Aqua Reef
It is hard to find good sushi in New Mexico, especially in the city of Las Cruces. Mexican restaurants outnumber other types of restaurants by a lot here in Las Cruces. There are a few local spots that serve up some great sushi, but Aqua Reef has to be my favorite.
Aqua Reef is hidden in one of the suites behind Celebrate Liquors. The first thing you notice when you walk into the restaurant is the sushi bar, because it takes up most of the restaurant’s space. The sushi bar’s highlight is a moat filled with water and goes around the entire bar and into the kitchen and back. Boats filled with an assortment of tapas float on top of the moat allowing those who sit at the bar to pick and choose appetizers without having to wait on a server to order. I suggest sitting at the bar when going to Aqua Reef. Not only is it entertaining watching the boats float by, but the Sushi Chefs always strike up a great conversation with those at the bar.
When recommending a dish at Aqua Reef I always have a hard time, because I like so many of their entrees. When sitting at the bar, I would recommend picking up their Sesame Tahine Hummis or the 4 Piece California Roll off of the boats. When ordering from the menu, their Satay Skewers Sampler is always a great appetizer. It includes four different types of skewers: Pineapple, Chicken, Prosciutto Asparagus, and Negi Maki, which are scallions wraped in thinly sliced pieces of NY Steak.
Only in New Mexico can you find sushi with green chile. I usually order two rolls of sushi when I visit Aqua Reef, and one of them has to be their New Mexico Pecan Green Chile Roll. It is a sushi roll breaded in Pecans and stuffed with Green Chile and served with Sriracha sauce. This roll is a must have whether you enjoy sushi on a regular basis or you are trying sushi for the first time.
Aqua Reef is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.
Aqua Reef is located on 900 South Telshor Blvd, Suite B, Las Cruces, NM 88011.
