Szechuan Restaurant

There’s just something about hot summer temperatures and sushi that seem to go hand in hand, isn’t there? When our appetites are light and we’re daydreaming about our next beach vacation, we head for Szechuan Restaurant, a favorite locals’ haunt for both Chinese food and sushi. Grab a seat at the bar and watch the sushi chefs create colorful works of art or take a seat in the dining room that features traditional Asian décor. If you’ve been in Sedona for a few years, you’ll remember that the proprietors of Szechuan once also owned the adjacent Martini Bar. That shuttered, but Szechuan has taken over cocktail duty, and they have some creative concoctions on the menu. Our favorite is the Geisha Girl, which features Tanqueray gin, TY KU Citrus liqueur, Soho Lychee liqueur and fresh lime juice. It’s served in a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass for those of you with a sweet tooth.

In June, we’re all about the sushi for both lunch and dinner, and we think it’s some of the freshest sushi in northern Arizona. The Instagrammable Black Dragon Roll features softshell crab, fried roe, avocado and cucumber, all topped with eel. If you like it hot, go with the Spicy Girl Roll. Tuna and avocado are topped with spicy salmon and hot sauce. Want to stay true to your June theme? The Summer Roll is chock full of crab, avocado and cucumber wrapped in salmon and topped with salmon eggs, onions and scallions. It’s served with a ponzu sauce. If you’re dining midday, don’t miss out on the lunch menu’s Chirashi, a bowl of perfectly steamed white rice topped with tuna, salmon, yellowtail sashimi, tamagoyaki (a type of Japanese omelette) and cooked shrimp, all topped with salty salmon eggs.

If it’s Chinese that you’re craving, start with the Seaweed Egg Drop Soup and then move on to any moo shi entrée. (Our favorite is the chicken.) The dishes feature mushrooms, bamboo shoots, eggs, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and carrots along with Peking pancakes perfect for sopping up that umami saucy goodness. If you want to finish with something sweet, the green tea and red bean ice creams are both winners.– Erika Ayn Finch. Photo by Deb Weinkauff.

MORE SEDONA FOOD AND DRINK: Sedona’s best sandwiches, Sedona’s best vegetarian meals, Sedona’s best hot dogs, wine cellars 2014, wine tasting rooms, Sedona’s best pizza, pizza in Old Town Cottonwood, happy hours, barbecue restaurants, deserts, local beers, hamburgers, best Sedona cuisine, Sedona bars, clubs and nightlife, gourmet dining, Sedona restaurant listings, Sedona and Cottonwood chefs