New date night spot in South MS getting rave reviews for upscale cuisine and atmosphere
When they couldn’t find the kind of high end, high quality restaurant they craved, the Nicauds built and opened their own Asian fusion dining experience in Old Town Bay St. Louis.
Toro Sushi & Sake at 108 Court St. is right downtown, yet a street away from the bustle of the beach and with views of the water.
As they looked at the property the first time, said Jourdan Nicaud, they realized the potential.
“We could get the beach view if we go rooftop,” he thought.
The same large oak tree that adds to the scenery in the first floor dining room provides a tree top experience with colorful sunsets over the water for those seated upstairs. There’s also seating on the front porch and lawn.
Jourdan and Field Nicaud, who own Field’s Steak & Oyster Bar in Biloxi and Bay St. Louis along with several other restaurants and businesses across the Coast, went to work making Toro something to talk about.
They brought back Chef Lauren Joffrion and made her executive chef at both Toro and at Field’s in Bay St. Louis.
They gave her creative control of the menu that is a blend of Asian and local influences, and they made the cocktail and sake menu just as impressive.
Setting the table
They decorated Toro in a theme that blends classic and modern, using a Japanese process to replicate tuna on the white walls, enhanced with black and gold accessories.
Distinctive chairs have backs reminiscent of coral or kelp and the chopsticks at each plate are the same golden color.
“We even sat down and picked out the platewear to match the colors that are in here,” Jeffiron said.
Keeping things light and bright, the upstairs dining room is more reminiscent of beach decor than the dark colors at many Asian restaurants.
Children are allowed, but “It is more of a date night spot,” Nicaud said.
Everything’s ‘the best’
“Everything we use is the best of the best product,” Nicaud said.
Instead of imitation crab meat, their shushi rolls are made with blue fin tuna and king salmon.
The steak is Stone Ax wagyu from Australia, and caviar and truffles flavor several of the dishes.
“There really wasn’t anywhere around here that has these awesome ingredients,” he said, especially on the western side of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The quality of the food makes it worth the price, he said, and there are people in the community who want that level of freshness and flavor.
The menu has small plates for one or two people celebrating a special night out and large plates that are plenty for friends and family to share.
Wagy tuacos in a small plate are $33 and give diners what may be their first taste of the premium beef, served with spicy mayo, pickled shiitake mushrooms, fried shallot and green onion.
Szechuan lobster and shrimp large plate is $95, comes with lobster tails and eight giant shrimp and feeds 4-6 people. The Tomahawk ribeye is a 60-ounce steak, Nicaud said, and the sushi rolls are big enough to share as an appetizer or for an entree.
“It’s a lot of food,” he said.
Since the restaurant opened last week, diners have commented on their Facebook page: “Best sushi and wagyu fried rice around, guaranteed,” and “The staff was so friendly and the food was incredible. I can’t wait to go back.”
One of a kind menu
Chef Joffrion said when she opened Field’s restaurant in 2019 a lot of her specials were geared more toward Asian cuisine. Then she gained experience with sushi at Kaiteki restaurant in Long Beach.
Sous chef Ally Hatten worked with Joffrion and drew inspiration from her. Instead of working as a hostess, she decided to graduate from culinary school.
Her favorite thing to make on the Toro menu is wagyu fried rice with a soy cured yolk and topped with caviar
“I think we get the most orders of that around there, for sure,” she said.
“And then our tuna tartare is really unique,” Joffrion said. The egg yolk on top is salt and sugar cured. “Everyone is obsessed with them. They look at it and they’re like, ‘What is this?’ And then they try it, and then they’re fighting each other for it.”
Dan Dan Noodles, a spicy Szechuan lo mein dish, is one of her favorites. “We also have an eight piece whole fried chicken that gets served with some sauces as well as the bao buns. So it’s kind of like a build your own fried chicken sandwich and ginger pickles come on it as well,” she said.
Korean barbecue is a whole roasted fish, served with a miso potion and house made chili oil and herbs.
“Pretty much any sauce we put on anything is made in house,”she said. “All of our soups are made from scratch every single day.,” she said, and include ramen, miso and egg drop soup.
The menu lists vegetarian choices, “And we also have some vegan options, or options that can be veganized upon request,” she said.
More to come
Since Toro is a special occasion and celebration place, “Our general manager, Ashton Senn, actually came up with a really unique cocktail menu that has gotten great reviews as well,” Joffrion said.
Lychee mojito, a mango sticky rice cocktail or flaming mai Tai are among the choices, along with sake and top shelf liquor to accompany dinner or available at the bar on the second level.
That area, which is equipped with heat and air conditioning, is an open space now and reachable by steps from the street. Windows will go in soon to make it a year-round space for drinks, dining and private events.
The chefs and staff already are working on smoke infused sushi rolls, specials and desserts that likely will be ready for the next menu
“At all our restaurants we do a quarterly change of menus,” Nicaud said, to refresh and add seasonal ingredients and new flavors.
Toro is open for cocktails and dinner Wednesday through Sunday and for lunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Reservations are available on resy.com.
