Shingetsu's For Sushi
04/23/2009 - By Trent Rowe - The Ledger
Today's restaurant is like a knock, knock joke gone bad. Knock, Knock. Who's there? Shingetsu. Where's that?
It's a Japanese restaurant on South Florida Avenue where Schlotzsky's was years ago. Are we there yet?
There are many reasons to find the place that Kazuko (Kay) and her husband Walter Smith opened in 2004 - sushi, tempura, teriyaki, soft music, atmosphere, expertise, smiles ... you get the idea.
I felt lonely at lunchtime on a recent Tuesday. Kay, who is Japanese, says evenings are busier.
The restaurant really needs two visits. One for sushi and one for other styles because there is too much to choose from - 45 types of sushi rolls plus sushi by the piece.
A Sushi Appetizer has five pieces of seafood on mounds of rice. Crabstick is cooked. Shrimp is steamed. Tuna, salmon and white tuna are raw. Kay says to eat the white tuna first. The oily fish is mild and almost creamy.
Many entrees include soup. Get the miso to be the most Japanese. Miso is fermented soybean paste and makes the seaweed and dried fish broth cloudy ... and delicious.
Salad is largely iceberg with kicky ginger dressing.
Yakisoba, stir-fried ramen noodles, includes chicken or pork for $9.95 at lunch. Sweetness and soy dressed the noodles on a square plate.
Kay can serve tuna or salmon cheeks and shoulders called Hamachi Kama because she does the filleting ($11.95). There's a surprising amount to eat on a big salmon's cheek, and the meat from the neck blending into shoulder has a totally different texture. One is fatty, and one is not. It's like two dishes. Watch for bones.
Ponzu sauce for dipping is citrusy. Walter grows the fruit that gives the juice that goes into the sauce.
Shingetsu's chicken wings are prize-winning and Kay has the certificate to prove it. "Queen of the Wings" from the Lakeland Chamber in 2008. Hers are crisp with barely a film of oil, and dipping sauce that wakes you up like the rising sun shining in the window.
A couple of special rolls started dinner. A South Florida Roll is served with eel sauce ($9.95). Light and crispy outside, dip the big slices into the sauce before wiggling them into your mouth. Cream cheese gives a lightly gummy quality to the roll.
Mango Twist Roll ($12.95) has tempura shrimp, and spicy crab, (surimi), wrapped with mango and avocado then lightly fried and sauced with Kay's sweet coconut sauce. This could be an appetizer or dessert.
My wife wanted to taste salmon, so the kitchen did a half-size portion teriyaki style and served it with tempura.
Her first reaction to the salmon: "Wonderful." After another nibble or two it became "Beyond Wonderful."
Her heap of battered vegetables earned an "Amazing."
Calamari Garlic Yaki is thick squares of squid body, coated and fried. Though tender, the preponderance of salt and garlic took over.
Pota-Mocha is mixed vegetables in mashed potato, crumbed and deep fried served with tonkasu sauce ($4.95). It would be ideal for children.
The latest inspection had nothing worth mentioning.
A couple of things they can do to improve are:
Cook the katsu pork cutlet just a little bit less
Cut the salt or shoyu on the squid.
This restaurant is not just a sushi bar but a place to dine Japanese style. Shingetsu keeps getting better and earns four stars; this time, a half star up from the last review in 2005.
Trent Rowe can be reached at trent.rowe@theledger.com or 802-7512.
