Sushi Fukami Is Now Open in Portland [Photos]

Back in May, I first wrote about Sushi Fukami opening in Portland (inaccurately calling it “Fukami Sushi” at the time). After a few unexpected delays they are now open, offering an eight-seat omakase at $195 per person, led by Chef Cody Auger (Nimblefish). I’m grateful to have been at a media preview dinner last week with four colleagues to experience Sushi Fukami, and get to know Chef Auger’s work over the two-and-a-half hour meal.

Fukami means “deep taste” in Japanese.

What Preceded Sushi Fukami

I wrote back in May, “Chef Auger helped establish Nimblefish as one of Portland’s defining sushi restaurants, earning national recognition, including a spot on Bon Appétit’s Hot 10. With Sushi Fukami, he’s taking a very different approach, focusing on a highly intimate, reservation-only experience built around precision, seasonality, and direct interaction with guests.”

A predecessor timeline: Hokusei opened in 2012 and closed in 2015; Fukami Sushiya opened in its place in 2016, later popping up at Davenport in 2017; Nimblefish opened in late 2017; Chef Auger was executive chef at Takibi in 2022.

The Location and Space of Sushi Fukami

Sushi Fukami has opened in the old Lil’ Shalom space and boy, it is hardly recognizable, though you can still see the tiled wall behind the sushi bar. Lil’ Shalom closed April 2025. Fukami fills much of the space with the sushi bar itself, the prep area behind it, and comfortable seating. Colors are grey and dark blue, with natural wood for the bar and the beams above. The front window is opaque.

It joins an area of downtown with a number of Japanese restaurants in it: Ramen Ryoma, TANAKA, and Hachi; Masu and Mako Matcha Mill are also a couple blocks over. Retail shops Kokoro and Kiriko Made are nearby, too.

Sushi Fukami Staff

A meal at Sushi Fukami is basically you, the other guests, and Chef Auger. Billy Poplarchik is behind the beverage side, and also serves as operations manager. While we were there he mentioned his previous time at Departure. He also offered me a basket for my purse when I arrived (so it wouldn’t be sitting on the floor or have to be hanging from my seat), which was very thoughtful.

It is very easy to chat with Chef Auger and he seemed to really enjoy our questions and the back-and-forth that came with that.

At one point, he told us about kinki, a deep sea fish (they swim as low as 1,600 feet deep) from Hokkaido. It is uncommon on sushi menus, and is fatty, kind of buttery, and a little sweet. It was a replacement for the sanma. What a treat.

Menus at Sushi Fukami

Here was our menu for the night (click to enlarge).

There’s the food on one, drinks on another. You’ll be able to imbibe sake, Japanese whisky, beer and wine, and some additional spirits. On the NA side there’s tea, Coke, Sprite, and ginger ale.

I chose the Kukicha tea, which was light and citrusy, and went well with my meal. They also have Genmaicha and Hojicha, but they may change out the Hojicha for something else, since that tea is currently on the food menu at the end.

There were eleven courses, including dessert, which was a combination of the aforementioned Hojicha tea and melon. The melon was very flavorful, a little floral, and the perfect ending to the meal.

They work with the seasons. For instance, we were served Meichidai (Nakedhead) a kind of bream with a very short season of about a month, happening now.

Highlights of the Meal

There were a lot of things to eat—nineteen items within the eleven courses. I was surprised how I did not feel overly full after I left. There was a mix of cooked and raw dishes, and plenty of nigiri (one piece each). Here are my favorites (the kinki was also a favorite, pictured above). I really appreciated this opportunity to expand my experience with sushi, as I tend to be a creature of habit.

Savory

This was very savory, and while the tomato had a nice punch, I really enjoyed the little sardines.

I was surprised at how tender this piece of scallop was—a new experience for me.

Another tender piece of fish with a gorgeous color and so tasty.

Over time I’ve gained an appreciation for Oregon albacore tuna. The tamanegi (cooked onion) on top was a great, savory, aromatic addition to a fish I know and love.

The daikon was so finely grated, it resembled a tiny ball of shave ice. This was a cooked piece of fish.

This was my first time having uni, and it melted like butter in my mouth, and was a little sweet. A truly enjoyable experience.

All of these pieces were beautiful examples of seasonal fish, expertly cooked rice, fresh flavors, and varying textures. When Chef Auger would create each piece of nigiri, it was almost a choreographed dance between his hands—and a bit mesmerizing.

Tamago was the penultimate course and it was lovely. It came with some comforting miso soup.

Sweet

At the end of the meal was a cup of Hojicha tea and melon.

Many thanks to the folks at Sushi Fukami and their PR firm who helped set this up. They are now open on Wednesday to Saturday. It’s a reservations-only spot, as you can imagine, due to the small number of seats. There is only one seating per night, which means a maximum of 32 seats available per week.

They open up reservations on the 22nd of each month—that means tomorrow.

I’m also dedicating this piece to my longtime friend Tom Frenkel, who recently passed on, and who loved uni. I remember many happy sushi dinners with him and our group of sushi-loving friends. He would have gone bananas for this uni. RIP Tom.

Sushi Fukami [opened September 18, 2026]
1128 SW Alder Street, Portland
Sushi Fukami website | Instagram