Jinsei Sushi

When someone recently asked what I’d miss about Birmingham upon my move to Atlanta—other than people—Jinsei sushi instantly popped into my head. There are so many things I love about this place, though I’m not so sure Jinsei loves me (or my husband). We’ve had a few crazy experiences there, none of which were the fault of the restaurant…

First, my husband actually touched the rock on which patrons cook their River Rock Kobe Beef. Yep, it’s straight from the oven. And he touched it. Then, there was the time he shattered the Riedel glass that contained my Los Cabo Margarita all over me. I don’t know if I was more upset that my favorite-drink-in-all-of-Birmingham was gone, or that I was shaking shards of glass out of my jeans. Once, I actually got stuck in the swanky bathroom. Let’s just say I had one too many of those beloved margaritas and forgot that the door slides rather than opens on hinges. Then there was the time I was so excited to eat sushi again after my pregnancy that we snuck in our newborn, casually avoiding eye contact with anyone who may not approve.

Oh, the memories of Jinsei… hopefully these stories paint a picture that explains how much I love this place, and how we were once regulars (though I’m not sure why they continued to let us in after our track record), and how much I miss it from Atlanta (where sushi restaurants are in no short supply).

Alas, let’s get to the food. And the drinks. As I already mentioned, their hand-crafted cocktails are amazing, albeit expensive and strong. More than one and you might consider walking home, and luckily, that was always an option for us. In addition to their strawberry, pomegranate and watermelon margs (we’re talking fresh, muddled ingredients here, no fruitflavored junk), they have an extended menu of mojitos; a Sakerita and Saketini; and a Jinsei Julep (this is the South, after all), among others. You cannot go wrong with any of their inventions, many of which are seasonal. Or, you can play it safe and choose from their extensive sake and champagne list. Both pair wonderfully with sushi.

As for the menu options, it’s wise to take inventory of how hungry you are. I’m typically ravenous, so I tend to order like this: for a starter, you don’t want to miss the tempura green beans with the spicy dipping sauce. Or, for a lighter starter, there’s miso soup, Hawaiian kelp salad and sautéed edamame either grilled or steamed.

Moving on, we usually go with the Kadoma Tuna or Yellowtail Serrano. The tuna packs a nice crunchy shell and is topped with avocado and jalapenos (consider yourself warned), roe and scallions. The latter is thinly sliced sashimi of yellowtail in a succulent light Japanese sauce, topped with a tiny serrano pepper.

As for rolls, there are too many to name (and I’m still sad they no longer offer the crawfish roll), but some favorites include the Bubble gum, Nikko and Lobster. My husband usually orders one or two sashimi (raw, thinly sliced solo portions of fish) and nigiri (same, but served over a ball of rice). I advise you try a few too, as Jinsei offers nearly every sea creature you could want, fresh and packed with flavor.

Not a fan of sushi but still want to pretend you’re hip? Well, other than a shame-on-you, I offer the Kobe Beef baby burgers as a tasty diversion. Pretty much any of their Kobe beef dishes, especially resting in ponzu sauce, are superb. They also offer a slew of tempura seafood and vegetable options, including a whole flounder lightly crisped with ginger.

The thing we also love about Jinsei is the quaint, NYC feel of the restaurant. With close-quarters seating inside, it’s not unusual for us to strike up a conversation with a table next to us, and once my husband even ate the rest of our neighbor’s edamame (he may not speak to me for a while after reading this). The outside patio is great for celebrating a special occasion, with intimate two-tops or room for a larger party (as long as you get there early enough to nab a table).

And the fact that they offer baby bites from nearby Pastry Art as dessert, well, that’s just one more thing to miss from Atlanta. Jinsei is creative, edgy and bold cuisine, while still keeping that quintessential friendly Homewood feel.