So much more than sushi

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212 Sushi Lounge
212 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre
(516) 415-7545

With sushi places abound, restaurateurs Cristian Agular and Jeff Foroglou knew they needed to come up with something special. 212 Sushi Lounge stands out — from striking décor to Pan-Asian cuisine — that will please even the most discriminating palate. The site of the short-lived Chichen Itza was gutted and renovated, resulting in a sleek, upscale, contemporary restaurant and lounge that simply must be visited.

Agular, who previously managed Aji 53, brought in Chef Anan, an amazing, diversified talent who trained in Singapore. His menu is stunning. Among the Japanese, Thai and Malaysian choices you’ll find Australian rack of lamb, Long island duckling, slow cooked salmon with couscous, and other global entrees.

Price-wise, soups, salads and starters are $3 to $16; Asian classics are $9 to $23, and entrees, which come with soup or salad, $19 to $25. Sushi rolls are $4 to $16 and dinners, $13 to $47 (for two). Desserts are $10 and $11.

Cocktails shine with surprises. Mango margarita, a frosty blend of tequila, blood orange liqueur and mango nectar, came in a glass edged with Vietnamese chili salt. 212’s version of a pina colada, Crouching Tiger, was sprinkled with toasted coconut, garnished with a pineapple leaf.

Attentive servers kept the sensations coming. Tuna Lotus — chopped tuna, mango and cucumbers wrapped around seared peppered tuna — was crowned with avocado and caviar, served over ponzu sauce. We were wowed by the spicy rice tuna — flash-fried seasoned sushi rice (like tiny fritters) topped with tuna salad, caviar and scallions, on three sauces. Asian duck fajitas — four crepes filled with crisp duck, scallions and cucumbers — were finished with mint hoisin glaze. Seared foie gras over fried Blue Point oysters in shells was amazing; an alternate version has raw Kumamoto oysters.

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