Azumi

A-5 Wagyu Carpaccio

Ichimi tamari, chimichurri, achiote oil, scallions, haritogarashi
Price ~$25

I've never been a beef expert, but apparently there's a grading scale for the quality of beef and A-5 is the highest you can get. Wagyu is a unique Japanese cattle that is exclusively fed good quality grains and specially raised. Let's say the taste not only didn't disappoint, but it was above my expectations. The texture was impeccably smooth. The moment I slid it into my mouth, it melted harmoniously into my taste buds. It was beautiful. The seasoning was excellent. I loved the ichimi tamari soy sauce around the beef. That coupled with the chimichurri flavor and scallions gave the beef some extra accent. I would love more, but you know what? Giving more would actually kind of take away from the classiness. I think this amount was perfect in terms of leaving me wanting more. Wallet took a big hit for taste buds. Thank you wallet!

Habanero Salmon

Mango, tomato, cilantro wrapped in soy paper, topped with salmon and edible petals

~$17

I loved it. The salmon was delicious. The mango gave it a tropical twist. I didn't know what soy paper was, but it was smoother than seaweed and it held the contents of the sushi together well. The sushi roll itself is not spicy. Instead they gave us habanero sauce on the side. With or without the habanero sauce, it was a delight. Very good combination of flavors. The edible petals were a bit strange at first but if you forget that they're petals, they taste kind of like texturized lettuce. 

Steamed Lobster Roll

Crispy onion, baby greens, jalapeno, ichimi soy paper

Price ~$17

The rolls looked beautiful. I was just envying the soy paper for a while. What I loved about this roll was the variety incased within the soy paper. There's the lobster flavor, mixed with the lightly seasoned greens, crispiness on the side and mild spiciness. I loved it to bits! I'm not usually crazy about lobster, but since it was Baltimore, seafood is a must. 

Sides: Red Potato and Snow Peas with Rice

Price: ~$8

We weren't sure if everything we ordered would fill us up so we decided to get some sides. The potatoes and snow peas were phenomenal. So simple, yet so delicious. We had it together with the rice along with a bit of sauce from the sauteed mushrooms (coming up next). It was so good. I've always loved the round grained rice that the Japanese use. 

Sauteed Mushrooms

Shiitake, enoki, shimeji & eringi mushrooms, ponzu butter, myoga, shiso, chives

Price: ~12

Damn. Just damn. It was out of this world. I just loved this assortment of mushrooms. Each type brought its own charm to the entire dish. From the stringy enoki mushrooms, to the perfectly bite-sized shiitake mushrooms, the plate was just charming. Alas, the rice came after the mushrooms. It would have been perfect with the rice and potatoes!

Yuzu Ice Cream 

with chocolate shards

Price: ~$8

I love love love love yuzu ice cream. Oh my god. Yuzu is a very aromatic Japanese citrus that tastes somewhat like a cross-between grapefruit and lemon. The flavor of yuzu is ephemeral. It gave me the same chill down my back as when I tried jasmine tea for the first time. The flavor is just enrapturing with a predominant citrus tang and a hint of bitterness. I love the personality that it has. I know this might sound creepy, but you know the type of female characters who are badass but also has a softer side? That's how it tastes like. Yes, call me weirdddd. The chocolate works as a great balance with the citrusy flavor. Not to mention, the presentation is gorgeous! I'm definitely going to hunt down some more yuzu ice cream.

Azumi was a very expensive food venture but it was worth it. The food was delectable, the service was outstanding, and the harbor view was spectacular. Feel free to check out Azumi yourself, i've included the address down below as well as a link to their website. Enjoy :)

Website: Azumi

Address: 725 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD 21202