop. The avocado cools everything down with its sweet creaminess, the cilantro+Serrano adds a lovely hint of Southwestern flair, and the onions- Sweeter than they are bitter- Take off the edge from the peppers. The tuna adds the solid, meaty base such a cacophony of flavours need to be grounded while- Pungent as it is- Managing to hold its own ground; The yuzu ponzu brightens the whole thing up, and pits a smile against the scorch. My second favorite roll-- And probably my first when I'm really craving some spice.

Wagyu Carpaccio: OH! I've never had wagyu before but I am in love. It's impossibility tender, and served so rare... So worth it. Expensive, but SO worth it. The only thing I can say is, as someone who just loves MEAT, I think the amount of yuzu soy sauce was a bit much? But honestly just scoot it off if it is for you, it's such a teeeerrible problem to have.

Hochija Panna Cotta: It's Panna Cotta... Which, if you don't know, is a thick, almost Jello-like or Flan-like sweet cream dessert. This one was much more savoury than I had expected, which wasn't bad-- Simply be aware that if you're craving that saccharine hit, this isn't really it. The tea flavours come through beautifully, lending a soft herbal tone to the whole dish. The sesame tuile is powerful- And really fun and crunchy!

Hanami in Maruyama Park: Savoury cocktail, somehow. Very good for with dinner. I honestly don't know how to describe it, other than... Salted, savoury potato-ish flowers, berries, and herbs. If you're in the mood for something COMPLETELY different, try this.

Kamogawa Breeze: THIS is the light, spritzer-cocktail I was expecting. Delivered beautifully on its sweet,...

I think this is officially my favorite Japanese place in town!!! The food here was amazing! The sushi was super high quality and fresh. I go to a lot of sushi places in town and compared to them, Shimogamo is on the pricier side but definitely worth the money. You can taste the difference in the quality of the sushi here.

Reservations are available online and are pretty easy to make. From the reservation screen I saw they had the regular dining experience and the Omakase experience ($120/person and minimum of 2 people), which I definitely want to try next time! My friend and I made reservations online and were seated as soon as we got there even though we were 15 minutes early.

Once we got to the seat the server helped explain to us that their two most famous items were the Hirame Usuzukuri ($20) and the Truffle Amberjack ($21), both located under appetizers on the paper menu. Per her recommendation, we got the Hirame Usuzukuri, which was the halibut. That was my favorite dish that night!!! The halibut tasted super fresh and the sauce had the perfect amount of citrus flavoring from the yuzu and didn't overpower the fish.

We also got the sunomono and fried calamari. We loved how refreshing the sunomono was, it had the perfect amount of tartness from the vinegar and the octopus, cucumber, and seaweed complemented each other perfectly. The fried calamari was good but tasted like average fried calamari, the nori flakes did give it a nice seaweed flavoring but there was nothing too special about the dish overall. This was probably my least favorite dish here.

We also got a variety of nigiri with the salmon nigiri being our favorite! All of the nigiri were super thick and fresh but the salmon one just hit differently. It was one of the most salmon tasting salmon I have had in my life!! I would just keep ordering plates of the salmon if I could!

For the rolls, we got a classic shrimp tempura roll and then one of the signature surf and turf rolls. We enjoyed the shrimp tempura roll more than the surf and turf roll. The tail ends of the surf and turf rolls tasted a bit bland compared to the middle sections, we were not sure if it was because of the distribution of ingredients but as you got closer to the center, the flavors got better. The shrimp tempura roll was very pleasant on the other hand, it had a nice balance of all ingredients!

For dessert we ordered the hojicha panna cotta, it tasted just like roasted green tea and wasn't overly sweet! It had a crunchy sesame tuile on top and a thin layer of black sugar jelly on the panna cotta. I enjoyed this a lot!

Overall here are my individual ratings for the dishes: Hirame Usuzukuri (5/5!!!): Highly recommend this!!!!! Try it and you won't regret it! Presentation looks beautiful too!!

