To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.

I must confess – I do a lot of dish features and every so often I come across a dish that I totally forgot that I had done (many times I’ll do multiple dishes in a seating). Having this week’s dish again recently jogged my memory that I needed to circle back around and feature. And even though my photo is a little outdated on how it’s currently plated, the basic structure (and taste) of the dish remains intact.

Listed on the menu as a chef’s special, it’s easy to see why. Thin slices of Hamachi are joined on the plate with red yuzu kosho, Shiro ponzu, sesame oil, and red radish then topped with paper thin serrano slices and togarashi.

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The Hamachi is easily the star of the show. Slightly buttery, it just wants to completely melt in your mouth without even chewing. Its delicate sweetness marries up superbly with the spiciness of the yuzu kosho (chili paste), serrano and togarashi while the ponzu adds the citrus punch and the radish provides not only a cooling component, but texture as well.

I’m a sucker for fresh fish, so it’s not a stretch to say this is one of my most favorite bites. It shouldn’t have taken me another tasting to remember just how good it was. But, I had a lot of fun going down memory lane.

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Drunken Monkey is located at 11253 Brockway Rd, Ste. 105 in Truckee. For menu and general information visit them online at drunkenmonkeysushi.com or reach them by phone at 530-582-9755.