Sushi Time — Excellent Sushi & Japanese Fare At Affordable Prices!

The Former Location Of Ginza No Longer Offers All-You-Can-Eat, But Is A Big Step-Up In Quality! 

I can honestly say that I’ve never been a big fan of all-you-can-eat restaurants. Especially when you don’t know which dishes you even like at a place, all-you-can-eat basically means you’re “forced” to sample a number of different items in order to find the ones you like — and by then, you’re usually too full to enjoy those items. 

Once you’ve been to a particular all-you-can-eat restaurant more than once, and know what items you like there, I’ll admit that there is a certain value in this type of dining, but it usually causes you eat more than you normally might to “get your money’s worth.” 

That’s why I wasn’t upset when the owners of the new Sushi Time restaurant — which opened a couple of months ago in the former location of Ginza All You Can Eat Sushi & Hibachi (on E. County Line Rd., next to LA Fitness, just south of the Pasco County line) — decided to do away with Ginza’s all-you-care-to-eat concept. 

In fact, the first thing those of you who loved Ginza should know is that even though you no longer receive unlimited food for one price, the quality of the food — especially the sushi — at Sushi Time has been upgraded significantly, as has the presentation of that food (as evidenced by photographer Charmaine George’s beautiful pictures on this page). 

Let’s start with the sushi. Jannah, Charmaine and I were treated to a beautiful and delicious sushi boat (top photo), which included three rolls — Jannah’s favorite California roll, a spicy tuna roll topped with avocado and a black dragon roll (tempura shrimp and avocado with eel and eel sauce on top) that I couldn’t eat but Jannah and Charmaine both loved. The grilled eel on top was so sweet that they both thought it was cooked banana — and loved it! It was Jannah’s first time ever even eating eel and she was stunned to find she actually enjoyed it! 

The boat also included thick slices of raw tuna, white tuna (escolar), salmon and yellowtail, plus nigiri (sliced sushi on rice) of salmon, yellowtail and my favorite — red snapper. Slices of the snapper also were formed into a pretty flower and topped with ikura (salmon roe). 

The boat alone would have been more than enough for the three of us, but we had already ordered Charmaine’s favorite Naruto Roll (above right), which is an extra-large sushi roll with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, spicy krab, avocado and tobiko (flying fish roe) wrapped in cucumber. Simply amazing. 

Charmaine and I also really enjoyed the yellowtail jalapeño (above left). which was only slightly spicy, as well as a salmon “sprint,” which is slices of salmon wrapped around julienned cucumber in a mild chili sauce (right). And, since my companions loved the eel so much, we also had three pieces of eel nigiri. All of the sushi was incredibly fresh. 

But, since Jannah is only a casual fan of sushi, we also got an order of crispy and delicious gyoza (fried pork dumplings; below left) and equally crisp Chinese-style pork egg rolls (below right). Both were yummy! 

And, even though we were totally stuffed by now and took much of the food home with us, we wanted to sample (and of course, photograph) at least one hibachi dish, so we had the chicken hibachi, which featured big chunks of chicken and broccoli florets in a zesty sauce. Please note that Sushi Time does not have teppanyaki (hibachi) tables. The hibachi dishes are made in the kitchen, but are well worth having. Other hibachi options include tofu, sirloin steak, shrimp, scallops, king salmon and a variety of combos. 

Other entrĂ©es include favorites like sesame, orange and General Tso’s chicken (or tofu), Mongolian beef or chicken, beef & broccoli and “Dragon & Phoenix” (shrimp with mixed veggies & General Tso’s chicken). There also are ramen and udon noodle dishes and all of the entrĂ©e categories feature vegetable-only options. 

So, despite already being barely able to get up from the table, we finished off our meal with one order of fried (chocolate) ice cream (topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce; below right), an order of fried bananas (which were done to crisp perfection) and Jannah’s favorite green tea ice cream. 

Best of all, Sushi Time is a pretty restaurant with a variety of Japanese (Sapporo, Asahi and Kirin) and other beers, plus red and white wine, green, jasmine and boba tea, as well as a variety of soft drinks, including Japanese soda. 

