Sushi Bar in Old Greenwich: The Pursuit of Perfection

Nestled among the charming mom-and-pop shops on Sound Beach Avenue in sleepy Old Greenwich, Sushi Bar is turning out some of the highest quality sushi we’ve tried in Connecticut. Two years ago, Chef Rio Yonathan quietly opened his restaurant and changed the Fairfield County sushi scene for the better. Using ultra-premium ingredients from near and far, such as Montauk whitefish and fresh wasabi from Shizuoka prefecture in Japan, Yonathan puts immense effort into fabricating almost everything from scratch. Luckily for us, the fruits of his labor have created an epicurean destination with the accessibility and family-friendliness of a neighborhood haunt.

Yonathan’s story is nothing short of inspiring: 20 years ago, after immigrating from Indonesia, he worked as a busser to fund English classes in New York City with his sights set on a law degree. Observing sushi chefs in their element, he fell in love with the cuisine and changed course, shadowing them on his own time for two years before he was allowed to touch a piece of fish “the old school way.” After attending culinary school, he cooked at Aquavit and Morimoto and then landed a job as head sushi chef at foodservice giant Compass Group. During Covid, he found himself working at a Japanese restaurant in Greenwich and was inspired to open Sushi Bar down the road.

Now, Yonathan is “married to this restaurant,” he half-jokes about his presence behind the sushi counter six days a week. He’s the first to welcome guests as they enter the intimate space, and the last to say goodbye. The restaurant’s ambiance mirrors its cuisine and location: touches of driftwood, blue-gray shiplap walls, and bamboo accents blend Japanese minimalism with New England coastal chic. Adorning the walls are azure-inked Gyotaku portraits of fish by Nantucket-based printmaker Peter van Dingstee. Bamboo takeout containers, stacked high behind the sushi bar, enhance the aesthetic. 

“Sushi is so simple, so every ingredient counts,” Yonathan explains of his emphasis on fine ingredients and impeccable preparation. To ensure he offers only the best fish from around the world, he employs three different distributors who deliver fresh catches every other day; about 60% of his fish comes from Japan, but he buys local wherever it makes sense. Rather than taking shortcuts, he breaks down large cuts, ensuring that a lean piece of tuna will come from the same individual fish as a fatty slice on a given evening.

“Our execution is done 0 to 100 by hand,” Yonathan elaborates. Another example is his ikura, salmon eggs which he orders still in their sacs from Alaska and then marinates in mirin, sake, and soy sauce to create a satisfying popping sensation and avoid the characteristic sliminess that can plague packaged roe. He pickles his own ginger, slicing it thickly to maintain its crunch and enhance its spicy sweetness. Fresh wasabi is hand-grated immediately before serving each guest to avoid losing its potency as it sits. Yonathan even customizes the viscosity of his soy sauce depending on how lean or fatty the daily catches are.

We suggest a choose-your-own-adventure approach to your first visit, as there are some standout appetizers that aren’t included in Yonathan’s omakase. We love the yuzu hamachi, with silky slices of yellowtail over garlic chili sauce and dots of tomato purée for a touch of sweetness. For maki (rolls), we swoon for the salmon tsukemono, featuring a delightfully stark contrast of unctuous spicy salmon with a rainbow of crunchy pickles, including daikon radish, mustard stem, and kanpyo (gourd). And definitely don’t sleep on the akadashi miso soup, which uses red miso rather than the traditional white for extra umami in a broth made from long-simmered whitefish bones – though those who order the off-menu omakase at the bar will be fortunate to receive this as well.

Continuing down the à la carte path, let us offer some suggestions for nigiri: Our favorite is the aburi sake, torched ora king salmon with homemade sweet miso sauce and crispy onion, which could convert a sushi hater to the cause. Another star is the Montauk hirame (fluke) with tangy plum paste, which showcases the “kombu jime” technique Yonathan uses to cure white fish in seaweed for 24-48 hours before serving in order to accentuate its savory flavor. 

Other nigiri highlights include the pillowy Hokkaido scallop with yuzu kosho (japanese chili paste), the homemade ikura (salmon roe), and the perfectly sweet botan ebi (raw shrimp). For luxurious bites, don’t miss the melt-in-your-mouth chutoro (medium fatty tuna) with a jewel of seared foie gras on top, or the otoro (fatty tuna) with caviar. The omakase also includes one of our favorite dishes, the chawanmushi, a savory, warm egg custard enveloping tender cooked snapper crowned with a dollop of uni. 

Sushi bar’s dessert options, while limited, are worth trying; we’re big fans of the just-sweet-enough matcha crème brulée, and the mochi ice creams in the classic trifecta of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry certainly hit the spot. The restaurant is currently BYOB, but don’t despair if you left your sake at home; there’s a wine shop down the street whose shelves are stocked for a last minute booze run. Sushi Bar also runs a booming takeout and delivery business if you prefer to enjoy your fish at home, but we think it’s worth dining in for the charming atmosphere and freshest presentation. 

Sushi Bar offers dinner à la carte Monday-Saturday, 5-10PM, and a $135 omakase at the sushi bar upon request Tuesday-Saturday. Takeout can be ordered via the restaurant’s website, while delivery is available through Grubhub.  

Sushi Bar 242 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich

(203) 990-0162

@sushibarct