Tuna Balls At Misso

Bruce Kim brings his suburban Sushikazu-brand sushi to Center City under the name Misso at 1326 Spruce Street and it beats many of Philadelphia’s often middling sushi options.

But the pièce de résistance, the masterwork — the reason to visit, even — is the tuna ball. An orb of pink, fleshy, finely chopped tuna tartare obscures hidden bits of crisped flour, minced scallion and a judiciously applied smidgen of a spicy sauce (though sometimes the sushi chef uses wasabi). It’s rolled in vibrant orange masago and dusted with green flakes of shiso, each ball offering a spectrum of textures and flavors — crisp, soft, spicy, briny, vaguely oniony.

An order includes five balls (at Sushikazu you’d get six, but we can forgive this oversight) placed over a spaghetti-like tangle of daikon that absorbs the masago glow. Its naked presence, when the tuna is gone, will likely have you going for another round.

Misso Accomplished [City Paper]
Misso Sushi [Official Site]