Suffolk Spotlight: Sushi Aka

Suffolk, VA isn't exactly in the middle of Hampton Roads, so people sometimes miss out on the great restaurants we have here. Fortunately, Suffolk had its own Restaurant Week in March, and one of the featured restaurants was Sushi Aka, an amazing Japanese fusion restaurant in downtown Suffolk.

My husband was hanging out with the boys that Monday night, so my friend Michelle and I decided to check out Sushi Aka's 3-course prix fixe Restaurant Week menu.

What I Ate:

• 1st course: scallops over edamame & ham risotto - a small portion, so it wasn't overly filling
• 2nd course: 6 pieces of sushi & 6 pieces of sashimi - I tried eel for the first time!
• 3rd course: green tea creme brulee - refreshing and not overly sweet

A few weeks later, my husband took me back for dinner on my birthday (since our favorite Italian place in Suffolk was closed for renovations). We ordered four rolls to split, and I got two cosmos (with Belvedere vodka) - my favorite!

What We Ate:

• Cowboy Crisp: seared beef tenderloin, avocado, cream cheese, & scallions, topped with crispy onion straws - not exactly sushi, but definitely delicious
• Fried Rockfish: crispy rockfish, greens, avocado, mayo, & fresh lemon
• Special Roll: crabmeat, asparagus, & beets - interesting combo, but not exactly my thing
• Rainbow Roll: a California roll topped with sashimi (salmon, tuna, halibut, etc.) - basic but yummy
• Tempura Cheesecake: lightly fried and served with creme Anglaise & strawberry slices - amazing! not nearly as heavy as it sounds

The Scoop:

Sushi Aka (www.sushiaka.com) is located at 239 W. Washington Street, Suffolk VA 23434. Their hours are T-R 5-9:30pm, F-Sat 5-10pm. They're closed on Sundays & Mondays. The waitresses here are terrific: prompt, not overbearing, knowledgeable about the menu, and very friendly.