I have now reviewed the Nick-San downtown Cabo San Lucas for the third time and something has changed. Nick-San has another location closer to San Jose del Cabo in Las Tiendas de Palmilla but the original, opened almost a decade ago, is in the heart of Cabo.
What has changed over the course of those three reviews is that Cabo has been flooded with dozens of quality high-end restaurants, quarterbacked by accomplished chefs from around the world. This influx of new talent that actually want to come here to Cabo, have raised the culinary bar for others to follow. Nick-San could rest on its reputation and still do very well but with co-owner Angel Carbajal Arteaga and his well trained kitchen staff this simply didn’t happen.
Nick-San continues to lead, amaze and surprise regulars and newbies alike. The downtown Cabo location is minimalist with low-slung ceilings and a sweeping sushi bar visible as you enter. I wanted to jump into the menu quickly and ordered Oyster Ponzu, fresh oysters from the Pacific (almost local Todos Santos) with a ponzu sauce made with lemon juice or rice vinegar, soy sauce and dried bonito flakes. The salty fresh small oysters were perfectly chilled and meaty with the ponzu sauce adding the appropriate zip.
The Scallops Dinamita ($15), baked Sea of Cortez scallops and stone crab mixed with white mushrooms, masago, chives and spicy red sauce could only come from Angel’s imagination and rocked the Casbah. From the Specials menu try the Gyoza ($15) stuffed with shrimp and scallops drizzled with Serranito (chile) sauce or the Stone Crab ($18) stone crab Roll (also with tempura lobster) inside mixed greens, avocado, cilantro sprout wrapped in soy bean paper with a mustard garlic curry oil sauce.
The all-day menu has appetizers, sushi, tempura, specials, sushi and special rolls. From the Special Rolls menu be sure to try the Spider Roll ($13), Spicy Special Roll ($11) or the Rainbow Roll ($14). The wine list is decent but I always find that a good, cold beer is best with the raw fish rolls and a warm sake goes with the tempura. If you do go the wine route try to stay with the ‘fruity’ varietals like a Riesling or a Pinot Gris. It is not often I give the ‘Just Go’ rating but Nick-San clearly deserves it. Just go and love it!
Blvd. Marina lote 10 local 2, Plaza de Danza, Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos, Mexico. Phone: (624) 143 2491, 143 4484 or 143 2354. Open daily from 11:30am to 10:30pm.––Bradley Fraser.
