W Somo Kitchen and Sushi
hen Nino Elgheryany served as head sushi chef at Ten Prime Steak and Sushi , audacity was part of the game . A dimly lit restaurant that exuded illicit behavior , the menu managed to meld Kobe beef and sushi rice in a harmonious , hedonistic manner . But now that Elgheryany has opened his own spot in Providence ’ s Jewelry District , he ’ s less about shock value and focused more on an organic — though still innovative — approach to Japanese cuisine .
Born of Egyptian and Italian parents , Elgheryany earned a degree in genetics in Asia but pursued his passion of Japanese cuisine . Trained in Japan , the chef is exuberant about cross-cultural eating . Somo Sushi , however , is not about redefining traditional Japanese food as much as it widens the perimeter of its approach . Servers are dressed in black but the space itself is serene and airy , dominated by light wood and light paint . It also eschews moody romance for a sense of youthful glee : The back wall is covered in colorful renditions of nigiri , candles are placed in jelly jars ornamented with pandas and there are live orchids throughout the dining room . There are two screens near the bar and one massive steak on the menu but , largely , the kitchen keeps American perspective at bay in its celebration of Asian custom .
Seaweed salad is strictly saltwater and sesame , grilled oysters are served with miso butter , and shishito peppers arrive with dollops of yuzu-chili aioli . But Somo is committed to the Japanese belief that meals are meant to exist in harmony , not in competition . Even when continental influence meanders in , it does so only in a supporting role : a wedge salad is the base for carrot-ginger dressing ($ 10 ); hot honey coats edamame beans ($ 8 ); burrata cheese pairs with peaches soaked in mirin ($ 14 ). Each dish is just unfamiliar enough that first-time visitors entrust their servers to map out a meal on their behalf . “ I ’ m going to stick with him ,” declared one diner , pointing to his server with pride . “ I told him to bring me whatever he loves .”
What everyone loves — including Elgheryany — is a take on sushi that ’ s grounded in heritage but translates to a modern palate . Sushi has been in the American culinary lexicon for forty years , but Somo ’ s plates
SOMO KITCHEN AND SUSHI
373 Richmond St ., Providence , 383 – 2307 , somopvd . com . Open for lunch and dinner Mon . and Wed .– Fri . Open for dinner Sat . and Sun . Closed Tuesday . Street parking .
MUST GET Seaweed salad , any small plate ,
all the sushi .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2022 103