Some blogheads and I were treated to a preview of RA Sushi’s (1390 Lancaster St., Inner Harbor) upcoming and updated menu items last night, they’re rolling out a slew of new sushi rolls, entrees, appetizers and drinks in an effort to keep things interesting for their patrons, with a “tropical” slant – think: mango salsa. Lots of mango salsa. Among the favorites of mine, the Tropical Roll – a cucumber/mango/avocado roll topped with spinach tempura, mango salsa and spicy shrimp – and the Shishito Peppers (pictured below), an appetizer consisting of milder-than-jalapeno peppers sauteed in a sort of garlic sauce. I guess these ended up being my favorites as they had respectable levels of heat; while the Tropical Roll’s mango overtures set off the spicy shrimp’s flavor nicely, the garlic and spicy pepper of the Shishito appetizer had a strong flavor throughout.
As for their new drinks, I sampled the new “Emperor’s Cucumberita (pictured),” a blend of tequila, citronge, sours and slices of cucumber – which actually had far more cucumber than the one pictured. I never really thought cucumbers could make or break a drink unless pureed, especially a margarita, but in this case enough of the mellowness inherent in the cucumber does a fine job of complementing the sours and tequila flavor. My favorite new “drink” actually ended up being the simplest idea I can’t believe I hadn’t seen before: Sake Flights. Three 2oz. samples of sake – filtered, unfiltered and sparkling – which demonstrate a wide range of flavors that my uncultured, unrefined palate was unaware of when it comes to sake – arranged neatly on a wooden stand.
The combination of tropically-themed drinks and food items should keep fans of RA’s mouths entertained, especially once the weather gives way to pleasant temps and longer daylight. So, you’ve got that to look forward to.
RA’s happy hour, City Paper reader’s poll winner for best happy hour last year, has also been updated with some new items and most of the new drink selections, ranging from $2-7. You can find the updated menu right here, so check it out. Happy eating (and boozing)!
i love the “Tropical Roll”. it includes 5+ ingredients before even talking about the “sushi”, which is shrimp (not even raw). i will say the Shishito Peppers look pretty tasty.