The portions are large, the prices are very fair and as I said, the quality is a quantum leap above Ginza and other all-you-can-eat places. 

Need more incentive to try Sushi Time? With the coupon in the ad below, you’ll save 20% off your total bill when you dine in! 

Sushi Time (6417 E. County Line Rd., #104) is open every day for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. For more info, call (813) 907- 1688 or visit SushiTimeFL.com. Reservations are not required. Please tell them I sent you! 

Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill Is Now Serving Weekend Brunch! 

It’s no secret that Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill, located in the small strip plaza next to the Hyatt Place hotel across S.R. 56 from the Tampa Premium Outlets has been among my favorite restaurants in Wesley Chapel — including my #1 fave for 2024! — since the day it first opened back in late 2020. 

So, what could make Zukku-San even better? How about the most unique and delicious weekend brunch in “The Chap?” 

Co-owner and executive chef Gia Tran was proud to introduce us to the new weekend brunch menu items on the first day brunch was offered — two weeks before we went to press with this issue. Gia and his partner Ferdian Jap now own five fast-casual Zukku Sushi places in four states (including at Tampa’s Armature Works), three Ato Burritos & Bowls (including in The KRATE at The Grove), Astro Ice Cream (also on Sierra Center Blvd.) and have another Zukku-San opening soon in Orlando. 

Gia (left) told us that he’s been “cooking up” the ideas for almost all of the items on the opening brunch menu (which he said will be expanded) “for a couple of years,” but just couldn’t seem to pull the trigger on getting it started. 

“I knew I wanted to include some ingredients that you almost never find at an Asian restaurant,” Gia told yours truly, photographer Charmaine George and Charmaine’s boyfriend Brendan. “Have you ever had fried eggs, ube waffles or bacon at an Asian place?” 

The answer was clearly “no” from all of us, and I’ll be honest that I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to love all of the new items — until I actually tried them. Of course, the only things I couldn’t try were the new “Bird’s Nest” sushi roll (right photo) and the “Zukku- San Signature Mary” (one of the two drinks above) because both included fried shrimp. 

But, Charmaine and Brendan both raved about them, especially the Bird’s Nest, which combines tempura shrimp, salmon and cucumber, topped with avocado and real crab (not “krab”), plus a poached egg, scallions, masago, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sesame seeds. 

Meanwhile, the Signature Mary has Haku Japanese vodka, wasabi paste, soy sauce and Bloody Mary mix, with Sichuan peppercorn bitters, garnished with a California roll, tempura shrimp, pickled ginger and celery, with a black-&- white sesame seed rim. There’s also an option to add sriracha to this Mary “for extra spice.” 

But, all of us honestly went bonkers for all of the other choices. The other brunch sushi roll was a Quail Roll (left photo), which combined tamago, cucumber and avocado, topped with two sunny-side-up quail eggs (shockingly tasty), plus bacon (yes, bacon!), scallions, “lava aioli,” eel sauce and Japanese togarashi spice. I don’t know if I’ve ever had that last ingredient before, but the entire sushi roll was just soooo tasty. 

I’ve also never really been a big fan of Eggs Benedict, so the new Crispy Rice Benedict (right photo) was something of a revelation, with its crispy rice topped with (again, real) snow crab, poached egg and a never-heard-of miso brown butter Hollandaise sauce that Gia said stays blended longer than most Hollandaise sauces because of the miso. We all agreed we had never tasted anything like it. 

But wait, there’s more! I know we just hosted the first-ever Wesley Chapel fried chicken tender contest, but there is a new contender in town, as Zukku-San’s Ube Waffle & Fried Chicken combo (top right photo) is a combination of three thick slabs of the crispiest (and yet, still juicy) panko-fried chicken served with three of the only waffles I’ve ever had made from ube — also known as the vibrant purple yam (sweet potato) originally used primarily in The Philippines. The waffles also are topped with a generous dollop of creamy ube butter and served with a sake cup of ginger maple syrup. If you’re the kind of person who tries the fried-chicken-&-waffles at every place that serves them and don’t think this is among the best you’ve ever had, feel free to let me know what you didn’t love about it. 

