SushiSamba hosts delectable culinary lesson

In the oh so large and lively SushiSamba in Coral Gables, which takes up almost an entire corner block in the heart of the city, the place was humming with activity on a recent weeknight. There was an event taking place in one corner of the restaurant and patrons enjoying their drinks and meals.And tucked in the back, through a set of long, flowy curtains, were several tables set for what would be a culinary journey, a fusion of the best from Japan and Peru -- Sushi & Sake 101.As the group settled in, we chit chatted, got to know each other a bit and a few minutes later, in strolled Peruvian native Claudia Collantes with a friendly smile and a warm welcome.She then informed us that we'd be tasting sakis in order from least pure to most pure and then the first one was poured, Dewatsuru Kimoto paired with otsumami, an assortment of crispy and salty edamame, green bean tempura with a creamy black truffle aioli for dipping and shishito roasted peppers, assembled in an earthy brown bowl.Next, we sampled the Dewazakura Oka a beginner's sake with a cherry bouquet which was served with a delicately refreshing yellowtail tartar topped with a light avocado crema.Things elevated to the ultra premium sake level with the next tasting the Chokaisan, which at 15.5% alcohol is dubbed with the description "longevity." That paired perfectly with a steamed waygu beef stuffed gyoza served on a bed of kabocha puree with a su-shoyu dipping sauce.We took a trip to the tropics with the next sake, the Tozai called "Snow Maiden" with notes of banana, coconut and pineapple, served with beef and chicken anticucho skewers and buttery sweet Peruvian miso corn.As the final tasting, they brought out a dark wood rectangular plate adorned with a colorful rainbow of sushi and sashimi including salmon, yellowtail, tuna, makerel and Japanese snapper. It was paired with the Kinka or "Ginger Blossom" sake packing 16-17% alcohol.And as a finale to our dinner, we all got a shot at making our own sushi rolls, ably assisted of course by the expert sushi chef who laid out an array of fillings for us to choose from for our signature rolls. Dipping into a deep bowl filled with sushi rice was easy, then came the work of pressing it into the seaweed sheet and filling it ever so gently with fish and veggies. I chose salmon, carrot, onion, rolled away (with the sushi chef at my side who made my roll look very pretty) and I finished mine with a pretty dollop of peachy-colored Japanese mayo.Making our own sushi was the perfect ending to a fun, interactive dining experience. Meeting the very talented chef, who stopped in at the end of our meal, was a nice personal touch.SushiSamba180 Aragon Ave., Coral GablesTel: 305-448-4990Sushi & Sake 101 classes are $85 per person