3 out of 5
I had perused the menu at Sushi Samba many times before being taken their by some loved ones who, like many others, gave high reviews and praises of their experience. I will admit that when I go somewhere with such hype, I sometimes get disappointed expecting the restaurant to live up to the rep. So we arrive on a Saturday night at a prime time but had reservations so we were seated promptly and the seating is exactly where I’ll begin. Man, was this an uncomfortable chair. I was too far from the table to really lean on it but then could not stretch my legs because these very bulky blocky legs of the table were in the way. It was low to the ground and I had my feet basically crossed in a pretzel sewn between the tiny available space under the table. The food however, for the most part, went above and beyond this and the unappealingly trendy (i.e., noisy with somewhat oddly dressed servers, flashy/colorful/or neon lighting, overpriced and as a result an at least minimally snooty) atmosphere that I cannot entirely judge as it has become a stable of restaurants on Lincoln Road and CLEARLY appears to be what sells in Miami. Now on to the consumables…
My people had some cocktails that they appeared to thoroughly enjoy (although I later learned they had ordered extra in part to buy time as there was a surprise party being set up for me at our next stop). We basically took the increasingly common approach to eating out of ordering a variety of small plates and none of the main entrees. We tried the flash fried river crabs which were absolutely worth every extra penny that was spent on this VERY small (five near-bite size pieces) but unique appetizer. Basically, picture a crab as you know it, then imagine it the size between a quarter and a silver dollar but still with all its parts and tiny little claws and legs still in tact, allegedly flash fried, salty, and entirely edible including the shell and all of its parts like a soft shell crab except still hard. Not for the squeamish but I love weird foods. Due to the delicate nature of trying to eat this without being pinched by its parts I found it best to eat in two bites, also making it less than over two dollars per bite.
Next we had the rock shrimp with some sort of creamy truffle sauce. Wow… just a bit pricey but an excellent portion, the best of the night really in terms of both quality and quantity so definitely a must have if you are there and like any shrimp fried. We tried the eggplant anticucho (Peruvian dish typically involving spicy marinated beef or veal heart grilled on a wooden skewer) which, although not much actual fusion with the only Peruvian part being the stick it came on, was EXTREMELY succulent in taste and texture. Yellowtail and Lobster tacos were excellent, although one was significantly better than the other and we were not sure which. Sushi rolls were very good but to be truthful nothing mindboggling or necessarily worth seaking in lieu of your favorite other sushi place.
Then came the ceviche and tiradito. Keep in mind that I’m a Peruvian food purist between my Peruvian family by law, eating in many of the local establishments, and enjoying the authentic cuisine almost daily throughout 10 days in Peru on my honey moon. With that said these were a little disappointing. The yellowtail sashimi tiradito was delicious, or shall I saw the sauce was. It brought four thinner than usual pieces of sashimi. Enough for four people to have only one or two ( if you cut it in half like we did and accept very small bites) pieces per person. I understand that sashimi can run you three dollars a piece at any sushi place but if you have ever had a real Peruvian tiradito you would know that you do not need sushi grade fish in such a dish and that there are GREAT tiraditos using simply fresh fish and thus giving you a decent portion to enjoy it accordingly. What made this dish was the sauce and using any thing in it, whether veggies or other proteins as addressed below, would have been delicious without the overpriced but almost undetectable speck of fish included. I would order that sauce by itself, again keep reading below, for several dollars before I would order that dish again as a whole for the price. The ceviche was lackluster, in fact so much so that eating it at the time and looking back on the menu online now I still cannot remember which one we ordered. The fusion lost something in translation however was more filling and thus worth the price and experimentation in exchange for some quantity.
We tried the fried calamari as well as it was also very good however it was even better, actually, OUT OF HAND GOOD when dipped in the lake of spicy sauce left by the virtually non-existent fish portion of the sashimi tiradito. Last but not least was the dessert. I am not big on sweets but the chocolate fondue was excellent with a large and diverse variety of dippables (this really should be a word by now red squiggly line!). It included rice crispies, fruits, marshmellows, brownies, and more. It was arguably the best portion and variety for the dollar of the night and would be excellent for any table of two to six to share as a single dessert.
Overall Sushi Samba had a lot of above average food with pricey yet small portions but if you get to know the menu and choose wisely (e.g. Rock Shrimp and I cannot say this enough) it can be VERY worthwhile for sharing and/or tantalizing your taste buds, with some interesting other treats (e.g. flash fried river crabs strongly recommended for foodies and adventurers). There is some variety and fusion of Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian cuisine. The service was good but not great. There is a full bar with some interesting drinks and this may be a cooler place to hang and snack rather than go for a full meal. There is decent parking due to nearby garages and lots. The atmosphere is hip and trendy and you may like it if you are into crowded and loud but the seating is pretty mediocre due to uncomfortable chairs/tables. I would more likely go back to show people visiting who are interested in seeing Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, and just the Miami nightlife scene but not those who want a great meal, so there are some moderate smoke and mirrors at Sushi Samba.
SUSHISAMBA DROMO
600 Lincoln Rd
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-5337
www.sushisamba.com
No Smoke n' Mirrors Food 
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