Breakfast Sushi
Breakfast for dinner has never been this decadent. Ballantine's steak and eggs sushi ($14) is more of a stack than it is a roll. Traditionally referred to as chirashi, the layered dish is built with tomago - a sort of Japanese egg omelet - rice, filet mignon tartare, crispy onion straws and lemon pepper bearnaise and topped with a raw quail egg. Every forkful is a game of textures - fluffy, smooth and crunchy - and flavors - spicy, sweet and savory. Since the downtown Willoughby restaurant debuted a full sushi menu in February, executive sushi chef Joe Koskovics has strived to incorporate parts of the regular kitchen, including the filet mignon and onion straws, into traditional sushi. "It's like one foot in the box, one foot out of the box," he says. "The tomago pairs really well with that beef tartare, but it's a very traditional sushi item." 4113 Erie St., Willoughby, 440-942-5151, ballantinerestaurant.com
