Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey is coming soon to Phoenix! The concept comes from Palm Springs, California, where chef Engin Onural opened the first location in 2018. This summer, look out for Sandfish at 4232 N. 7th Ave.
Expect an elevated dining experience with a menu that includes Wagyu Beef or Octopus Carpaccio, and an Omakase “Chef’s Tasting Menu” for those who are feeling adventurous. To drink, there will be a “highly-curated selection of Japanese whiskey as the foundation of its cocktail program,” according to a press release.
Onural is lauded as one of the top 30 sushi chefs in the world, earning a “black belt” in sushi for his participation in a “kuro-obi” workshop while representing America in the World Sushi Cup. Only 30 out of 150 chefs who apply are accepted into this prestigious program, where they participate in a workshop and are judged in a Japanese traditional Edo-mae competition.
In 2011, Onural went on to open The Venue Sushi Bar & Sake Lounge, which is regarded as one of the best sushi spots in the Palm Springs area. When it came to opening Sandfish a few years later, Onural was influenced by his travels to Scandinavia.
“What we are building has not been done before,” he told Desert Sun in 2017. Suffice to say, we can say the same about what’s going up in Phoenix. For more information, visit sandfishps.com.
