It’s Sunday night, and in most quarters of Bend that would mean quiet diners, empty tables and a vibe of everything being ready to tuck into a pre-Monday slumber. But that’s not the case at Ryoshi Sushi & Izakaya, located in the complex housing the Bend Factory Stores on the south side of Bend. In here, on this Sunday, we’re not getting a seat at one of the tall, wood-slatted booths, or even the sushi bar. All of those spots are taken by diners who obviously are more up on the latest in the Bend culinary scene than I am.
Ryoshi opened in Bend in July and quickly gained a following that means it’s a lively place to be, even on an otherwise-lonely Sunday night. I might have been late to the party, but I’m sure glad I joined in.
Inside the restaurant is a large board that boasts the special fish they’re currently serving — much of it flown in fresh from Hawaii or Japan, the staff told me. On the night of my visit, Butter Fish, Red Snapper and Amberjack were among the recommended specials to try. On the menu are a host of the standard rolls, nigiri and other favorites one might expect, but also, a special menu of 10 “signature” rolls, featuring some of the most creative rolls I’ve experienced in the region. Between the board and the signature rolls, it proves to be difficult decision time. And once I take my first bite, deciding what to cut out of my desired order, rather than deciding what TO order, is the biggest challenge.
My dining partner and I started out with classic appetizers: Seaweed Salad and Vegetable Tempura, both delightful. The Seaweed Salad is bright and a tad crunchy — a far cry from the sticky sweet, mushy mess sometimes served elsewhere — and the Vegetable Tempura is crisp without too much batter. It, too, doesn’t go soft; each bite of vegetable cooked just right and not overdone, with a mellow dipping sauce that lets the veggies be the star. It’s clearly going to be a hearty dinner night, because we weren’t even off the appetizer menu just yet and had to order another: Tuna Carpaccio, served up in thickish slices with fresh sprouts and jalapenos on top. The fish is melt-in-your mouth — an indication of its quick trip across the Pacific and onto my plate. Breathing deeply, with plenty of appetizers behind us, I *think* we’re ready to move onto the main courses.
After staring at the specials board for about the amount of time it would take to drive to the Pacific Ocean myself, the staff recommends the Butter Fish, and I acquiesce. It comes as a piece of sushi, buttery as advertised and with a few small dots of fish roe and green onion. It’s heaven in a bite. Next up are the specialty rolls, which were special indeed. Ryoshi’s Sunset Roll starts off with a bed of battered and fried rice, topped with spicy tuna, masago, avocado and tempura flakes. This one is a keeper. You should order it. We followed that up with the Ryoshi Roll — I mean, you have to try the eponymous roll, right? — another keeper, featuring seared salmon, salmon, jalapenos, avocado and masago.
All along the way, Ryoshi’s kind and attentive staff was there to help us stuff ourselves full of all that flown-in fish. But perhaps that’s not a surprise, considering that Ryoshi is owned by Shu Zhen Chen, who also owns the Sora Sushi locations in Bend, Redmond and Prineville. While Ryoshi is not the place to go for the sushi-train style fare one finds at Sora, it’s clear that all that experience has lent itself to a more refined offering on the south side of Bend.
This article appears in Source Weekly November 14, 2024.
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