Photo from the Mahi Sushi Facebook page

It all began with a photo on Facebook, similar to the one above, posted by my friend Gaby. Since she lives much of the year in southern California, home of some awesome sushi, her message definitely got my attention:

“Deliiiiiiiciosoooo! Vengan a #mahisushibistro. Hiper recomendado! #visitamazatlan”

“Where is it, Gaby?” I quickly texted, and it turns out this magical Mahi Sushi Bistro (01 669 983 2801) is practically right next door to me, on Avenida del Mar in the former coffee shop site between the Hotel Don Pelayo and Hotel Amigos Plaza. Because today I am mourning the departure of my cousins who were visiting us for Christmas, we attempted to cheer ourselves up by trying this place.

And—oh my—what a place it is! Everything we were served was a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds! And SUCH generous portions! We waddled out, as the taste was so good we couldn’t stop ourselves from finishing all that we were served.

With the abundant fresh-caught fish and seafood we have available to us here in Mazatlán, it makes sense that we have sushi shops on every corner. But I’ve tried many of them, and am in love with none. I will admit that, after living so many years in Japan and commuting there for over half of my life, I am a bit of a sushi snob. Cream cheese does NOT belong in quality sushi, IMHO, and sushi menus should NOT be comprised of all cooked rather than raw fish! Don’t even get me started on the mayonnaise and kamaboko (surimi) that most Mazatlecos put in sushi rolls.

While Mahi Sushi is most definitely not the traditional sushi I know and crave,  I definitely agree with my friend: do yourself a favor and check it out!

They advertise themselves as a fusion of Japanese cuisine and Sea of Cortés flavors. The menu includes fresh sashimi, some standard nigiri, a few cooked dishes, and a creative variety of sushi rolls filled with lobster, prawns, crab, mahi-mahi, sword fish, tuna, octopus, eel, oysters, marlin, masago, and roe. Add to that mango, avocado, chambray onions, and cilantro; topped with sauces such as ponzu, Thai-style green curry, or ginger dressing; and garnished with peppers (jalapeños, serranos, habaneros, Caribbean escafaldo), garlic chips, green tea salt, or black and white sesame seeds… the heady combination of international flavors made me feel that I’d died and gone to heaven! I owe you, Gaby dear!

Sous chef Jorge and a sample of the generous portions

Chef Ricardo worked at Nick-san in Los Cabos. We are so fortunate that he has brought his eye for flair and his excellent taste to Mazatlán! He has taught his sous-chef, Jorge, who prepared all our food today, impressively well. Mahi Sushi is owned by Carlos Moreno, who is currently out of town for the holiday.

When we sat down, so many things on the menu looked so good that we were befuddled what to order. The waiter brought us over a tasting of the Sashimi Currican: spicy kani (the imitation crab made from fish cake) and avocado topped with thin slices of mahi-mahi, yuzu (soy sauce mixed with yuzu citrus fruit), and black and white sesame seeds. Oh so good! Next up were the dumplings we’d ordered as an appetizer—filled with ground smoked pork and vegetables, covered in a house sauce, served on a bed of lettuce with a beautiful fresh beet garnish.

Sashimi Currican

Pork Dumplings

I ordered a Mango Roll (below): spicy crab and prawn tempura wrapped in colorful soy paper, topped with fresh mango and serrano pepper. I would add that this roll did include cream cheese, which it did not need, and which was not noted on the menu. The sous chef told me it’s their only roll that includes cream cheese, unluckily for me. Other than that, the dish was superb.

Mango Roll

Mango Roll

Our son Danny, who always orders the best thing at the table, did so again today (below). Every one of us sopped up the incredible sauce from this dish! Crab, shrimp tempura, cilantro, mango and  avocado in a soy paper-wrapped rice roll, placed on a bed of Thai green curry sauce. This was completely to die for!

Green Curry Roll

Green Curry Roll

Greg ordered fried rice, which was also very good. All of this was obviously way too much food for three people, though it was all so good that not a grain of rice remained on any plate. The waiter, however, brought us a second tasting: Sashimi Black and White—thin slices of sword fish, black and white sesame seeds, purple onion relish, a crisp-fried slice of garlic, and a bit of curry oil, served on a bed of ponzu. This too was awesome.

Sashimi Black and White

The interior of Mahi Sushi is simple, clean, bright and pleasant.

Interior

Interior

Interior

The views from the restaurant are direct to the ocean, the islands, and downtown, looking past the cars on the Avenue, of course.

Views to the ocean

Views to the ocean

I was enthralled with Mahi Sushi, and hope it will succeed. It is a wonderful addition to our local restaurant scene. Because it’s a new place, and the staff seems dedicated and enthusiastic, I’d like to offer a few small (nitpick but important) suggestions in hopes that they might be helpful.

1. With a place of this caliber and this price point (on the high end for Mazatlán), please purchase some chopstick rests (or chopstick “pillows,” as we say in Japanese). Otherwise the waiters have to touch our chopsticks as they clear the dishes, which is far from ideal. The rests would also add a quality look to the table setting.
2. The climate here in Mazatlán demands coasters for cold drink glasses, or the table quickly becomes flooded. I improvised both the rests and the coasters for us today (photo below).
3. The generous dish of shouga/pickled ginger and the beautiful serving of wasabi were terrific. I was disappointed, however, that just like every other sushi place in town, I had to ask for wasabi in order to get it. If these gorgeous dishes were served without the customer having to specially request them, wouldn’t that be wonderful? Maybe that’s too wasteful for those who don’t eat them?
4. PLEASE purchase some green tea and a teapot! 😉
   

   My homemade chopstick pillow and coaster

   

   Gorgeously detailed wasabi and generous portion of shouga

I do hope that Mahi Sushi Bistro meets with much success. They already appear to get quite crowded in the evening, and with a young, hip crowd of clientele. Let us hope!

—

NOTE: Each time we write about a restaurant, we receive requests and suggestions for other restaurants to review. VidaMaz does not write restaurant reviews. We write about our every day life here, as expats in Mazatlán (“la vida Mazatleca”). If we happen upon a restaurant, bar or shop that we love or think is noteworthy, we often publish about it (if our busy lives permit). We trust you’ll understand.