Ken Smith/Turnagain Times
Yamato Ya has been serving some of the best sushi in Anchorage since 1982. It is located on the Old Seward Highway next to midtown New Sagaya.
By Robin Rosemond
Turnagain Times Correspondent
Turnagain Times has been getting feedback on this column. I was encouraged to stretch the coverage to outlying areas and events. This gives me an opportunity to promote things in places like Homer, Valdez, or Seward. All of these communities need press, just like the Anchorage Bowl. Please write and tell us about your upcoming events.
I want everyone to go to The Seward Music and Arts Festival that’s happening Sept. 25, 26 and 27. Seward is a great town. I’ve taken a boat tour of Resurrection Bay and saw plenty of wild life. I attended the Polar Bear Plunge last year, and watched with amazement as people jumped in to the icy waters of the Bay in crazy outfits, for the fight against cancer.
I think the Yukon Bar is one of the coolest drinking holes in Alaska, and the drive south is beautiful. This year’s festival has a diverse and talent packed line up. All of the following artists are worth the drive to Seward, and they’re also worth the ink to list. The festival will also have a wide assortment of craft and food booths.
Below is the schedule of music and entertainment at the festival.
Friday September 25
Jim Pfeiffenberger, Free Fuel, Rogues And Wenches, The Smile Ease, The Bac’untry Bru’thers All Night dRAGTIME Revue, Spenard Satans Old Timey Clubhouse Band, Sonny Smith, White Magic.
Saturday September 26
Local Dancers, Sarahndipity, Melanie Trost, Gypsy Underground, Illaska Assassins, Melissa Mitchell And Spiff, Tamba Hadzi!, Lu Lu And The Small Band, The 11:20s, Woodrow, Nervis Rex.
Sunday September 27
BC Music School Students, Anchortown Circus,The Yngvil vatn Guttu Jazz Combo, Diana Z, The Crain Family and Friends.
The Earth, Fire and Fibre exhibit at the Anchorage Museum’s is a beautiful show that runs through Dec. 6. This exhibit is a biennial juried craft exhibition, and it showcases Alaska artists working with clay, glass, metal, wood, fiber, skin, bone or stone. Selected artworks show that art and craft are one in the same in many ways. Included with museum admission.
The restaurant pick for this issue is Yamato Ya next to midtown New Sagaya on the Old Seward Highway.
Fresh Sushi has been a trademark of this long-time local favorite. It first opened in 1982 under the original owner Ken Kusano. Three years ago he sold the restaurant to Keola and Wesley Nakamoto, a father and son team.
They have maintained a family atmosphere, no over the top interior design, just a simple and comfortable décor and seating with great sushi. One gentleman sitting at the sushi bar said he eats there three or four times a week, which, he said, helped to lower his high cholesterol to a now healthy level.
Yamato Ya has four professional sushi chefs, many with over 20 years experience, like Tepe. Tepe specializes in western Japanese sushi utilizing his unique marinades on some sushi dishes, like the mackerel (Saba) , using salt, vinegar and kelp. He also marinates the salmon roe (Ikura) with his own recipe, and it is excellent. They use chum salmon roe, which is the preferred roe for sushi bars because they are the largest salmon eggs.
Yamato Ya is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 4-10 p.m. for dinner. Closed Sunday.
Write to me about events or places of interest:
rosebud61155@mac.com
Or check out my blog:
www.rosemondpost.com
