Fat Salmon takes Philadelphia’s tired sushi scene head–on, serving up inventive rolls in a creative atmosphere. Think Pod, but more specialized. We headed to Fat Salmon knowing nothing except its not–so picturesque name, but we were certainly met with a pleasant surprise. The space is narrow and unassuming with space for about 20 tables and some additional seating at the under–lit sushi bar. Each table has an individual hanging light, which makes the experience feel intimate despite how close each spot is to the next (we did enjoy some casual conversation with a couple next to us).
The sleek space is accentuated by pretty stellar sushi. We started by ordering a cool avocado salad with ginger dressing ($6), which was a nice way to kick off the meal, but as a glorified iceberg salad, it was a little skimpy for the price. From there we moved on to try some of the Fat Salmon special rolls. We enjoyed the locust roll ($9.50), a crab, cucumber and avocado concoction topped with a piece of tuna tempura. It was really tasty, but nothing in comparison to the salmon yaki ($8.50). This roll is an asparagus, avocado and crunch roll topped with a thin piece of broiled salmon coated with eel sauce. However, the runaway favorite of the night was the rolling fire ($11), a shrimp tempura cucumber roll with a warm spicy scallop sauce on top. All of the sushi we tried was not only creative and innovative, but also delicious. We finished our meal with an order of red bean tempura ice cream ($6), a great way to close the evening of gluttony and perfect for sharing.
Overall, Fat Salmon was a hit: relatively affordable for quality sushi in a great atmosphere. Don’t expect (or order) traditional sushi, though; Fat Salmon succeeds whenever they depart from the standard eel or spicy crunchy tuna rolls. We felt the service was sparse, especially considering the size of the eatery. Not that our food wasn’t out promptly — we just didn’t see much of our stoic waitress. Unfortunately for most Penn students, they’re no longer BYO, but do offer a substantial drink menu of beer, wine, sake and cocktails. We can’t say that we’re going to go every day, but it’s definitely a good place to try for a date or a nice dinner with a small group of friends. And, of course, Fat Salmon is definitely a refuge from Nara, Ajia and other Japanese campus eateries.
Fat Salmon
719 Walnut St.
(215) 928–8881
Don’t Miss: Rolling Fire roll
Skip This: Regular Sushi
$$$
