About a month ago Chef Sean Park, formerly of downtown’s sushi hotspot O-ku, took over as executive chef of Bambu, a Mt. Pleasant restaurant that has always left something to be desired.
Back in March I visited Bambu on several occasions and came to the conclusion that while some of the dishes are worth trying, others need work. The sushi, in particular, wasn’t very fresh, and the presentation was lackluster.
Knowing that Sean Park had come on board, I made my way over to Bambu to see what he’s been up to.
The space itself hasn’t changed one bit, but the menu has gotten a facelift. A lot of the same sushi rolls and traditional dishes (think pad thai and fried rice) are still on the menu, but Park has added some specialties, such as yellowtail carpaccio, Kobe steak, and a teriyaki-seared duck breast.
I was most interested in trying out the sushi and sashimi. Presentation is very important when it comes to food, and, as Park says, “We eat with our brain.” His dishes look so much better than what I saw in March.
Chirashi consists of 15 pieces of sashimi served over sushi rice. It took me a few minutes to dig in, as I didn’t want to disturb the masterpiece. How cool does this dish look?
The specialty roll that day consisted of kani crab salad, cucumber, bluefin tuna, and a thin slice of lime.
The presentation and quality of the food are much better than they were just a few months ago. Sean Park is what Bambu needed, and I can’t wait to go back for more. We’ll let Park settle in for a bit before we get out there for a full review.
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