Gia said that his pastry chef Alex Winchester (above left photo) went through “like ten different waffle irons” before finding the one that would give his ube waffles the proper texture and crunch. 

The final brunch “entrée, which Gia called “kind of a throwaway addition because I felt we needed at least one more entrée,” is no “throwaway” to yours truly, as the “Sunrise Fried Rice” (above right) is Zukku-San’s nutty & savory chicken fried rice (already among my whole family’s favorites), which has big chunks of chicken, peas, carrots, onion and garlic and tops it with a sunny-side-up (chicken) egg. Does the fried rice “need” the egg? Maybe not. But is it still a winner? You bet! 

What About Dessert? 

We all were honestly too stuffed to want to even order dessert, but Gia insisted we try Alex’s new mango & passion fruit sponge cake (left), which isn’t even on the dessert menu yet, but it was excellent and the whipped tropical icing is addictive. And yes, we still found a way to polish it off — are you surprised? 

Also on the brunch dessert menu — all of which I have to start sampling on my next visit — include an ube cheesecake, a ginger yuzu (citrus) creme brulĂ©e and a banana hazelnut opera cake. 

I also enjoyed my lychee mimosa (at left in top left photo) enough to not need a shot of my usual Ballyhoo Irish whiskey (found only at Zukku-San locally) with my meal. Other Brunch beverages include an Asian Mary, a Sake Mimosa and a Green Tea Umeshu Martini. Try these for yourself and let me know what you think. 

And yes, if these brunch items somehow don’t do it for you (but my opinion is that you’d have to be crazy, or a vegetarian, to not at least try some or all of them), Zukku-San’s full menu is still available during the weekend brunch hours — which are every Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Zukku-San is located at 25916 Sierra Center Blvd. It is open for lunch & dinner every day at 11 a.m. and stays open until 9 p.m. on Sun., 9:30 p.m. on Mon.-Thur., and until 10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. Reservations are not required (except for larger parties), but are definitely suggested, especially on the weekends. For more information, call (813) 419-1351, visit ZukkuSushi.com. And please, tell Gia and Alex and the entire crew that I sent you! 

Birkin’s Steak & Sushi Revamps Sushi Bar Area & Outdoor Patio! 

Owner Mark Birkin invites you to check out his Birkin’s Steakhouse & Sushi Bar on N. Florida Ave. in Lutz. 

When we first showed and told you about Birkin’s Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, located on N. Florida Ave. in Lutz (a little north of W. Bearss Ave.) back in June, the then-new restaurant’s main dining room was the main attraction — and it definitely attracted an upscale clientele that appreciated owner Mark Birkin’s selection of prime steaks and fresh sushi. 

The restaurant has done so well that Mark decided that the sushi bar side — which previously was where live music was played when the restaurant was the “LA” (Lutz-Area) Hangout (and the Twisted Rooster after that) — needed and deserved an upgrade so that his ever-growing roster of customers wouldn’t have to deal with a wait on the weekends. 

Well now, with more than 100 additional seats in a variety of both cozy four-top and larger 8-10-top booths, as well as a few large round tables, Mark and GM Doug Scagliola say the revamped Birkin’s sushi side is quickly becoming the location of choice for many of their regulars. 

“It’s only been open three or four weeks,” Mark said at our press time, “but we already have people requesting to sit in the sushi bar area.” (Note- Now that the weather is cooler, Birkin’s also-all-new, large outdoor patio with its own huge bar area, is sure to become another hotspot for his customers.) 

The guess here is that the remodeled section also will help increase sales of Birkin’s outstanding fresh sushi — from basics like California and Rainbow rolls and thick-slice tuna, yellowtail and salmon sashimi to more exotic options like Caterpillar Roll (eel roll topped with avocado and eel sauce), Giant Buda Roll (tempura shrimp with mayo, crab, smelt roe and avocado, all deep fried and topped with eel sauce and spicy mayo), to my new go-to, the Yummy Roll (with crispy baked fish, tempura crunch and roe, topped with avocado, eel sauce and spicy mayo; above photo). Birkin’s doesn’t yet have as large a variety of sushi as some Japanese restaurants, but perhaps the best thing about it is that you can still order from the restaurant’s full menu on the sushi side. 

