Tsunami Sushi Buffet (3rd Road)

[MM 6,562]

I finally talked the missus into going to Tsunami by telling her she didn't have to eat any raw fish.
We arrived about 9:20pm, and the place was full, packed, bursting at the seams. All Thai customers, not a single westerner. There was also a queue outside of 6 people ahead of us. After 40 minutes, we got a table at 10pm.
While we were waiting, the time passed pretty quickly, because we got to observe a traffic checkpoint across the street. One western guy with 2 woman on his motorcycle seemed to have some problem, because he was sat there with police coming over to speak with him periodically the whole time we waited. My guess is he was intoxicated, and they were trying to work out how much he would pay them on the spot not to go to jail. Eventually, he must have coughed up something, because he was sent on his way.
Anyway, next time, I will give them plenty of warning and reserve in advance. They will hold your table if you arrive at the appointed time.
We both had the all you can eat special. I had to spend some time with Pin explaining which were cooked and which were raw. She chose some teriyaki salmon, some wagyu sushi (cooked) which I ordered the same.
I ordered too many items to list, but one of the items was a sashimi wagyu..i.e., raw wagyu. I found that a bit daunting, as it did looked like chopped raw steak (of course). When I ate it, it was delicious, but I can't see eating more than 2...I like medium rare, and absolutely raw is just a bit beyond my boundaries.
I did get Pin to try the salmon sashimi, and was waiting for her to gag, but she gamely swallowed it without complaint. She did not go back for seconds though.
Service was pretty busy, so there were some lags in getting green tea refills and plate removal, but all in all, it was acceptable.
The quality of the fish is very good and I will be back (again and again). I don't know if the missus will be joining me, however.

[capdagde 1,954]

I started reading this thinking it was Evil P writing it, even thinking "oh, MM has let him take Pin out for dinner". Doh!

 

Nice thick slices of salmon there (I might get some, and some tuna, out of the freezer for lunch now!).... I can see how the raw beef cut in chunks might give a problem, thinly sliced carpaccio is about my limit. Did you eat the whole thing in one mouthful?

 

Nice report - about what time did the place empty out (last picture)?

 

Andy

[Dungheap 243]

Raw beef can be amazing but it needs to be high quality and the right cut.

 

Beef tataki, or lightly seared beef, also can be delish.

 

A huge Japan food boom seems to be sweeping Thailand. A few select Thai spiced up dishes also seem worth trying.

 

Thanks for tthese reviews.

[MM 6,562]

I started reading this thinking it was Evil P writing it, even thinking "oh, MM has let him take Pin out for dinner". Doh!

 

Nice thick slices of salmon there (I might get some, and some tuna, out of the freezer for lunch now!).... I can see how the raw beef cut in chunks might give a problem, thinly sliced carpaccio is about my limit. Did you eat the whole thing in one mouthful?

 

Nice report - about what time did the place empty out (last picture)?

 

Andy

Haha re EP taking Pin out. She's a picky eater, so I'd not recommend it.

 

I did eat the whole thing, meat chunks and all in one bite. It worked well once it was out of my sight and in my mouth.

 

The place emptied by 11pm..about an hour after we got there. From speaking to the owner, it was busy from opening until that time. She did say it had been quiet for many days, and that this particular night (Saturday) was unusually busy. Of course, that's when I also got a hankering for sushi.

[MM 6,562]

Raw beef can be amazing but it needs to be high quality and the right cut.

 

Beef tataki, or lightly seared beef, also can be delish.

 

A huge Japan food boom seems to be sweeping Thailand. A few select Thai spiced up dishes also seem worth trying.

 

Thanks for tthese reviews.

From what I have seen, the Japanese restaurants are extremely popular with Thais. Tsunami's clientele is at least 90% young Thais, allowing for an occasional other nationality to pop in. For the entire time I was there, including the wait time (130 minutes), I was the only westerner in the place.

[mike_asia 1]

Raw beef can be amazing but it needs to be high quality and the right cut.

 

Beef tataki, or lightly seared beef, also can be delish.

 

A huge Japan food boom seems to be sweeping Thailand. A few select Thai spiced up dishes also seem worth trying.

 

Thanks for tthese reviews.

The boom started 20 years ago

[MM 6,562]

The boom started 20 years ago

From the looks of it, it hasn't crested yet.

[jacko 8,813]

I guess the dental work has been completed, I hope that went well.

Does the Mrs not eat that Thai shrimp dish where it is raw? ( I forget the name)?

There are many where it is simply pickled too.

[MM 6,562]

I guess the dental work has been completed, I hope that went well.

Does the Mrs not eat that Thai shrimp dish where it is raw? ( I forget the name)?

There are many where it is simply pickled too.

Dental work almost finished, but I have been struggling through with a partial fix...I found I can eat more than milk shakes and soup, and there's not a lot of chewing in eating raw salmon and and other sushi items. Supposedly, the process is complete this afternoon...another appt in 30 minutes.

 

The missus doesn't claim to be consistent in her tastes or aversions. And, yes, I've pointed out she eats hoi nong lome (raw oysters etc) and that spicy raw shrimp dish, both of which she loves and orders almost every time we go out. I think it's the eating of the flesh of a fish that bothers her. Certainly, I can understand her reluctance to eat that raw beef, though I've less fear of that now, and might do it again if I trust the vendor. Saves cooking time

[Fatboyfat 361]

There was a big campaign to deter Thais from eating raw beef (it was a greatly favoured dish in the North) back in the mid-90s, around the time of the "mad cow" disease era. Maybe that aversion to raw beef (my missus is the same) harks back to the formative school indoctrination back then.

[Dungheap 243]

The boom started 20 years ago

 

Not on this scale ... :)

[jacko 8,813]

Dental work almost finished, but I have been struggling through with a partial fix...I found I can eat more than milk shakes and soup, and there's not a lot of chewing in eating raw salmon and and other sushi items. Supposedly, the process is complete this afternoon...another appt in 30 minutes.

 

The missus doesn't claim to be consistent in her tastes or aversions. And, yes, I've pointed out she eats hoi nong lome (raw oysters etc) and that spicy raw shrimp dish, both of which she loves and orders almost every time we go out. I think it's the eating of the flesh of a fish that bothers her. Certainly, I can understand her reluctance to eat that raw beef, though I've less fear of that now, and might do it again if I trust the vendor. Saves cooking time

I recall in the village the men were sitting around and drinking beer and eating raw pork, which I declined.

Not just because I was worried about raw pork, but I was still shaken from hearing the poor beast squealing for 20 minutes as a botch-job of killing it was exercised. My Mrs is particularly fussy and restricts my dining somewhat... no beef, lamb, duck, shellfish and offal. etc etc

She avoided ice-cream for years until once sampling mine on a flight, commenting how it tastes good.... she must think I eat these things because they don't!

Edited April 5, 2016 by jacko