Set-menu sushi bar with fresh seafood & sake pairings






















"This is where things start to get confusing. The folks that originally founded Sushi Bar in Austin sold the name and started a new concept out in the middle of nowhere (OK, it’s at the Lost Pines Resort close to Bastrop), in a hotel that feels a little like a haunted old Hill Country estate. It’s an odd backdrop for an omakase, but if anything it speaks to the more elusive, speakeasy nature of the 16-18 course dinner here. While you can expect a few pieces of classic sushi, you’ll also find a lot of bites like torched whelk nigiri topped with beet mustard, lemon juice, and quinoa. It’s not traditional at all, but it’s not really trying to be. If you want the original pioneers in “new-wave nigiri” (their words), this is where you’ll want to head. Cost: $165 per person, with optional add-ons. Sake pairing and general beverage pairing (a mix of sake, beer, wine, and cocktails) available. . " - nicolai mccrary

"Per the San Francisco Chronicle, Sushi by Scratch opens on December 1 inside the Matheson in Healdsburg. Described as offering “speakeasy-style omakase,” it’s an offshoot of a once Michelin-starred sushi restaurant from Santa Barbara County headed up by “co-owners Philip Frankland Lee, an ex-’Top Chef’ contestant, and Margarita Kallas-Lee, a pastry chef.” The original location opened in Los Angeles in 2017." - Lauren Saria

"A fancy omakase spot on the resort property, Sushi by Scratch Restaurants is one of the dining options at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa." - Erin Russell
"The folks that originally founded Sushi Bar in Austin left, for reasons unbeknownst to us, and started a new concept out in the middle of nowhere (OK, it’s at the Lost Pines Resort close to Bastrop), in a hotel that feels a little like a haunted old Hill Country estate. It’s an odd backdrop for an omakase, but if anything it speaks to the more elusive, speakeasy nature of the 16-18 course dinner here. On arrival, you’ll be greeted with a welcome cocktail in a large lobby, where you can occupy the next few minutes playing shuffleboard or taking in the sights of the pine forest outside (guess they're not so lost). Eventually, everyone gets ushered into a small private dining room with a host of chefs and a display board listing out the fish. While you can expect a few pieces of classic sushi, you’ll also find a lot of bites like torched whelk nigiri topped with beet mustard, lemon juice, and quinoa. It’s not traditional at all, but it’s not really trying to be. Despite an almost-chaotic list of ingredients of powders, salts, and oils, the bites here feel thought out. And while these toppings can, at times, overpower the fish, the end result is still a tasty bite. If you want the original pioneers in “new-wave nigiri” (their words), this is where you’ll want to head. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary" - Nicolai McCrary

"After leaving Sushi|Bar, the couple opened a new sushi restaurant in Cedar Park under the branding Sushi by Scratch, and have also opened an Italian tasting-menu restaurant with a to-come omakase planned in the Hill Country." - Nadia Chaudhury