It was Happy Hour (Wed.-Fri., 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m.) during our last visit, so Charmaine, Jannah and I shared a few of the Birkin’s Happy Hour food specials. We all loved the steak kabobs, made with filet tips and grilled onions and peppers (top photo) with house-made chimichurri sauce ($10 for two kabobs). Charmaine raved about the tangy seafood ceviche (which I couldn’t sample because it’s made with shrimp), served in a martini glass (left photo), for only $6. And, we all enjoyed the crispy potato wedges with blue or peppercorn sauce (I preferred the latter), also for $6. There’s also a Big Burger for $10 and tenderloin sliders for $12, plus Happy Hour California, spicy tuna and a couple of other rolls for just $6 each. 

I effused last time about Birkin’s 12-oz. prime filet mignon, but after seeing the 28-oz. tomahawk ribeye (right photo) come out, that will be my next dinner option. But, whether you crave starters like escargots in butter, fried lobster bites or jumbo shrimp cocktail, entrées like a Surf & Turf (8-oz. filet & lobster tail), hand-cut Chilean sea bass (below photo), grouper piccata or lollipop lamb chops, or even Italian specialties like a thick, tender chicken parmesan or ravioli with portobella mushrooms, you can’t go wrong at Birkin’s. Some entrées do include side dishes, but there also are Family Style sides like a tasty sautéed vegetable medley, mac & cheese, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, green beans, creamed spinach and more. I think Jannah, Charmaine and I have sampled most of them and all have been yummy. 

Save room for dessert, because Birkin’s has a delicious Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake, an apple crumble and brownie with vanilla ice cream and more. 

And, Birkin’s definitely has your bar favorites covered before, during and after Happy Hour, when select glasses of wine, specialty drinks (including a house old fashioned and “Florida Ave.” margarita) and favorites like Tito’s, Jack Daniel’s, Four Roses, Captain Morgan and Herradura Repo tequila are all just $8. 

If you’re planning a holiday party, Birkin’s even has a private room that seats up to 24 people. 

The restaurant also will be open both Christmas Day and for New Year’s Eve, so why cook when you can make any holiday a little more special at Birkin’s? 

Birkin’s Steakhouse & Sushi Bar (16411 N. Florida Ave.) is open 3 p.m.-11:30 p.m. on Wed.; 3 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Thur.-Sat. & 3:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. on Sun. (it’s closed Mon. & Tues.). For reservations (which are suggested, but not required, except when booking a party) & more information, call (813) 374-8002 or visit BirkinsSteakhouse.com. 

Red Lobster To Become Sushi Masa!

In case you missed the new sign that just went up, New Tampa’s shuttered Red Lobster in The Pointe at Tampa Palms is going to become Sushi Masa, the latest link in a nine-link chain of all-you-can-eat “premium” Japanese restaurants, with existing locations in Texas, Louisiana, Pensacola, FL, and the closest to us in Lakeland. 

Like Koizi in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza (less than 500 feet from the future Sushi Masa), the under-construction Japanese eatery offers all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner options — however, Sushi Masa only offers hibachi/teppanyaki entrĂ©es separately from the all-you-can-eat fare.

But, don’t expect Sushi Masa to open anytime soon, as the former Red Lobster has been completely gutted inside (photo below) and the manager we spoke with at the Lakeland location didn’t know when it was expected to be completed. Our best guess is sometime during/towards the end of the first quarter of 2025, but we’ll keep you posted. 

For more information, including menus and photos of the other locations, visit SushiMasaUS.com.

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So far, we have asked you to name your Five Favorite Restaurants in Wesley Chapel, Your Five Favorites in New Tampa & Your Favorite Pizza & Sushi places in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. If you’ve only responded to one or two of our questions, you can still respond to any of our Dining Survey & Contest questions for your chance to win FREE dining prizes (to the restaurant of your choice) of $100, $60 or $35. Click below to enter and answer any of these questions and look for additional chances to win in every issue of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News through the end of October!

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