Review: Piranha Killer Sushi

Review: Piranha Killer Sushi

Location: Ground Floor, Parking Garage behind Chase Bank Building
335 W. 3rd St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Telephone: 817-348-0200

Genre: Sushi, General Japanese

I’m a big believer in the continued urbanization of Fort Worth as a whole, and of the amazing and ever-broadening success of the revitalization of downtown. From time to time, I’ll likely do reviews or stories about downtown or New Urbanism projects and shops in the Panther City, and to kick off, I thought I’d take a look at the new sushi place in downtown: Piranha Killer Sushi.

The newly opened Piranha Killer Sushi in downtown is the second location for this local sushi joint, following up on its initial location in Arlington. Owners & chefs Kenzo Tran and Tommy Le have created an outstanding Japanese eatery serving up incredibly tasty dishes.

Before getting in to the actual review, I’d just like to say that I simply love that sign. The little piranha mascot is great, and the sign helps to create a lively storefront, which is essential to any great urban environment. Piranha’s location in the cool Art Deco-styled David Schwarz-designed parking garage of the Chase Bank Building certainly helps, as well. Yes, it’s a cool-looking parking garage. Who would have imagined? Mr. Schwarz also designed the attached Chase Bank Building, as well as the Bass Performance Hall and many other assorted buildings in and around downtown. His buildings all seem to have fantastic street interaction and pedestrian appeal, and Piranha’s signage and overall look take full advantage of it.

The first thing that strikes you about Piranha when you walk in the door is the look of the place - I’d describe it as a sort of ’50s lounge/tiki bar, with a shot of Japanese style, blended with a dash of Ikea. It’s a look that’s both incredibly cool and very warm and welcoming. The sushi bar itself occupies the center of the cozy dining room, with seating around the perimeter and a drinks bar along the back wall. No, it’s not big inside, but the smaller space adds to the atmosphere. The look and feel of the place is just right - it feels like a place transplanted from a huge urban environment like New York or Chicago.

We found the service to be prompt, efficient, and friendly - the icing on the cake, because the food was simply fantastic. We ordered a bento box, containing two different styles of veggie sushi rolls, a serving of a delectable seaweed salad, a cucumber salad that impressed, and an interesting (and tasty) serving of tomatoes and cheese in a soy-based sauce. The classic veggie rolls were very flavorful, and the nigiri veggie rolls were equally impressive, featuring an asparagus roll, an avocado roll, and a red pepper roll that featured a wonderful marinade. The seaweed salad tasted great and felt nicely refreshing, while the cucumber salad even won me over - and I don’t even care for cucumbers. The tomato/cheese arrangement was a wonderful cap to the box.

As an aside, upon repeat visits to Piranha, this bento box has been different each time. Its contents are chef’s choice, and each time we have been served unique, creative, and incredibly tasty sushi & sides.

Prices were reasonable, especially considering the impressive quantity and variety we got - though they are definitely on the higher side of “reasonable.” Looking back afterwards, both Steph and I agreed that we have found a new favorite sushi joint in Piranha. It’s got everything covered - outstanding food, wonderful atmosphere, and a great location. As downtown Fort Worth continues its amazing renaissance, Piranha should be in a great place to capitalize on all the activity - and if the constant lines and packed crowds we’ve been seeing while walking by the place are any indication, it looks like their success has already begun. I’d like to extend a warm welcome to downtown to Kenzo and Tommy, and I wish them the best of luck with the downtown location. We’ll certainly be stopping by regularly.

Price: $$
Rating: *****
Site: Piranha Killer Sushi