Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey will Blow You Away

Photo: Courtesy of Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey

Chef Engin Onural knows sushi. Born in New York and raised in Turkey, Onural has found his home in the Coachella Valley since 2006. In 2011, he opened his first restaurant, The Venue Sushi & Sake Lounge in Palm Desert, and in 2018, he opened Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey in Palm Springs. This year, he added a second location for Sandfish in Phoenix. 

Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey is a twist on traditional Japanese cuisine paired with whiskey and cocktails. The menu at Sandfish is rooted in traditional Japanese sushi-making techniques while incorporating a variety of global influences. 

Chef Onural is among a small group of sushi ambassadors designated by the Japanese government, and in 2017, he placed 27th in the World Sushi Olympics. Raised by engineers, he received his education in business information management in Turkey before moving to LA to train at the Sushi Chef Institute and become a sake sommelier.

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Photo: Courtesy of Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey

On this night, I was like a fish out of water, 40 minutes from home, but then again, so is a fish that likes the sand. And desert living is where Chef Onural thrives. I typically like to dine in my neighborhood, but this trip was worth it. 

I went with my fellow sushi-loving friend, Maria. We dine out regularly, always opting for sushi, so trying something new and different was fun. She’s an interior designer and remarked on the classic, simple Scandinavian design met with Mid-Century Modern moments. We loved the moody lighting on the whiskey bar and the attention to detail right down to the wasabi service…whipped or pickled?

Photo: Courtesy of Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey

We started with our favorite appetizer, the spicy tuna tostada. This delicious starter was packed with intense flavor due to a barbecue sauce and ponzu drizzle. With so many more bites to savor, we didn’t want to invest all our capacity here. The other two tostada bites were reserved for our take-home box. The salmon tartare and Japanese pork bao bun are two other on-point apps. 

Our server shared that The Venue Roll, created in Palm Springs, is one of the favorites. Spicy tuna, salmon and tobiko combined with seared salmon, spicy aioli, teriyaki sauce and garnished with micro greens.

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Photo: Courtesy of Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey

We next had the Sandfish Roll with spicy tuna, crab meat and avocado topped with lightly fried potato threads, spicy aioli, teriyaki sauce, micro greens, green onions and black truffle zest. The potato threads were so crisp they were like an herb on top, adding a perfect crunch to the roll.

We finished with a Koko Roll featuring shrimp tempura, crab meat and avocado topped with tuna and coconut flakes.

After dinner, we were offered matcha pudding or an espresso martini, but in my world, white rice constitutes a version of dessert. 

We loved Sandfish. What can I say? You can take a fish out of water, but you can’t take the awards out of the chef. This is a must-go.