I’m starting to really struggle with the Miami sushi scene. Not in the same way that I struggle with the Star Wars prequels, which were horrific but at least understandable.
It’s more like the way I struggle with my in-laws visiting garbage dumps to find used bricks. I can’t comprehend it. The synapses in my brain aren’t firing, assuming that’s how synapses are supposed to work.
Sushi Erika is one of the few sushiya in Miami that makes any sense
In Miami, there’s a few sushiya that opened to great acclaim – looking at you Naoe and Hiyakawa – but have fallen off according to whispers/angry former employees.
There’s a fantastic sushiya – Sushi Yasu Tanaka – that is more food stand than sit-down restaurant.
And then there’s a larger group of sushiya that are unabashed shrines to Miami’s worst instincts for glitz and glamour without substance. The kind of place that your favourite internet personality who moved to Miami during the Pandemic for tax reasons absolutely adores. They usually open, get buzz, and then close (hello Sushi Mikasa).
Never mind fantastic sushi – for a city with as much money and thirst for clout as Miami, the glut of Miami openings that are just outposts from popular restaurants in other cities is no bueno.
Fortunately, like every rule, there is an exception. Sushi Erika, which opened recently (in 2018), is a family-run sushiya that we visited for lunch and truly enjoyed. If you can get there during their limited business hours, I think you will too.
Inside Sushi Erika
Just remember my tips on what to order…
The menu at Sushi Erika is a la carte only, featuring a variety of traditional and more modern options.
The front page of the menu (back page was lost in the multiverse)
Now, most of the reviews of Sushi Erika will tell you to get something called the Macadamia Roll, a witches brew concoction of Deep Fried Shrimp, Avocado, Mango and Shiso topped with Tuna Tartare, Spicy Mayo and Eel Sauce. Yes, it has all that. Yes, your friend that you dragged along will probably want to order it.
But you can do better.
We ordered a smattering of nigiri, all of which were made by Erika herself behind the counter.
Itamae Erika Kushi herself
Left to right: Ikura, Saba, O Toro, Madai with shiso
The ingredients are where Sushi Erika shines – and this is likely why
I’m not an expert in seafood supply lines (shocker), but I’ve heard anecdotally that sourcing quality sushi product to South Florida isn’t the easiest.
So it helps to have connections, and I’m going to assume (despite it making an ass out of you and me) that Erika and her family have those.
That’s because, before opening Sushi Erika, Erika’s family owned a legendary Japanese Market in Miami called Sushi Deli which closed in 2017. Everything I’ve read in my extensive research (15 minutes of google searching) tells me that I would have enjoyed it.
O Toro
My litmus test
The O Toro above is beautifully cut and presented, but when I eat a la carte I love to order two different makizushi to get a sense of the Waza (technique) of the restaurant.
- Kanpyo-maki (pickled gourd roll)
- Umeshiso (Essentially Umeboshi plum with Shiso and sometimes Cucumber)
Yes, they’re basic, but don’t mistake that for simplicity. They’re also not commonly ordered, and so they’re constantly overlooked by sushiya derelict on the details. In fact, one of the most popular sushi books, the aptly named Sushi, considers Kanpyomaki to be “an accurate gauge of the ability of a sushi shop and its staff”.
No such problem at Sushi Erika. The Kanpyo that Erika served was balanced between tender and crunchy, as it should be, and the Ume Shiso was a biting palate cleanser, as it should be.
Kanpyo-maki
Umeshiso
Hamachi and Jalapeno Makizushi (would recommend Negihama instead)
Umeshiso with Salmon Maki
Be aware of Erika’s limited hours
I always say that nothing great is easy, and Sushi Erika is yet another example. Its hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4:45pm, and often a line begins to form well in advance of opening. As a result, and unlike many other Sushiya, Sushi Erika requires that diners order all-at-once.
And because Miami is a “drive everywhere” city, you’ll need to find a parking space, which can be challenging. Despite being the most popular business in its strip mall, parking spots for Sushi Erika customers are limited. We found a space in front of the still-unopened Donut Shop next door. While being towed from a Donut Shop would have been lowkey hilarious, I don’t recommend it.
The good news is that Erika is convenient from virtually any neighborhood of Miami, from the vomit-inducing South Beach to the under-appreciated Coconut Grove.
Of course I ended the meal with Tamago
This is a sushiya worthy of your time
Erika has leveraged the direction of her family’s legacy but forged her own path by opening a fantastic sushiya in a city forever in need of them. Not to get too deep – despite the fact I frequently turn this blog into a commentary on society, sports, capitalist realism and other topics none of you care about – but that’s how family businesses and succession planning should operate (*nudge* to Logan Roy).
Recommended.
