Shogun: The Best Sushi in Metropolitan New Orleans

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Shogun. I've eaten there more than 100 times (a conservative estimate), and after trying reputable sushi restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and other cities, I am convinced that Shogun is one of the best in the country.

First, the quality of the fish is impeccable. It really doesn't get fresher. Second, and even more importantly, the rice is incredible. I could literally eat Shogun's sushi rice alone for days without getting tired of it. It's fluffy and sticky, yet firm. The subtle sweetness and even subtler saltiness, combined with the acidity from the rice vinegar, yield the perfect and most delectable grain of rice. Sushi experts recognize that rice is the most important component of sushi. ("Sushi" literally refers to vinegar rice garnished with other things.) Yet so many places in the United States use low-quality sushi rice or even plain white rice. Shogun does not, and that is evident in the first bite.

My absolute favorite sushi at Shogun is the marinated salmon belly (nigiri). (Just looking at the photo below makes my mouth water.) If you're a fresh fish lover, this is truly one of the best bites that will ever grace your mouth. The salmon belly is perfectly fatty and melts in your mouth. It is topped with a mild and savory mayonnaise-like cream, green onions, and a chili and garlic oil and comes atop the perfect amount of that tasty sushi rice.

You can also get a very similar experience with the salmon sashimi. I asked for my sashimi to be garnished with the same ingredients that come atop the marinated salmon belly. The result was magical:

Although all of the sushi chefs at Shogun are great, I sit near Edmund at the sushi bar whenever I can. As with any sushi bar, you can ask the chef to create a special roll based on your preferences, and Edmund has created my favorite roll. This special roll typically has a mixture of tuna, hamachi (yellowtail), salmon, and fish roe along with avocado inside and is topped with salmon, green onions, chili and garlic oil, and fish roe. It packs a very subtle amount of heat and the right amount of crunch. Just amazing.

If you can't tell, I love salmon, and my favorite go-to maki is the smoked salmon roll. The perfect amounts of avocado and rice accompany the salmon, which has a strong and delicious smoked flavor (so if you're not a fan of smoked fish, this might not be the roll for you).

I asked a chef which items were the most popular, and he suggested I try the baked scallop. The scallops are fully cooked and served chopped and are topped with green onions, sesame seeds, and fish roe. A few drops of sriracha and the sweet eel sauce are squirted on top. Notably, it does not come with rice, and it's served warm (because of the scallops), both of which surprised me. Nevertheless, it's a colorful, delicious, and flavorful bite.

I've seen so many people order the foie gras-topped scallop nigiri. I'm not a huge foie gras fan, but I had to give it a try. The fresh Japanese scallop was topped with a sliver of foie gras (to which Edmund took a blow torch), a slice of jalapeño, and sesame seeds and was drizzled with eel sauce. The bite simultaneously tastes sweet, bitter, and a little spicy. It's probably not the best choice for those who don't like foie gras, which can overpower the nigiri, but for those who do, it's a fun option that'll add some variety to your usual orders.

I love Shogun's rainbow roll, which comes with snow crab (and avocado) inside, unlike most places, which serve those imitation crabmeat sticks inside. The salmon skin roll is also delicious and provides a nice textural contrast to other rolls. The skin is crispy (but not burnt) and rolled with it are bean sprouts, carrots, and cucumbers. It's a refreshing bite that reminds me of kimbap (Korean-style sushi).

Finally, if you're looking for a good meal without ordering individual rolls, nigiri, or sashimi separately, try the chirashi sushi, an entree that typically comes with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, white fish, clams, and sushi rice. It's a steal and definitely filling.

In short, if you're looking for high-quality, delicious, and reasonably priced sushi in the New Orleans area, look no further than Shogun. After writing this post, I'm craving it myself...

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