Suzaku Cafe — Restaurant in Virginia

Wow, where to begin...My youngest and I spotted Suzaku Sushi Lounge and Cafe, about two weeks ago, while light shopping (my oldest daughter and nephew also) in the Plaza adjacent. Though we were already committed to a dinner location that evening, (to cater to the menu choices for the two picky eaters collectively) we promised ourselves to return soon, and indeed we did, several days ago for lunch, around noon. After panning over the menu for quite some time, we decided on a bevy of items, to compile as comprehensive an experience as possible. Every choice we made turned out to be exceptional, to say the least. The staff was cordial and inviting, also patient. There were other patrons, but we were socially distanced and everyone who entered wore masks, including the employees. We decided on the Spider Roll, Katsu Don, Orange Chicken, a custom Poke bowl, a Bubble Tea Smoothie (Mango with Tapioca pearls) and a cold Japanese tea from the cooler selection ( Ito En, Unsweetened Green Tea). The Spider Roll consists of fried soft shell crab, cucumber and Tobiko (flying fish roe) and was spectacular. The flavor profile of each dish was scandalously on point, Umami for days! Fresh, Bright and Balanced, simple yet complex at the same time. My custom Poke bowl consisted of Sashimi Tuna, julienne of Cucumber, Seaweed Salad and I believe Tempura Crisps, all atop Sushi Rice and topped with white sesame seeds and seaweed slivers. I chose the Classic Poke Sauce, which completed the already complementary ingredients. The taste was phenomenal, every bite, more delicious than the last, euphoric even. As we sampled our dishes, our eyes would 'speak' for us, wide with surprise and delight, along with some 'Mmms' here, 'Oohs' there and other interjections... YEAH, it's that good! Good, being an understatement. It's a shame, we started planning our next visit and menu choices, before we even finished the lunch before us. My daughter had the Orange Chicken, hearty in portion, enough for dinner later, full of Orange Zestiness and harmonious flavors. She enjoyed the dish immensely. I tried it also and felt the same, fantastic! The Katsu Don was a take home and a must try, but we were sure to try it while fresh from the kitchen. I made Katsu Don for my daughter's 13th birthday request, which she loved, so it was only proper that we try it from an authentic Japanese cafe. The pork cutlets were the perfect thickness and texture, with a Panko crunchy exterior and moist interior, not greasy or heavy on the palate, seasoned just right. The egg on top came with the textbook lacey edges and set yolk, lovely. This delectable duo was accompanied by rice and a serving of Japanese mayo. I could go on, but this was not supposed to be a book, so I will say that we sincerely hope you get a chance to drop by Suzaku to experience their spectacular culinary showmanship, excellent service and selection. You too, will be planning your next visit, midway through the first,....

9/23/23 Tried their fillet mignon lo mein this time. The noodle was alright; the well-done meat was alright; the presentation was alright. The menu says served with cabbage, but it really just came out as meat, noodle, and cabbage with sauce. I was hoping for some other vegetables since most Chinese restaurants usually add other vegetables like carrots and onions. Add-on per vegetable is $1.50 or $2.00. I did not add any, but I sure did like their broccoli last time I came.

Otherwise, service was good. The front cashier was nice albeit the interaction was short. Free drink as a student to use for your advantage.

9/9/23 Looking at the high rating on Google Maps, I couldn't help but wonder if the taste is truly good. Unfortunately, I had a mediocre experience. It is my first time, so this review might not be a fair opinion on the restaurant. I will change the review after I try another menu from here. I have this rating up because the overall review I see on Google Maps does not reflect how I felt about the restaurant today.

I got the shrimp and (rib-eye) steak hibachi with fried rice.

Positive: Free fountain drink for students!!! The portion size is great. They give you food filled to the brim of the to-go box container. I love the sauteed vegetables. They were fresh and I love the taste of soy sauce and the vegetables together. They brought the food to me in less than 10 minutes. It was super-fast. I was glad the food was generally not too salty. They are attentive with people who are trying to order. I was reading the menu for a while and the cashiers (there were two) took turn asking me to make sure if I was helped. Yum-yum sauce is pretty good. Not too salty and not too sweet; just enough taste to complement the hibachi.

Negative: The "rib-eye" steak was thin and overcooked. I will try fillet mignon next time though. The shrimp did not have any shrimp flavor. It was just another bland protein. The rice they use seems to have no taste of its own. It felt like the rice was there as filler carb. Guess that makes it a good option as fried rice for hibachi though. The ratio between the carb to meat to veggies wasn't great. I also hope they do not use the same rice for sushi... The restaurant feels a bit worn down. Maybe it's the furniture that gives this feeling, but I think redesigning the interior soon will be nice.

TL:DR Don't get rib-eye steak and shrimp next time. Avoid getting hibachi (balance between the food group is off) Get their sauteed veggies one way or another. Service is decent for a place favoring take-out, but you can dine in if you want with no extra cost to you. Just take-out the food. They serve in a to-go...

The reviews weren't exaggerating when they said this is the freshest sushi you can get in the area, possibly in the entirety of the Blue Ridge Mountain region. DON'T BE FOOLED OR DISCOURAGED BY THE OUTSIDE APPEARANCE OF THIS RESTAURANT!!! Though I was nervous upon seeing the outside of the restaurant ("That place looks a bit shady and they're serving raw fish in there??"), I was shocked to find that the inside was spotless and up-to-date with their furnishings. Even the walls were impeccably clean, and that is a HUGE sign that the owner(s) and employees care about their restaurant and, more importantly, their customers-- cleaning the walls is often forgotten in many restaurants. Now, on to their sushi quality. I'll cut right to the specific pieces of sushi that blew me away.

The mackerel didn't a have a fishy, near-rancid aftertaste like most mackerel at sushi places do (as a result of them being a potent fish that also has to be cured in a brine before serving); rather, it tasted faintly of fish, with vinegary undertones that were ever so slightly reminiscent of good-quality pickled herring. Flavorful, but not overpowering, and no unpleasant fishy flavor that lingered on the back of my tongue.

And the ikura's freshness was phenomenal! I'm used to ikura having an intense, potent, and almost smoky salmon flavor, which I still enjoy despite it being a sign that the ikura isn't very fresh. The ikura served at Suzaku cafe, however, was so fresh that it tasted sweet and only slightly of the ocean-- the sweeter it is, the fresher it is.

I also had tuna, salmon, and yellowtail sushi, all of which were fresh-tasting and delicious, but the first two sushi I mentioned were what had me sold and hooked on this place. I can't say much about their crepes, but if the freshness of their fish is anything to go by, I'd venture to say that their crepes are pretty darn good.

The bubble tea is also delicious and reasonably priced-- I had the Thai bubble tea, which has a very sweet-herby flavor that I can never get enough of.

I highly, highly recommend eating here if...