It’s no secret that Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill, situated within the small strip plaza subsequent to the Hyatt Place resort throughout S.R. 56 from the Tampa Premium Shops has been amongst my favourite eating places in Wesley Chapel — together with my #1 fave for 2024! — because the day it first opened again in late 2020.
So, what might make Zukku-San even higher? How about probably the most distinctive and scrumptious weekend brunch in “The Chap?”
Co-owner and government chef Gia Tran was proud to introduce us to the brand new weekend brunch menu gadgets on the primary day brunch was supplied — two weeks earlier than we went to press with this subject. Gia and his companion Ferdian Jap now personal 5 fast-casual Zukku Sushi locations in 4 states (together with at Tampa’s Armature Works), three Ato Burritos & Bowls (together with in The KRATE at The Grove), Astro Ice Cream (additionally on Sierra Heart Blvd.) and have one other Zukku-San opening quickly in Orlando.
Gia (left) instructed us that he’s been “cooking up” the concepts for nearly all the gadgets on the opening brunch menu (which he stated shall be expanded) “for a few years,” however simply couldn’t appear to tug the set off on getting it began.
“I knew I needed to incorporate some components that you just nearly by no means discover at an Asian restaurant,” Gia instructed yours actually, photographer Charmaine George and Charmaine’s boyfriend Brendan. “Have you ever ever had fried eggs, ube waffles or bacon at an Asian place?”
The reply was clearly “no” from all of us, and I’ll be trustworthy that I wasn’t 100% certain I used to be going to like all the new gadgets — till I truly tried them. After all, the one issues I couldn’t attempt have been the brand new “Fowl’s Nest” sushi roll (proper photograph) and the “Zukku- San Signature Mary” (one of many two drinks above) as a result of each included fried shrimp.
However, Charmaine and Brendan each raved about them, particularly the Fowl’s Nest, which mixes tempura shrimp, salmon and cucumber, topped with avocado and actual crab (not “krab”), plus a poached egg, scallions, masago, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sesame seeds.
In the meantime, the Signature Mary has Haku Japanese vodka, wasabi paste, soy sauce and Bloody Mary combine, with Sichuan peppercorn bitters, garnished with a California roll, tempura shrimp, pickled ginger and celery, with a black-&- white sesame seed rim. There’s additionally an possibility so as to add sriracha to this Mary “for further spice.”
However, all of us actually went bonkers for all the different selections. The opposite brunch sushi roll was a Quail Roll (left photograph), which mixed tamago, cucumber and avocado, topped with two sunny-side-up quail eggs (shockingly tasty), plus bacon (sure, bacon!), scallions, “lava aioli,” eel sauce and Japanese togarashi spice. I don’t know if I’ve ever had that final ingredient earlier than, however all the sushi roll was simply soooo tasty.
I’ve additionally by no means actually been an enormous fan of Eggs Benedict, so the brand new Crispy Rice Benedict (proper photograph) was one thing of a revelation, with its crispy rice topped with (once more, actual) snow crab, poached egg and a never-heard-of miso brown butter Hollandaise sauce that Gia stated stays blended longer than most Hollandaise sauces due to the miso. All of us agreed we had by no means tasted something prefer it.
However wait, there’s extra! I do know we simply hosted the first-ever Wesley Chapel fried rooster tender contest, however there’s a new contender on the town, as Zukku-San’s Ube Waffle & Fried Hen combo (high proper photograph) is a mixture of three thick slabs of the crispiest (and but, nonetheless juicy) panko-fried rooster served with three of the one waffles I’ve ever had constructed from ube — also referred to as the colourful purple yam (candy potato) initially used primarily in The Philippines. The waffles are also topped with a beneficiant dollop of creamy ube butter and served with a sake cup of ginger maple syrup. For those who’re the type of one who tries the fried-chicken-&-waffles at each place that serves them and don’t assume that is among the many finest you’ve ever had, be at liberty to let me know what you didn’t love about it.
Gia stated that his pastry chef Alex Winchester (above left photograph) went by way of “like ten totally different waffle irons” earlier than discovering the one that will give his ube waffles the correct texture and crunch.
The ultimate brunch “entrée, which Gia referred to as “type of a throwaway addition as a result of I felt we wanted not less than another entrée,” isn’t any “throwaway” to yours actually, because the “Dawn Fried Rice” (above proper) is Zukku-San’s nutty & savory rooster fried rice (already amongst my entire household’s favorites), which has large chunks of rooster, peas, carrots, onion and garlic and tops it with a sunny-side-up (rooster) egg. Does the fried rice “want” the egg? Possibly not. However is it nonetheless a winner? You guess!
What About Dessert?
All of us have been actually too stuffed to need to even order dessert, however Gia insisted we attempt Alex’s new mango & ardour fruit sponge cake (left), which isn’t even on the dessert menu but, however it was glorious and the whipped tropical icing is addictive. And sure, we nonetheless discovered a technique to polish it off — are you shocked?
Additionally on the brunch dessert menu — all of which I’ve to begin sampling on my subsequent go to — embody an ube cheesecake, a ginger yuzu (citrus) creme brulée and a banana hazelnut opera cake.
I additionally loved my lychee mimosa (at left in high left photograph) sufficient to not want a shot of my traditional Ballyhoo Irish whiskey (discovered solely at Zukku-San domestically) with my meal. Different Brunch drinks embody an Asian Mary, a Sake Mimosa and a Inexperienced Tea Umeshu Martini. Attempt these for your self and let me know what you assume.
And sure, if these brunch gadgets one way or the other don’t do it for you (however my opinion is that you just’d must be loopy, or a vegetarian, to not not less than attempt some or all of them), Zukku-San’s full menu remains to be out there in the course of the weekend brunch hours — that are each Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Zukku-San is situated at 25916 Sierra Heart Blvd. It’s open for lunch & dinner day-after-day at 11 a.m. and stays open till 9 p.m. on Solar., 9:30 p.m. on Mon.-Thur., and till 10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. Reservations should not required (apart from bigger events), however are undoubtedly recommended, particularly on the weekends. For extra data, name (813) 419-1351, go to ZukkuSushi.com. And please, inform Gia and Alex and all the crew that I despatched you!
