Chef Jason Liang and his staff have taken the ambience and service to a new level of sophistication. The decor is subtle and timeless, with nods to Liang’s Taiwanese heritage. The menu includes special dishes served tableside and such luxurious delicacies as caviar, truffles and uni.
Brush built a loyal fan base over more than a decade in downtown Decatur, before being replaced last fall by the short-lived (and more casual) Cuddlefish.
Credit: Brush Sushi
Credit: Brush Sushi
At the new Brush, a meal easily can surpass $100 per person, yet it’s much more accessible than the new wave of omakase places, including recent Michelin Star winners Mujo and Hayakawa.
For one thing, Brush can accommodate vegetarians. The seasonal warm salad and grilled veggie platter both are excellent, though you might have trouble telling them apart. Each featured a wide variety of hearty vegetables, their flavors deepened and intensified by roasting over binchotan charcoal. Nearly every section of the menu has a vegetarian item, including chili avocado and ume shiso (pickled plum) hand rolls that were featured at Cuddlefish.
Brush also welcomes people who prefer not to eat raw fish; between the small plates and grilled items, there are more than enough options to make a satisfying meal. The hay-smoked miso duck breast, with its dramatic presentation, is a stellar plate of food that seems poised to become Instagram-famous.
Credit: Brush Sushi
Credit: Brush Sushi
Still, sushi remains the star. And thanks to the flexibility offered by Brush’s menu, the selections should appeal to both sushi novices and connoisseurs.
Those who know exactly what they like can order directly from a daily fish menu, where the restaurant’s entire selection is available as sashimi. Many of the options are dry-aged in the style of Edomae sushi, some for up to 21 days. Contrary to the popular belief that sushi must be incredibly fresh, Liang explained that Edomae sushi relies on aging and curing techniques to develop the flavors of the fish.
Those who would like a little guidance also have options. There’s a chef’s tasting menu available for $145 per person, as well as chef’s choice selections of sashimi and nigiri, and a tuna-only tasting.
The one that’s the most fun might be the temaki service. For $129, a sushi chef at a mobile workstation will prepare five separate hand rolls, with such opulent ingredients as osetra caviar, Hokkaido uni, tuna and black truffles. The chef serving our hand rolls gamely answered a near-constant stream of questions.
Credit: Brush Sushi
Credit: Brush Sushi
Brush’s beverage program has evolved, as well. There’s a nice mix of classic cocktails and house favorites, such as the sesame-forward Mr. Miyagi, along with more adventurous concoctions. Bar manager Mona Allen is one of the few Black women in the country to have earned a certificate as a sake sommelier, and her poetic descriptions truly can enhance your appreciation of the drink.
In some ways, Brush Sushi still is finding its footing. One night, a server was so eager to please that her presence at our table was somewhat smothering. The hosts also should learn to seat diners farther apart at less busy times; on one visit, we felt a little claustrophobic, even though plenty of other tables were open. Also, the service occasionally drags, so plan on a longish meal.
Credit: Brush Sushi
Credit: Brush Sushi
Still, it’s a wonder how Liang and his team keep so many plates spinning. Open seven nights a week, Brush is a terrific fine-dining restaurant, yet somehow it also offers lunch and brunch. In addition, Liang personally serves an omakase menu Wednesdays-Sundays, which must be reserved and paid for in advance.
However they’re managing it, the team behind Brush Sushi has achieved an unparalleled restaurant “glow-up,” evolving from an overachieving neighborhood sushi joint into a sexy, sophisticated Buckhead power player. And as the restaurant settles into its new neighborhood, it’s likely to get even better.
BRUSH SUSHI
3 out of 4 stars (excellent)
Food: upscale sushi
Service: mostly excellent, with a few minor opportunities for improvement
Noise level: moderate to low
Recommended dishes: yellowtail jalapeño, seasonal warm salad, caviar service, hay-smoked miso duck breast, seasonal veggie platter, chef’s choice sushi tastings, hamachi bozushi, tableside temaki service (includes caviar, uni, negitoro ikura, spicy tuna, snow crab and black-truffles), sizzling matcha
Vegetarian dishes: seasonal warm salad, agedashi tofu, seasonal veggie platter, yasai chirashi box, chili avocado temaki/maki, ume shiso temaki/maki, burrata katsu salad (lunch and brunch only), truffle mushroom egg croissant (lunch and brunch only), matcha granola cup (brunch only), seasonal fruit sando (brunch only)
Alcohol: full bar, including an expertly curated sake selection
Price range: $$$-$$$$$
Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Parking: validated deck parking
MARTA: not nearby (Buckhead Station 1 mile away)
Reservations: recommended
Outdoor dining: no
Takeout: yes, online ordering available for pastries, lunch and brunch
Address, phone: 3009 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta. 404-500-1888
Website: brushatl.com
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