Fresh assorted sashimi
While America hits 250 years, Sushi Jin has just passed one year—never a small feat in the restaurant business. The establishment is a longtime ambition for Yoyo and Hiro Chen, who met working at a sushi restaurant in New York 25 years ago. “We had a dream of opening our own place that combines traditional techniques,” says Hiro, who surprised his wife with the name; “Jin” is her nickname. “We loved Westport’s vibrant community and its appreciation for high-quality, diverse dining. It felt like the perfect place.”
Entering Sushi Jin is like stepping off a busy street (actually the Bedford Square parking lot to be exact) into a serene garden in Japan. A couch in the waiting area signals that this is a place exhale and feel at home. The owners have struck the perfect balance between cozy and sophisticated, orderly and relaxed.
The ceiling in Sushi Jin is a geometric wood masterpiece, cocooning the space and dampening sound for a calming effect, which is enhanced by a Japanese tree, vibrant orchids and exquisitely crafted wishbone chairs. An intricate wood lattice wall in the dining room, constructed using the Japanese Kumiko technique (no nails), highlights small triangular shapes that hearken back to the giant wood triangles above the entry and bar area. Overhead in the dining room: parallel pairs of timber are arranged as in a courtship dance.
With so much to take in visually, it takes a moment to turn to the menu. On it are some of Yoyo and Hiro’s favorites: Bluefin Toro, Omakase, Black Cod, Dim Sum, Duck Pancake, Wagyu Beef Dumpling. . . The vast sushi menu includes a scrumptious Westport Roll (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, whitefish, snow crab with smelt eggs, scallion, avocado and paper-thin daikon—it seems we Westporters must have it all) and a dreamy American Dream Roll (rock shrimp tempura topped with spicy crab and creamy sauce—ah, of course, fried and crabby!). The menu features an array of choices for the non-sushi eaters: Stir-Fried Udon, Roasted Lobster, Organic Basil Chicken, plus Teriyaki and Hibachi dishes. Dessert tantalizes the tastebuds with vanilla, strawberry or green tea Mochi Ice Cream or Chocolate Lava Cake.
Yoyo says, “Our Omakase menu is curated daily, based on the freshest available ingredients, and we strive to create a warm, intimate atmosphere where guests feel like they’re dining in our home.” They source directly from trusted fish markets in Japan. “We vet our suppliers rigorously and receive shipments multiple times a week to ensure peak freshness,” says Yoyo.
In the warm weather, guests can enjoy outdoor seating on the rooftop and in front of the restaurant. Sushi Jin hopes to open a four-season rooftop deck in the fall.
Sushi Jin
44 Main Street, Westport, sushijinct.com
Monday to Thurday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.;
Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.
to 11 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.