Ginza
It’s difficult not to get excited when a new restaurant opens in Milwaukee. For residents of North Shore villages like Fox Point and Bayside, excitement can also come with feelings of relief, and maybe a bit of uncertainty. New establishments don’t pop up around those parts regularly, or even occasionally. And when they do, locals can’t help asking, “Will it be good enough to last?”
The new addition to North Shore dining is Ginza Japanese Restaurant, 333 W. Brown Deer Road, Bayside. If the name sounds familiar it’s because this is a second location for the folks behind the original on Mayfair Road in Wauwatosa.
Upon arriving, the vibe at Ginza is somewhat confusing. The entire restaurant is simply one large room, peppered with dozens of two-top tables and black lacquered chairs arranged in various configurations.
Looking at the menu, it can be described as traditional. Ginza offers the usual suspects you’d find at most sushi restaurants—maki (rolls), temaki (hand rolls), nigiri, sashimi and what seems to be an ever-expanding category of “Special Rolls,” including a daily preparation not listed on the menu. But there are some surprises. Hits include Yuzu Salmon ($9), sliced avocado layered under pieces of fatty salmon delicately coated with a miso-yuzu sauce. The yuzu (Japanese citrus) provides just the right amount of acidity to balance the richness of the fish and avocado.
Also impressive was the a la carte nigiri and sashimi—a sushi purist’s must-haves. When the platter of selections arrived to our table, my companion and I looked at each other, wide-eyed with unexpected delight. Hirame (fluke) sashimi arranged in the shape of a flower and garnished with red tobiko. Slices of hotatekai (scallop) shingled between shiso leaves. Ama Ebi (sweet shrimp) rested on a martini glass rim with the shrimp heads customarily fried and nested inside. Masterful knife skills transformed a simple lemon wedge to the point where it resembled the crest feathers on the head of a cockatoo.
Once the eyes finished feasting, it was the taste buds’ turn and mine were happy. The fish was fresh, flavorful and—equally important when discussing sushi—cool, but not cold. As with cheese, wine and most everything else, ideal temperature yields optimal flavor.
Hot items from the kitchen include classics such as shrimp and vegetable tempura, pick-your-protein teriyaki and noodles—either soba (buckwheat, thin) or udon (wheat, thicker) served stir-fried or in soup. Standouts include the rock shrimp appetizer ($6.50): Bite-sized tempura shrimp tossed in a spicy mayo was simultaneously soft and crunchy, rich and spicy, and topped with the subtle sweetness of tiny fried carrot spirals.
Developing ambiance can be a work in progress for a new restaurant. But at Ginza, components more difficult to establish, such as friendly, attentive staff and an attractive menu of Japanese fare presented with care and creativity, is already well in place. The locals need not get restless.
Ginza Japanese Restaurant
233 W. Brown Deer Road, Bayside
414-540-9669
$$-$$$
Handicapped accessible: Yes