Sunomono (5/5): if you like refreshing Asian pickles, get this!!!

Salmon Nigiri (5/5!): for all those salmon lovers out there, I highly recommend this!!! This was like the most buttery smooth salmon I have ever had!

Other Nigiri (4.5/5): tasted great and super fresh but the salmon stood out the most to me, this really depends on your individual taste

Shrimp Tempura Roll (4/5): really love how crunchy the shrimp was and it had the perfect combination of avocado, cucumber, and shrimp with a nice hint of miso

Surf and Turf Roll (3.5/5): we liked the shrimp tempura roll more, we started a the tail ends and felt there wasn't enough flavor but as we got towards the center, the flavor got stronger. It is a unique combination of wagyu and shrimp though!

Fried Calamari (3/5): it wasn't amazing but wasn't bad, might recommend trying a different fried appetizer instead

Hojicha Panna Cotta (5/5): not super sweet and tasted like roasted green tea which I love!!! So if you're not a big fan of super sweet things and you're craving dessert, I recommend...

Food:

Dishes Tried: Salmon Cornet, Nigiri Presentation, Scallops, Wagyu Tri-tip Taste and Presentation: The Salmon Cornet was a visual and culinary delight, beautifully presented. The soft, delicate salmon flavors paired beautifully with the creamy egg and the contrasting crunch of the sesame cone. The Nigiri Presentation showcased Shimogamo's exceptional sushi. The presentation was simple and beautiful, and the quality of the fish was fantastic. All types were extremely fresh tasting and had a wonderful texture. The Scallops were plated very beautifully with an assortment of delicate colors. They were cooked to perfection, and the flavors were spot on. The Wagyu Tri-tip, while flavorful, was a major disappointment and deeply saddened me. It was sliced thicker than it should have been for how well it was coked and presented in a simple format, but again, the meat was overcooked and impossible to separate without a knife, which was not available on the table. Overcooked meat, let alone Wagyu, is a cardinal sin. Standout Dishes: The Salmon Cornet, scallops and the Nigiri Presentation were the stars of the meal.

Service:

Friendliness and Attentiveness: Our waitress was adequate, performing all the expected duties, but we ultimately felt quite rushed out of the restaurant. The bill was promptly presented before our desserts were even close to being done, which killed the mood. We didn't spend an extended amount of time eating and we were at the sushi bar, so we weren't holding up a table. Wait Time: The food arrived in a timely manner, but the rushed service detracted from the experience. Additional Notes: Inconsistencies in service were noted. The woman sitting next to me had the same Wagyu ordered and received a more elaborate explanation of the sauce and seasonings, while my food was simply set down without comment. The lack of attention to detail, especially at this price point, felt tacky and gave the lasting impression that we weren't truly welcomed.

Ambiance:

Atmosphere and Decor: We were seated at the very end of the sushi bar, which felt like the least desirable spot in the house. The chairs were slightly uncomfortable, and the overhang from the sushi bar made it feel cramped. The restaurant was clean and simple, but our seating area lacked visual appeal. From what we could see, the west end of the location had a much better vibe. Cleanliness: The restaurant was clean and well-maintained. Additional Notes: Overhearing a staff member express displeasure with AZ Restaurant Week, which she mentioned was a major inconvenience to her( she hated it !) an event we were there for, created a negative impression and further detracted from the overall mood.

Value:

Price vs. Quality: The food quality was generally high, but the rushed service, less-than-ideal ambiance, and feeling of being unwelcome made the price point feel unjustified, especially during a special event like AZ Restaurant Week.

Conclusion:

Recommendation: Shimogamo offers exceptional sushi and some standout dishes, but the service and ambiance issues significantly impacted our experience. If you're seeking top-notch Japanese cuisine(aside from the ruined Wagyu),possibly consider Shimogamo, but be prepared for potential service inconsistencies and prioritize seating away from the sushi bar. The feeling of being rushed and unwelcome, especially during a special event, left a lasting...