Enjoy artistic and flavorful sushi creations at Z Cafe

John Toma, a native of Hawaii, is the owner of Z Cafe, which offers a wide variety of dishes, including Hawaiian entrées. John makes sure that the food is fresh; and even serves fresh fish seven days a week.

Continuing with the tradition of fresh food, sushi has been on the menu for about a year now and is available to diners after 5 p.m. Created by Chef Moe, the sushi is artfully created, and he pays particular attention to colors, flavors, and textures.

The Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls and the Shrimp Tempura Hand Rolls are enveloped with sheets of nori seaweed. Inside are delicious surprises of spicy tuna, rice, sesame seeds, shrimp tempura, and crab, depending on which roll you order. Order both, like I did, and get a taste of it all. A “hand roll” is a cone of seaweed that should be eaten as finger food. Leave the chopsticks on the plate for this one.

For a punch of spicy flavor sample one of Chef Moe’s “Special Rolls.” I tried the Tuna Roll which was made with nori seaweed, rice, spicy tuna, crab and avocado. With the red tuna layered on the top, and the spicy mayonnaise sauce drizzled on the tuna, the roll looks so vibrant it resembles a dancing dragon!

Another fresh choice is the Raman Noodle Soup which is packed with fresh and delicious ingredients, including pork, nori seaweed, hard-boiled egg, and chopped green onions. Fish cakes float on the top and tempura shrimp is served on the side. This soup bowl is so jammed full of good things that it might not even qualify as soup! The flavors blend marvelously with a spicy flair. The tempura shrimp are light and crunchy with a mild flavor.

Relax on the patio in the fresh air and enjoy some of Chef Moe’s delightfully flavorful creations.

Z Cafe has been in the Bonsall River Village location for seven years; and it has been so popular that they are thinking of expanding. “We have customers who visit each day, and we even have some who come two or three times a day. We are blessed by that.” John continued, “We have been blessed because community support has been so solid.”

Customers are not the only people who have been loyal – many of the staff members have been working at Z Cafe since the restaurant opened. With a strong staff – both in the kitchen and out front – Z Cafe is able to shine at what they do.

“In order to hold high standards you need to have good strong people to uphold them,” John noted.

Look for some future developments, including a local winery’s satellite wine tasting room. Z Cafe is also developing some “small plates” to pair with the wine.

Z Cafe is located in River Village at 5256 S. Mission Rd. in Bonsall. Contact them by telephone at (760) 940-1751; or find them on the Web at zcafeinbonsall.com. (Z Cafe Specials: Tuesday-One Dollar Tacos, Wednesday-Two for One Burgers, and Saturday-Prime Rib.)