The Golden Shrimp

Photos By: Mason Robinson

Did the kimbap come first or did the sushi roll over to the other side? If you are visiting a sushi joint with a fluent English-speaking Korean, your answer might just be a few mouthfuls away. The Golden Shrimp is the creation of Chef Anh and his wife Server G. Both are natives of Korea but the couple once lived in the U.K. Striving for fresh ingredients, tasty (non-frozen) sushi plates and a cozy environment, Golden Shrimp is a hole-in-the-wall gem of the new up-and-coming Suwan area.

Atmosphere & Service

Simple seating and effortless lighting will entice you into Golden Shrimp when you are walking around the back alley shops in Suwan. Expect to hear a greeting as soon as a patron enters, despite the number of people eating indoors and outdoors.

“There are a few lunch and dinner rushes,” as Chef Anh puts it, “but we try to accommodate everyone as time permits.”

The daytime offers a nice, relaxing environment with a few families eating up teriyaki bowls and such. Meanwhile, the night vibe is full of fashionable patrons ready to go out, start off with a nice sashimi platter and a draft beer, of which there are many to choose.

Food

The sashimi platter, just shy of 15,000 won, includes yellowtail fish, salmon, prawns, white tuna and a pair of kitchen torch fire-cooked beef slices. An appetizing rice soup garnished with minced beef is served before you order anything, and fresh wasabi and soy sauce is (naturally) included in the mix.

One special ingredient used in their sushi rolls is fresh avocado. Explains Ahn,“Most avocados in the big marts and other grocery stores are unripe and about three times the average price. So we order ours from a food company, which delivers us avocados that are ready to use,” Anh explains.

One foreigner favorite is the avocado side dish as well their California, Salmon and Crab rolls. Moreover, the restaurant’s namesake, the golden shrimp, is certainly something worth trying on the first or second or third time around. The dish consists of five large (tempura) fried prawns ,sitting on a bed of onion rings, and pairs wonderfully with a nice cold beer.

Prices

The food menu is available in both English and Korean, with fabulous photos of each entrée. Average plates are 7,000 won and above. Draft and bottled beer is also available at 4,000 won and up. Bon appetit!