• Alex Springer

Lately, I've been getting a lot of mileage out of the sushi/ramen combo. It's a perfect tag team of flavor intensity and subtlety, and there are always plenty of options to choose from. I've tried this combo enough to narrow down my favorites in the middleweight category, so now it's time to move on up to the big leagues—which seems pertinent, since higher-end Japanese steak and sushi places are starting to proliferate along the Wasatch Front. I've had Miyazaki (6223 S. State Street, Ste. 4, 801-877-7788, miyazakislc.com) on my list since it opened near Fashion Place Mall nearly a year ago, and I've wanted to visit ever since I peeked inside during a quick jaunt to the mall right before Christmas.

The space itself had a big impact on my desire to eat there. It's sleek from top to bottom, and its faux cherry blossom trees that line the walls and its sushi bar murals set the perfect tone for the elegant food you're going to get. As it's a sushi "bar," diners can check out a well-stocked drink menu that features several varieties of sake along with a few house-made craft cocktails to complement the meal.

My gameplan was to stick to the combination of "intense and nuanced" that I have come to rely on in my past sushi and ramen ventures, but I wanted to take Miyazaki out for a bit of a spin at the same time. I decided that the bone marrow butter ribeye ($48) was the best way to test the waters; it's right in the middle of the seven-ounce Wagyu sirloin ($29) and the A5 steaks that run from $109 to $159 a piece. The existence of these steaks on the menu should reveal all you need to know about Miyazaki's chops as a steakhouse—understanding how to procure, cultivate and prepare meat of this caliber requires a huge amount of talent.

Even if you don't splurge on the A5 cuts, the bone marrow butter ribeye is a hell of a steak. It arrives with a healthy dollop of bone marrow butter on top, which melts into luxurious ripples of meaty decadence. The ribeye itself is a 12-ouncer, so you get plenty of steak for your buck here. And what steak it is: just enough sear on the outside to create a thin crust that yields to the juicy steak itself. It also comes with some tasty roasted asparagus and wasabi mashed potatoes on the side, and both additions work very well with the steak. I especially liked the wasabi kick in the mashed potatoes. This ribeye is easily on my top five favorite steaks list—it's cooked perfectly, given all kinds of love with the sides and did I mention bone marrow butter?

Those after something a bit less daunting than a 12-ounce steak swimming in bone marrow, but still packing those intense flavors, will want to try the ramen. Their tonkotsu ramen ($18) builds an excellent foundation of bone broth and works to elevate that flavor with each ingredient. The boiled eggs, tender chashu pork and thin slices of nori work together to impart their own unique flavors to the broth, all of which gets soaked up by the thin ramen noodles inside. If you want a ramen that speaks to the delicious excess of Miyazaki, try the black garlic lobster ramen ($38), which takes advantage of the black garlic oil—can't go wrong here—and lobster to impart some stronger flavors into the ramen. It's excellent for ramen fans who want to get a little fancy.

With the intense flavors of the steak and ramen locked down, it was time to venture into the more subtle flavor notes of Miyazaki's sushi. Though I am planning on taking a deeper dive into Miyazaki's sushi menu, I think the Hayao ($19) and the Salmon Lemonade ($17) rolls are great options. The Hayao is for those who want to see how many ingredients can fit comfortably on top of a sushi roll; the triple sashimi salad and sliced lime really give this roll some fresh pops of flavor. The Salmon Lemonade roll comes topped with salmon and caramelized lemon, which is citrusy and delightful. I continue to be a fan of sushi as an accompaniment to something else, but these are definitely rolls that feel like meals unto themselves.

While the signature rolls are a great place to start, diners should keep in mind that Miyazaki is a full-service sushi bar—their selection of sashimi and nigiri is extensive, and it's easy to perch at the bar and order anything from sea urchin to oysters. For $15, you can request some fresh wasabi that comes grated tableside, and you can even purchase your own sushi-grade fish from their market. If you're a sushi fan in the Murray area and you've got some extra funds burning a hole in your pocket, Miyazaki will make you very happy.