King Sushi
Artfully prepared, flavorful dishes reign supreme at this Driggs gem
While the ‘typical’ food of the Mountain West might bring to mind seared trout or game meat and potatoes served any way you like ’em, there’s a new cuisine king at the table.
King Sushi is serving up inventive sushi, sashimi, and Japanese-inspired dishes inside its 98 East Little Avenue location in Driggs. The sushi establishment, owned by husband and wife duo, chef Jason King and Kaylan Fullerton, opened its first location in Jackson in 2014 and expanded to the west side of the Tetons in 2023. Inside the quaint white house, chic and crisp decor with warm lighting and subtle accents like carved wooden fish cascading up the wall create a cozy atmosphere. It beckons patrons to sit back, order up the unexpected, and maybe even step out of their go-to gastronomy comfort zones. For sushi aficionados and nigiri neophytes alike, the menu is stacked with Japanese-inspired flavors beyond an impressive selection of house rolls to satisfy the palate, like scallop shooters, oysters on the half shell, pork belly ramen, pork buns, and more.
My husband Kenny and I opted for our first night enjoying this newish valley hotspot to be amongst a dozen friends replete with order after order of sushi. (Truly, I think between us all, the entire menu was ordered and not a person left unsatisfied from delicious food and wonderful conversation.) Reservations are highly recommended—we planned far in advance for such a big group—and can be easily made on King Sushi’s website. A spacious bar gives diners a front seat as sushi chefs—led by head chef Charlie Jackson—artfully prepare each vibrant roll. The dining room holds ample seating and in the warmer months, guests can opt to dine al fresco on the patio.
We started our meal with shishito peppers blistered to perfection in a sweet soy sauce, then sampled seaweed salads and edamame, and snagged a bite of yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, micro shisho, and yuzo-chili ponzu sauce. Sashimi typically consists of fresh, raw fish that is thinly sliced and topped with sauce, citrus, or any other bold flavor combination. Sushi, on the other hand, is served wrapped in seaweed and sushi rice, then filled and topped with more fish, vegetables, and sauces. Each dish is so attractively presented, it’s almost too beautiful to eat. But eat, we did. We shared three rolls, the King 2.0, the Tora, and the Smoke Show. Each proved to be a delicately balanced explosion of flavor, fresh fish, and textures. Kenny’s favorite was the jalapeño-topped King 2.0 with spicy tuna and tempura. The Tora—my top sushi bite of the evening—featured salmon, avocado, and mango and was bright and delicious. We closed out the meal with the last sips of wine, already scheming the next night out on the town spent with the reigning kings of this fabulous fare.
