Zilla Sake
Sushi restaurant · Vernon
1806 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69242584/Zilla_Sake_Kate_Koo.0.jpg "Zilla Sake by Zilla Sake / Official")
Highlights
Bohemian bar with local art, acclaimed sakes, and fresh sushi
Bohemian bar with local art, acclaimed sakes, and fresh sushi
"This Alberta sake bar isn’t just one of the city’s best sushi restaurants; it’s also one of the city’s finest gluten-free restaurants. Depending on what’s in season, visitors bite into pieces of wild-caught Chinook sashimi or dry-aged sea bream, dip bluefin nigiri in tamari, and snack on lobster kara-age dunked in yuzu kosho mayo, all while sipping pours from the bar’s extensive sake selection. The restaurant is open for takeout as well as onsite dining." - Sararosa Davies
"Since this sake bar and sushi restaurant opened over 15 years ago, chef Kate Koo still stands behind the sushi counter slicing Hokkaido scallops or lightly searing pieces of bigeye tuna. Offerings might shift with what’s in season, but past visits have involved yuzu scallop rolls creamy with the most delicate oceanic note, dry-aged king salmon nigiri balancing its butteriness with the mystifying note of whitewater, and yellowtail sashimi with a bracing citrusy element. The best experience of the restaurant, however, is in its omakase, which shows off beautiful cuts of seasonal fish." - Katherine Chew Hamilton
"Known for its meticulous sourcing and high-quality sushi options, the effortlessly cool and casual Zilla has become a destination for rare sake and fresh sushi. Chef Kate Koo serves specialties such as lobster karaage and house-braised Portuguese octopus alongside classic sushi options like salmon and tuna. Highlights include the 21-day dry-aged New Zealand Ora King salmon and Hokkaido scallops, served alongside Oregon-grown wasabi. Shocking no one, this is also a nice spot to pair sushi with distinctive sakes." - Zoe Baillargeon
"Perhaps no kitchen voyeurism is quite as rewarding as watching a top-notch sushi chef slice, brush, and shape nigiri, especially when dining alone. Zilla Sake House on Alberta specializes in immaculately prepared seasonal fish, as well as an eye-popping selection of sake. Note: Zilla offers seating at two bars on opposite ends of the restaurant, but only one features sushi chefs in action — the other is a cocktail bar, though ordering food here is welcome." - Nathan Williams
"Known for their meticulous sourcing and high-quality sushi options, the effortlessly cool and casual Zilla has become a destination for rare sake and fresh sushi. Chef Kate Koo serves specialties such as lobster karaage and house-braised Portuguese octopus alongside classic sushi options like salmon and tuna. Highlights include the 21-day dry-aged Ora King salmon and Hokkaido scallops, served alongside Oregon-grown wasabi. Shocking no one, this is also a nice spot to pair sushi with distinctive sakes." - Seiji Nanbu, Janey Wong
