225 september 28, 2023 | WWW.bestofphoenix2023.c0m | best of phoenix 2023 than the latter. But Sushi Nakano is not only among the best sushi joints in town, it’s also the undisputed champion of sushi bang for your buck. For just a few dollars more than the average sushi joint, Leo Nakano offers a short menu of simple nigiri and rolls that are a quantum leap beyond his contemporaries. The texture of Nakano’s rice is sublime, perfectly seasoned with the requisite balance of sour, salty and sweet. His fish is carefully sourced and expertly prepared, and his rolls — though tipping a cap to popular Americanized sushi standards — are lighter and more restrained than the usual schlocky mayo maki. Specials are always sharp, and if you really want to do a blowout meal, his omakase is an object lesson in preparing sushi creatively while still honoring its integrity. Best Poke KOIBITO POKE 4280 E. Indian School Road, #108 602-671-2445 7135 E. Camelback Road, #175, Scottsdale 623-281-1577 And other Valley locations koibitopoke.com We’re always proud when a local restaurant goes national. And in the case of poke joint Koibito Poke, it’s certainly well-deserved. Koibito offers a number of signature bowls; the salmon bowl (salmon, house sauce, cucumber, edamame, green onion, ginger, crab mix and sesame seeds) is a popular option, and there’s a keto bowl (cauliflower rice, ahi tuna, salmon, sriracha aioli, cucumber, green onion, Brussels sprouts, kale and sesame seeds) if you’re watching your carbs. But we prefer to design our own bowl of raw fish, and it’s inevitably heavy on Koibito’s Hawaiian tuna. The marinade, with notes of soy and ginger, gives the fish a rich flavor and a silky texture. We’re happy to share the greatness that is Koibito Poke with three other states and counting. Best Ramen ORIGAMI RAMEN BAR 4810 E. Ray Road, Suite A-1 480-940-4455 origamiramenbar.com There’s really no argument when it comes to naming the best ramen in the Valley. Origami Ramen Bar takes the title by a land- slide. The restaurant’s owner and chef, Yusuke Kuroda, grew up in Osaka, Japan, and worked at Nobu’s Beverly Hills restaurant. In 2020, he traded the glamour of Los Angeles for Phoenix where he brought his talents to his own restaurant on Ray Road. There, he makes excellent tempura rice bowls, dumplings and chicken Best Late-Night Vegan Food LOWDOWN VEGAN 1447 E. McDowell Road 602-834-8346 facebook.com/lowdownvegan Plant-based mac and cheese, meat-free Buffalo chick’n sandwiches and much more can be found at this vegan drive-thru that operates “on the lowdown” from 7-11 p.m. Monday through Friday out of Froth Coffee Roasters after the daytime business closes. This is vegan food so tasty it could convert even the most vehement carnivores. Co-owners Theron Evans and Jai Jones eschew plant-based burgers, which are widely available elsewhere, in favor of specialties that are mostly made in-house. Jones developed a faux cheese sauce from potatoes that may fool anyone not in the know, as would her ranch dressing. Even the mock chicken patties are remarkably meat-like, but the clincher is the homemade Buffalo sauce that, against all conventional wisdom, tastes as good or better than the version with real butter. The first vegan fast-food joint in the state, Lowdown is also speedy. It offers online ordering in advance but can whip up meals in five minutes or less if you decide to swing by on the fly, so vegan eaters in a hurry no longer have to settle for the boring no-cheese bean burrito or wait half an hour for their special order.
