Syun Izakaya restaurant is like a British gastropub or a Spanish tapas bar, yet firmly Japanese. Evolved from 18th-century sake shops, Izakayas are casual eateries that specialize in small, shareable plates of fried, salty, or savory snacks with boozy drinks.
We were thrilled Syun Izakaya of Beaverton (Portland metro, OR) had survived the pandemic and were excited to taste their food again. For us, it’s a top choice for Sake and sushi in Portland for a couple of reasons.
First, their sake list is a dealbreaker for us, wineswingers. It’s longer and more complex than most wine lists of Portland restaurants, so we can always find some new sake to try.
Second, the quality of the fish is what makes or breaks sushi joint for us. Syun Izakaya gets its fish exclusively from Alaskan and Norwegian purveyors. And we could taste it in every bite of Toro, Ika, Kani, Hirame, Tako, and Sake we had.
Third is their knowledgeable and attentive staff and speedy service.
Syun Izakaya Food
While Izakayas are known for more than just sushi, Syun, for us, is one of the top spots in the Portland metro for traditional raw fish and Japanese cuisine.
We ordered a variety of Nigiri, Snow Crab roll, Creamy Scallop, and Spicy Tuna handrolls. We hardly needed soy sauce for our sushi because everything was flavorful and delicious.
Often, soy sauce and wasabi are a must to add flavor when dining at the ordinary American sushi joint. In Syun Izakaya in Beaverton, Oregon, you can have it “neat,” just like in Japan.
We had to contain ourselves, not order more.
Syun Izakaya Sake
As we mentioned, one of the reasons we love Suyn is for their Sake list. It’s more extensive than the wine lists of most Portland restaurants, and the staff can help you find Sake with “your name on it.”
Although we usually pair wine with sushi, this time we picked a dry-style Sake for our dinner. Unfortunately, they were sold out of that particular sake, and our waitress recommended a substitute. We decided to go along with the recommendation, and we were happy we did. Why?
Typical Sake at the ordinary sushi joint tends to be, for the lack of a better word, “soapy.” They are often sweet and characterless “drink and forget” kind. This was non of that.
While a dry-style Sake, it had an excellent balance. On the nose and the palate, it was floral and consistent with notes of melon, lemon cucumber, Asian pear, and mushroomy umami.
We originally ordered a small 350 ml bottle, but the substitute came in a 720ml bottle. We thought we’ll take half of that bottle home. Were we wrong?! The only reason we didn’t finish the bottle was so we could do another tasting at home. It was so good!
Pairing Sake with Food
The Sake complemented well the umami in Tore and complimented the sweetness of the octopus. Thanks to a fruity sweet touch, Sake was able to withstand the spiciness of the Tuna handroll.
Many great Portland restaurants closed because of the pandemic and riots in Portland. We are super happy that places like Suyn Izakaya survived, and we look forward to many more delicious visits.
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