Sushi Meets Burger: This Menu Needs Therapy but Tastes Pretty Good

Sushi and burgers together on the same menu sounds like a recipe for disaster. The two items do not intuitively go together, and the idea that one chef could masterfully make both strains credulity.

And yet! Chef and co-owner Alisher Yallaev immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan at 19 and has worked as a chef at buzzy restaurants, including TAO in Los Angeles, Azumi at the Baltimore Four Seasons, and, most recently, Soy Cowboy, the gigantic pan-Asian restaurant in Arlington, part of the Ben Berg Hospitality family. Before that, he opened a live-fire cooking restaurant for Berg in Houston called Prime 131, so he’s no stranger to grilling meats.

His most recent project is Doda Burger & Sushi, located in the space formerly occupied by the critically acclaimed Invasion, known for its fried chicken sandwiches. However, the new tenants have given the inside a complete makeover.

​The burgers here are standouts, with a classic bacon cheeseburger served on a butter-smothered bun before being grilled. The Doda Burger is the best of the bunch, featuring a crisp, lightly pickled cucumber, melted pepperjack cheese, pickled onions and jalapeños, paired with shredded lettuce that eats like a slaw coated in aioli, and the not-so-secret spice: a boatload of black pepper.

The Kimchi Burger was the least satisfying: the patties here are salty, resulting in a heavy mineral taste that, when combined with the tang of kimchi, is overwhelming.

​The fries are fries, although the iteration made with Parmesan, furikake and chile ponzu aioli is lovely.

Against All Odds: A Tale of Sides

Doda makes a solid case for ordering a side of sushi with your burger. The dragon roll is highly Instagrammable, with near-perfect sushi rice, but needs the umami of soy sauce to be truly good.

While Yallaev’s skill with a sushi knife is evident in those thin, beautifully placed avocado slices on top, the Alaskan crab, densely packed with shrimp tempura, can be a little dry. The spider roll makes for a great pairing and is a more balanced option, filled with soft-shell crab, kanpyo and cucumber, and topped with a dollop of yuzu kosho mayonnaise.

​Yallaev’s experience in the world of pan-Asian cuisine is evident on the menu, which features a few Americanized Chinese dishes, including a brightly flavored orange chicken with small chunks of Clementine oranges. It’s sweet and citrus-forward, and borders on being absurdly flavorful, although that flavor harps on one note.

On our first visit, we also had pork potstickers, which are not currently on the menu. Those were fine, but in a manner indistinguishable from a well-prepared Trader Joe’s iteration of the dish. Smart diners will stick to the sushi.

Omakase lovers note: There is a menu option to order a private chef’s table for eight, in which the restaurant will shut down for the night to serve you omakase for $2,360. We could not afford it, but based on the quality of the sushi, we’re interested.

Doda Burger and Sushi, 4029 Crutcher St. Monday – Saturday 12-10 p.m.; Closed Sunday