The samurai-/fish-art-laden interior at Mira is as unassuming as the menu appears to be, but don't let that fool you -- former Nobu sushi chef Owen Wu (those guys are everywhere these days) and ex-Telepan man Brian Tsao are cooking up some serious twists on sushi, one of which is that it's sometimes actually cooked... in a deep-fryer
Oh right, and Brian was in a "heavy metal thrashcore" band that toured China for years, and totally shreds guitar like so much nori in a bowl of udon
Now about the eats: the sushi's got some familiar names, like this Dynamite Roll, but it's taken things up a level with actual dynamite wild blue crab, seared spicy scallops, fried vermicelli, and spicy mayo
In other explosive sushi name news, this is the Volcano Roll. Again, you've probably heard of it, but this representation is almost like a sushi/ arancini hybrid. It's got deep-fried rice surrounding fried fish and asparagus, which gets hit with seared spicy tuna, scallions, and caviar, all surrounding a lava pool of sweet aioli
These Beef Bulgogi wonton tacos with Korean pears highlight the lineup of small plates like Kyoto Sloppy Joe (ground Kurobuta pork/ sour mustard/ potato bun), crispy pork belly w/ pepper-infused sesame oil, and togarashi fries
Entrees, meanwhile, range from steaky (NY Sirloin), to noodle-y (udon w/ shrimp and cod roe), to bibimbap-y, like this one above which rocks a sunny-side-up egg atop grilled chicken, sauteed veggies, and rice, and is aided by gochujang sauce, which, given the chance, could be the next Sriracha. Give it the chance, people
Now for the drink. You can get the pictured flight of house-infused soju, more Japanese and domestic whiskey than you'll know what to do with (actually, you will -- just drink them), or cocktails that include the cognac, yuzu juice, and Cointreau YU-so Fast n Furious, named for the most unassuming film series of all time.
