Sam Li got his first taste of the restaurant industry from his grandparents, who opened the still-thriving Oriental Palace in Lawnside, New Jersey, in 1978. These days, Li is in charge—and he’s in expansion mode. His impressive lineup of sushi-focused spots includes three Osushi locations in Wayne, Ardmore and Marlton, New Jersey. In Newtown Square, there’s the recently opened (and highly recommended) Hiramasa, an utterly transformed former Panera Bread space that offers a slightly more upscale dining experience than the Osushi locations.
But don’t expect any difference in the quality of the food. While Li describes the Osushi brand as “casual Japanese dining,” the artistically presented, high-quality sushi says otherwise.
Situated in a lively strip mall, Osushi’s Ardmore location recently doubled in size to accommodate additional seating and a sleek full-service bar. The space boasts warm wood tones, amber lighting, a zen-like palette of neutral tones, and soft blue hues with bamboo accents. A 100-seat special-occasion room can be found at the rear of the restaurant.
Never underestimate the merits of a comfy, well-designed bar stool and a stunningly orchestrated cocktail. Both of those things were top of mind as we sipped our coconut-flavored, pineapple-garnished Blue Hawaiian and refreshing Absolute Peach cocktails and longed for summer weather. As the cocktail list continues to evolve, it’s also worth noting the bar’s wide variety of authentic Japanese sake and premium whiskeys.
Chef Stanley Chen oversaw the signature choices we sampled. Our neatly stacked three-piece crispy-rice tuna was well textured, light and sharable. We added a serving of lightly seasoned, blistered shishito peppers with lemon.
A stellar kanpachi crudo arrived in a white bowl with bite-sized slices of buttery, slightly sweet Japanese amberjack topped with caviar, truffle oil and yuzu. The show-stopping dry-ice presentation that accompanies the wagyu beef roll with lobster tempura is not to be missed. Think of it as surf and turf with a flamboyant arena-rock twist.
We plan to return for the unagi, salmon belly and premium nigiri menu, which bumps things up a notch with the addition of caviar and truffle paste. Other standouts include the spring rolls, branzino and miso black cod. Bento boxes and hibachi are available for the lunchtime crowd.
Cost: $3-$68.
Atmosphere: Sleek yet casual.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Attire: Casual.
Osushi Ardmore
36 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore, (484) 412-8155
Website
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