Off the beaten path
BY CHRIS JAY & SARA HEBERT
JOIN SARA HEBERT AND CHRIS JAY AS THEY GO ON DATES AND SHARE THEIR LOCAL RESTAURANT CHOICES AND ACTIVITIES.
Despite the fact Sara and I eat sushi fairly often, I wouldn’t consider myself very knowledgeable about this popular form of Japanese cuisine. I’ve identified a few favorite items on local sushi menus and generally stick to those items when ordering. Recently, Sara and I decided to shake things up a bit, visiting two local sushi restaurants and ordering items that we would never normally have considered. Nothing was off-limits, except for our “old standbys.”
For the first stop on our sushi adventure, we visited Sake Sushi, located in the Kings Crossing Shopping Center at 7511 Youree Drive in Shreveport. Sake Sushi serves one of my favorite Japanese meals, katsudon, which consists of a bowl of rice served with a sunny side-up fried egg, vegetables and condiments, all of which are topped with a crispy fried chicken cutlet. More like soul food than sushi, the indulgent chicken katsudon would normally be my go-to order at Sake Sushi.
In the spirit of trying new things, we ordered the “sushi love boat” for two ($52). Consisting of about 40 pieces of premium sushi and sashimi stacked on an attentiongrabbing wooden boat, the love boat was an entertaining way to share sushi as a couple. From salmon and shrimp to yellowtail and tuna, each delicate slice of fish tasted fresh and flavorful.
For our next sushi adventure, we visited Sushiko at the Outlets at the Louisiana Boardwalk. Our approach to the Sushiko menu was simply to try things we’d never heard of. I ordered a shrimp sunomono appetizer ($6.95). Su is Japanese for “vinegar,” and sunomono dishes consist of vegetables and seafood seasoned with vinegar-based dressings. The presentation of this dish – a tower of cucumber slices, bean sprouts and
shredded cabbage propped up by four sweet, briny shrimp – was fun. Sara’s dish, hae dup bap, or scattered sashimi salad ($19.95), was easily the tastiest thing we tried on our sushi adventures.
Hae dup bap, a Korean dish, consists of a large bowl filled with colorful, thinly-sliced fish as well as seaweed salad, julienne-cut cucumbers, radishes and more. By mixing and matching ingredients in the bowl, the diner can experience a different taste with every bite. And, as I was reminded on these sushi adventures, venturing “off of the beaten path” and trying something new is always a rewarding experience. To work off some of those sushi calories, Sara decided that we should stay on the beaten path – or rather the paved, painstakingly manicured garden paths – at R.W. Norton Art Gallery.
– Chris Jay
Chris and I have an adorable basset hound named Bowser, whom we love very much. Dates are always better when we can bring him along. Unfortunately, there simply aren’t a lot of places in Shreveport-Bossier City where you can hang out with a dog; so, no sushi for this pup. We’ve found the perfect day date by spending a few hours with our most loyal companion in the gardens at the R.W. Norton Art Gallery’s gardens.
It’s a treat for us to take Bowser out to one of our favorite spots in town, and I’m sure if he could experience the gallery’s collections (including Frederic Remington sculptures and Charles Marion Russell paintings), he’d appreciate it. Luckily, our dog is a bit of mini-botanist and loves to sniff plants then walk through mondo grass that tickles his belly. Both of which are feasible among the paths through 40 different landscaped areas connected by well-maintained paved paths and trails. Chris and my favorite area is the xeriscaped section close to the gallery that gave us some inspiration for our own yard. We also enjoyed the water gardens, featuring big beautiful lily pads in a small pond and comfy seating areas for lounging.
While readers might be most familiar with the spring azaleas at the grounds, fall is a great time to visit. The maple trees on the grounds turn from green to rich reds, yellows and golds. Also, the weather is a bit more amenable this time of year if you want to spend a few hours strolling through the paths.
The gardens are open to visitors daily during daylight hours, and if you’re not accompanied by a dog, the museum’s collection is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. If you visit the gardens with your furry friend, make sure they’re on a leash. For more details about what’s in bloom, visit the R.W. Norton Art Gallery’s website: www. rwnaf.org – Sara Hebert
Sara Hebert is the marketing director of Moonbot Studios, and Chris Jay is the public relations and social media manager at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau. Chris and Sara have been married for five years. Email them at hello@ allyallblog.com.
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