THE NIGHT STUFF
Sounds, sushi combine for sensory delight

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

DJ Rayne gets the crowd moving on a recent night at Sansei's Sushi Lounge, where the music is supplemented by an almost full menu of sushi and other delights available for late-night munching. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

If we did, I'm certain a kindhearted Sansei manager would have warned us to refrain from dining on, like, anything, before stopping by the well-attended late-night event. The reason?

Though disguised — and quite groovily so, I'm tempted to add — as a restaurant-turned-afterhours club gig, Sushi Lounge benefits monumentally from having an almost full menu of Sansei delicacies available for noshing when folks like me generally want it most: near the midnight hour.

Three other words about Sansei's Sushi Lounge menu: Half-price, baby!

Every table in Sansei's main dining and bar area was taken when we arrived. Ambient and smooth grooves unobtrusive enough to scarf ikura and unagi nigiri by were being sculpted by Kevin Sanada on a corner two-turntable setup, but we needed a drink and seating.

A side-room housing another bar had that, and an elegant blend of R&B, hip-hop and house with swatches of funkafied '80s stuff thrown in for good measure.

Table service was quick and attentive. I was so pleasantly surprised when our server asked if I had a preferred brand of whiskey for my sour, that I added a couple of bucks to her tip for the thought. Suddenly feeling pretty good, we kicked back, watched the red splashes of light from a mirrored ball cascade on the (so-far) empty dance floor, and listened to chatter as the room filled.

A quartet of twentysomething guys, barely hiding hopes of claiming our table once we bailed, cradled monster Coronas and tried to not be as obvious scoping a foursome of recently arrived females. Assumptions were discussed, plans were made, and varying makes of well-applied Calvin Klein cologne checked as they hatched lame divide-and-conquer plans.

Though still full from dinner at (oh, the embarrassment!) Zippy's, I came this close to ordering our favorite Sansei dish — Alaska flower sushi — before abandoning the idea as a discussion of the "crappy" benefits state employees receive began at a neighboring table.

The female foursome remained unspoken for, the Calvin quartet had moved on to deeper conversation, and the dance floor had finally received some action when we broke for the main room again at 12:30 a.m. Tables opened up as the crowd moved to end the night in the hip-hop 'n' house room. The chefs at the sushi bar continued to work feverishly; in particular, for a group of guys in front of them sucking down ama ebi, ikura and 'ahi nigiri like they were McNuggets.

The restaurant was still open for lounging, conversation and beats when the food stopped, but by 1:15 a.m., finding a way into the backroom bar — and its now-crowded dance floor — held more appeal than anything else. We found it difficult to resist some sweet Prince and Janet classics being spun and stuck around to enjoy.

Next time, we'll skip Zippy's (no offense ... love the chili!) and enjoy some Sansei as well.

Got a night spot or club event we should check out? Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8005.

What: Sushi Lounge

Where: Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Restaurant Row, 536-6286, 754-6964

When: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursdays

Cover: $5

Under 21 OK?: No.

Age of crowd: Early 20s to late 30s

Dress code: No beachwear

Attire we saw: Mostly dressy, some casual. On women: camisoles, dresses, tank tops, peasant blouses, jeans. On men: dress shirts, solid T-shirts, sweaters, polos, jeans, khakis, a few baseball caps

Our arrival/departure: 11:30 p.m./1:30 a.m.

What we drank: Whiskey sour, cosmopolitan ($9)

Peak crowd while there: About 250

Queue?: No.

Sample music: Main dining area: "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo" (A Tribe Called Quest vs. Norman Cook). Back room: "Got Till It's Gone" (Janet Jackson), "Everything She Wants" (Wham!)

Dancing?: Yes.

Warning: Food service ends at 1 a.m.

Overheard line of the night:"God, Ryan, come up for some air!" — One friend reminding another about the etiquette of eating sushi