Kosher Food and Drink

A nice little helping of good news with a large heap of bad news as summer 2024 gets underway.

Let’s start with the bad news. Perhaps my favorite spot in Baltimore, Sushi Sakura (3755 Old Court Rd, Pikesville, MD 21208, in the “Gucci” Giant shopping center), which opened in Fall 2021, has sadly sold to new owners and is no longer kosher, announced on its Facebook page.

Why would I be upset at the closing of yet another place that sells sushi in a town where almost every place sells sushi? I mean, seriously. Sushi is currently available at nearly every place in town: Obviously the Asian restaurants (Chu’s, Ta’am Thai), but also both supermarkets (Seven Mile, Maven), various meat places (Accents, Serengeti, Knish Shop, Kosher Bite), even pizza places (Caramel’s). I’m surprised Dunkin’ hasn’t added sushi yet.

Sushi Sakura filled a necessary Baltimore need. For me, the three main reasons to eat out are as follows:

1. Food you can’t otherwise make at home, at least with some ease, or food you can not make as well.
2. Service. This is really the main reason. It’s nice to feel like a king and have someone serving you and cleaning up for you. Many places indeed do both of these things but still fail in good service.
3. Decor/Environs. The place should be a welcome respite and offer an enjoyable feel, tailored to its particular mission.

Sushi Sakura certainly fit at least the first and third of these rules (the second was at time questionable, often because during the (cursed) Covid era it was tough to fully staff restaurants), but it was #3 for me which set it apart. The restaurant was bright, airy, and roomy. Lots of natural light, plenty of room allowing for space for private conversation, and clean. Namely, a place I wouldn’t be embarrassed to take someone accustomed to non-kosher. Too many of our restaurants suffer from cramped quarters, bad design, and/or lack of a quality spot. The thing I miss most about The Brasserie, of blessed memory, is the inside of the place itself. Again, roomy, loads of natural light, elegant decor. Something is telling here. Both of these now-retired restaurants shared a common origin story as both became kosher after taking over non-kosher restaurants.

Namely, a place I wouldn’t be embarrassed to take someone accustomed to non-kosher.

Granted, owning and operating a kosher restaurant is a daunting, difficult, and often thankless task, with razor-thin margins and long hours. But perhaps something can be learned from the fact that each of these places, originally built for non-kosher, were built with decor, elegance, and comfort in mind.

Sushi Sakura also offered a relatively small menu, another feature of a restaurant which is more likely to offer fresh (and not frozen or reheated) food which is done consistently well. Restaurants with giant menus tell you one thing: the food is clearly not all made fresh. Sakura had a short list of nicely prepped, and relatively healthy options.

So sorry to see it go. On another note, I was never in the store when the owner, my friend Josh Volosov, was not present at the front. This is often a key to things being done right. So, a tip of the cap to Josh, wishes for success in his next venture, and here’s hoping we see more of what Sushi Sakura did well applied to other restaurants in the future.

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Taharka Bros. Ice Cream Offers Nine Flavors Under Star-D

In welcome news, Baltimore-based Taharka Bros. Ice Cream, a worker-owned cooperative, now offers nine flavors under the non-Cholov Yisroel Star-D hechsher, as announced by the Star-K. As of May 17, 2024, and good through April 30, 2025, the following flavors are certified, with Star-D symbol in sealed containers:

1. Caramel Crunch
2. Cookie Dough
3. Cookies and Coffee
4. Honey Graham
5. Key Lime
6. Mint Chocolate Chip
7. Salty Caramel
8. Vanilla (non-dairy)
9. Vanilla Bean

Check out the nice little promo video (which also has a guest cameo from my lifelong friend, Rabbi Moshe Shuchman of the Star-K).

Great to see this ice cream of great repute go kosher.