Benjamin and I are so lucky.

We have two dear friends, Miko and Yusuke, who inspire us, make us think, and make us laugh. Recently, we had a double dinner date with our good friends at a sushi restaurant in Ardsley called Sazan.

Wow! This was one of the best dining experiences we have had since our time in Europe!

Miko and Yusuke knew the chef at Sazan, Mr. Sato, and all three of them took care of everything. We were completely in their capable hands.

We sat at the sushi bar right up close to Mr. Sato as he treated us not only to excellent food, but also to the manner in which to eat each course. He served us one piece at a time, naming it, and letting us know when to use soy sauce and wasabi and when not to. Miko and Yusuke taught us how to use the pickled ginger like a paint brush and dab the soy sauce over the fish. The whole process was graceful, with a nice, even pace. We love eating this way, taking our time.

There’s no way I will be able to remember all of the deliciousness. Benjamin and I tried to count, and we think we had something like 12 courses! Doing my best, after a bit of time has passed, and taking into consideration that sake was part of this experience too, here’s what I recall:

We began with a pate of goose egg,

followed by an appetizer of octopus, squid, fatty tuna, and vegetables in a miso medley,

then red snapper,

fatty tuna rolls,

shrimp tails,

shrimp heads,

clam,

sea urchin,

mackerel,

salmon roe roll,

eel,

komochi combo which translates to ‘seaweed with a baby,’
(Chef Sato remembered that this was Yusuke’s favorite-so nice!)

and the meal concluded with a slightly sweet egg soufflé and some delicious, crunchy pickles!

Listening to Miko and Yusuke speak with Mr. Sato in Japanese was comforting for me. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, whenever I am surrounded by a language I don’t understand, my whole body relaxes. Language is music, and Japanese sounds like brushes on cymbals, fluttering and fluid.

We thanked our chef by learning the expression: Gochisousama deshita, which means, “It was a feast!”

We had such a great time, we felt so thankful to our friends, and we can’t wait to visit Sazan again!