Review: Peter's Sushi Spot

This is my first food review for Anchorage's alternative weekly, Anchorage Press.  It's been a while since I've written food reviews, and I think I'm a little rusty, but it sure was fun.  Especially the eating.  Big thanks to Brendan for getting me back on page.

Back from the ashes

By Kate Consenstein
Wednesday, January 12, 2011

After several years of inspiring Anchorage diners to appreciate sushi, Peter’s Sushi Spot was destroyed by a billowing inferno in the summer of 2008. It was hard not to imagine pallets of top grade raw tuna, never meant to feel the kiss of flame, sizzling in the ashes. While fire marshals investigated the fire’s cause, Anchorage sushi lovers grieved. In a town with abundant sushi options, Peter’s Sushi Spot was a standout. Some customers migrated to other sushi joints, while others coped by joining a Facebook group called “My Life Took a Turn for the Worse the Day Peter's Sushi Spot Burned Down...”

A fledgling arson investigation in to the Pete’s blaze turned up no conclusive evidence, and now, like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes, a new Peter’s Sushi Spot has opened to satisfy Anchorage’s sushi gourmands. Located in a strip mall off Minnesota Drive and Northern Lights, behind City Diner, the new Pete’s is smaller than but just as ambitious as its previous incarnations.

Once through the front doors, the strip mall ambience recedes. Black lacquer with warm red accents, stone walls, and displays of backlit sake bottles accent the long room. Stunning fabric cleverly separates private dining areas. Even the soy sauce looks sexier here, decanted into glass and silver cruets instead of the standard red-capped Kikkoman bottles. There are a still a few tone-deaf notes. One wall near the bar area is covered by a large TV that was tuned to a schizophrenic shuffle—it flickered from football to Japanese television to Kung Fu Panda during our meal, and was utterly distracting. Our booth was separated from another bank of booths by a sleek stone and bamboo border—on top of which was perched a tacky display of dried flowers. At 7 p.m. on a Tuesday night, the restaurant was close to full. Many of the employees were familiar faces, and our server said much of the kitchen staff were previous employees who had returned to work at Peter’s. Peter’s features a new dinner menu, with higher end entrées, as well as a new izakaya menu. According to Peter’s website, an izakaya is an informal Japanese restaurant often used for after-work relaxation, where customers usually share dishes with one another among their party.

We ordered off the izakaya menu during our first visit. The menu runs the gamut from sashimi to yakitori to more exotic fare. Our favorite dish was the hamachi kama (grilled yellowtail collar, $12). A big, golden, meaty ring of fish that was clearly sliced right off the neck, it fell from the bone, oily and delicious. Pescatarians, take note: This is the fried chicken of fish. Served with lemon and ponju sauce, my husband and I fought over the last morsels.

A similar duel took place over the remains of our fresh tuna tartare ($15). A long-time Pete’s favorite of mine, this maceration of tuna chunks, mango, tempura flakes, and citrus sauce is the equivalent of baby food for grownups. Really, really good baby food. At once creamy, crunchy and defined, this dish is a stand out and has been emulated by many other lesser sushi restaurants.

We ordered a couple rolls, which Pete’s became popular for, and we were satisfied by them, though neither were standouts. The sushi and roll menu have remained largely the same as in previous incarnations, and deviate very little from classic Japanese fare.

The real changes have taken place on the dinner menu. Printed on fine-weave stock, it lists a number of dinners, most of which fall in $16 to $24 range. I was tempted by the teriyaki rib-eye steak topped with birch butter ($28), but I was most curious about two Thai dishes. In a town with lots of Thai restaurants, why would Peter’s cross into Thai territory? It must be damn good…

Unfortunately, the pad Thai ($14) was probably the biggest letdown I experienced at Peter’s. Marred by overcooked pork and a lackluster sauce, it didn’t compete with some of the finer (and far less expensive) examples of pad Thai that can be had in Anchorage. The Thai seafood salad ($16) fared the same, featuring overcooked shrimp, squid, and mussels in a flyweight sauce. Both dishes were unremarkable.

The new Peter’s Sushi Spot has gone big, with a better look and higher prices. The interior decoration is sleek and beautiful, but marred by jarring touches like the massive television. The menu has been expanded and prices increased, but dishes are a mixed bag. With all the competition that’s sprung up since Peter’s initially led the way in Anchorage’s sushi renaissance, it will have to go the extra mile to convince diners that they are worth the extra price. But I would go back today just for the hamachi kama, and I suggest it for a special occasion—an anniversary, or a third date.

Peter’s Sushi Spot

3020 Minnesota Drive

562-5187

Mon. – Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sun. Closed