This Japanese steakhouse is set near Tanger Outlets in North Charleston, in a corner near a large variety of shopping centers. It looks a little like a studio building on the outside - a very good disguise.
Inside was a completely different matter. My visit occured on an unusually warm winter day, and the interior of the restaurant was dark and cool, colored in dim blues and browns. It was very easy to forget it was midday and believe instead that it was closer to nightfall. The music system was suitably soft, and played some modern Japanese songs - it was all reminiscent of a club without the loud volume. Seating was available at tables, booths, the sushi bar, and the typical Japanese teppanyaki tables. I took my seat at the last of these.
During that particular time of day between lunchtime and coming home from the office, it was rather empty. The waitress made sure we had everything we needed quite easily, but toward the end, it was easy to tell she was preparing to leave her shift. There was some confusion with the check at first - I can only assume she handed her remaining tables over to the gentleman that finished service with us - but to her credit, she made sure to stay on top of things with us even as she finished her cleanup work.
The variety of sushi offered a full spread, including tamago (sweet egg). Maki and nigiri-zushi were both available, as well as handrolls and chirashi-don (scattered-rice bowl). They offered traditional rolls such as the California, but there were also house rolls available - I ordered the house Cherry Blossom Roll. It came to me in a pretty flower pattern that I almost didn't want to eat!
My first taste was both wonderful and awful. While the flavor combination of salmon, tuna, and avocado was delicious, and I could tell the fish was still nice and fresh, the dish was unpleasantly warm - an unwelcome reminder that it had just been in the chef's hands. I'm not sure if the chef didn't work quickly enough or if their hands were just that warm, but the temperature of the sushi left something to be desired. In proper fashion, the plate also offered a small dollop of wasabi and several shreds of gari.
(I also finished off my meal with some mochi ice cream - green tea flavor is my favorite, and the strawberry is nice and sweet too.)
The price put on the menu for sushi and everything else is a little higher than one might pay elsewhere, but in return, Sake House offers a cool and relaxing escape from the day's shopping trip, as well as an undeniably tasty and varied menu. I plan to go again for another review, possibly during a busier time for a different perspective.
Sake House Sushi and Steak
4952 Centre Pointe Drive, Suite 112
North Charleston, SC 29418
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