Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. loves this sushi in KC. So I conquered my fears and tried some
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Let’s Dish, Kansas City
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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. didn’t hesitate when I asked him about his favorite go-to restaurant to try for our Let’s Dish series.
Witt replied: Blue Sushi Sake Grill in the Power & Light District.
Instantly, my mind raced a thousand miles a minute. Sweat dripped from my furrowed brow.
How was I going to eat sushi? I was not the biggest fan.
But I simply replied: “Nice! I can’t wait to try it.”
I have spent the last 30 days worrying about this meal. I was covering the Royals’ spring training in Surprise, Arizona, and at times I thought I’d ask Witt if he potentially liked anything else?
A nice steakhouse. A local barbecue joint.
Instead, I realized I needed to overcome my fears. After all, baseball is all about succeeding through trial and error.
Back in Kansas City ahead of the Royals’ Opening Day, I worked up the courage to walk into Blue Sushi Sake Grill. In fact, it was the best decision I made this year.
The vibes were immaculate. I loved the red Japanese lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The open floor was a nice touch. There was a mix of booths and bars, and two levels to enjoy.
My eyes were instantly drawn to the Godzilla mural on the back wall. I am a MAJOR Godzilla fan and love the mythical lore. To my surprise, there was an actual sushi roll called the Godzilla Bomb ($16) on the menu.
I needed about 20 minutes to peruse the entire menu. In spring training, Witt told me his two favorite sushi rolls:
The Roja Roll ($12) consists of bigeye tuna, yellowtail, avocado, cucumber, cilantro, soy paper and sriracha.
And the Spicy Gringo Roll ($12.50) has salmon, bigeye tuna, dutch yellowtail, ginger, garlic chip, barbecue paper, shallot and a serrano ponzu sauce.
Both rolls are served raw. Since this was my first sushi experience, I decided to play it safe.
I went with our server’s recommendation, the Hawaiian Roll ($13.50), tempura fried with salmon, crab mix and mangoes.
I must say the Hawaiian Roll was delicious, with savory flavors meshing well together and perfectly seasoned tempura batter.
I dipped the Hawaiian Roll in the soy sauce as Witt recommended.
To drink, I ordered a Dragon Fruit lemonade ($7) that featured a real fruit flavor. I also got a crash course on using chopsticks. Let’s just say that I need to practice more.
All in all, I can see why the Royals superstar loves this place. The music was exquisite, and the atmosphere was vibrant.
Witt, who recently signed a massive contract with the Royals, unlocked a new memory for me. It was a Kansas City experience, and I will be back.
While I tried Witt’s preferred Blue Sushi location, which opened last year at 101 E. 14th St., the Omaha-based chain has another restaurant in Westwood.
This experience got me out of my comfort zone. I added a new locale to my Kansas City foodie list and will be sharing it with my family and friends.
Who knows, I might just be back this week.
This story was originally published April 4, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
