Wassup, Wasabi?

Levis Commons bistro brings big-city feeling to small-town Perrsyburg

by Jason Webber

published July 19th 2006

Bistro Wasabi owner Michael Song will make your whole day.

He’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet, and his new Levis Commons eatery Bistro Wasabi contains one of the coolest restaurant interiors in the area. Plus, the place offers some of the best sushi and steaks one can encounter outside of Chicago, New York and those other food metropolises that bogart all the press.

Song, a Korean native raised in Ohio, owns a lumber export business, a consulting firm (both based in Columbus) and now, this incredible eatery. He’s earned bachelor degrees in both biochemistry and computer science engineering from Ohio State University and designed the post-modern, sleek interior of Bistro Wasabi himself. He averages about five hours of sleep an evening, if that. The kicker — he’s only 25.

In addition to making you feel like a royal slacker, Song’s skills extend to bartending and an encyclopedic knowledge of Asian cuisine. Ask him about anything on the menu and the soft-spoken, bespectacled gent will patiently explain the entire process of preparing a dish.

Bistro Wasabi is not affiliated with the restaurant of the same name based out of Chicago. But, this eatery would not be out of place in the Windy City. The bar is a kaleidoscope of interior design, handsomely constructed of glass and metal. Retro sofas and ottomans lie nearby, perfect for sipping warm sake (the wine/martini list rules).

But, tear yourself away from the sofa long enough to order food, which is a culinary experience unparalleled. Start with the teriyaki sampler ($9), spears of chicken and beef, served with a bed of mashed potatoes. The dish is soaked in a sweet, rich, delicious teriyaki glaze and the potatoes melt right on your tongue. The calamari tempura ($9) is flaky and slightly spicy. Dip it in soy sauce to really electrify the flavor. The otaku salad ($12) takes the award for the most eccentric salad to ever grace the Toledo palate — a hodgepodge of different radishes, seaweed, spicy tuna, ika san sai (squid with a dash of ink) and sesame seeds. Odd combo, but incredible.

Who wants to order a steak in a sushi restaurant? You do. Specifically the New York steak ($28), a huge hunk o’ Angus beef that’s so tender you can almost use your fork to cut it. No A1 required here — the rich, smoky marinade does just fine.

The sushi menu can be intimidating at first, considering how large it is and even tenured sushi connoisseurs may find themselves timidly asking their wait staff to explain some dishes to them. But, fear not — they’re up to the task, and they can walk you through the menu to best suit your tastes.

The crazy roll ($10) is a psychedelic-looking (and tasting) marvel of different fish. The ingredients change throughout the week, but you can count on spicy tuna, crab and at least two other members of the saltwater family. The crab rangoon ($14) bids "sayonara" to all other variations of this Asian staple — creamy, tender and covered in a flaky, fried crust. All of the individual pieces of sashimi are divine, but for a taste of culinary adventure, add a raw quail egg to the top of your salmon roe or other sushi. Just try it, Sam I Am.

If you’re in luck, the Bistro will have its tiramisu ($12), easily one of the best desserts in the area — light, sweet, delicate and made with painstaking attention to detail (Mike will explain its creation if you ask him), this is the definitive edition of an old classic. If they’re out of it (it goes quick), the mochi ($3) makes a fine consolation prize. The Japanese version of ice cream, this cold treat comes in a hard shell, which when broken, exposes the creamy, tasty center, offered in eclectic flavors such as green tea and red bean.

Bistro Wasabi may be a newcomer to the local restaurant scene, but it already is on its way to becoming an emperor. Bow down.