Crowds flock to Sapporo for the scene, not the sushi
By KELLY WILSON
Get Out

The spot: Sapporo, 14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale

Happy hour: 4 to 7 p.m. daily

The vibe: A line of sleek sports cars, BMWs and Mercedes decorate the valet area of the Pacific Rim restaurant and bar on an early Friday night. Sapporo reeks of money. And the people inside — from the restaurant staff to the customers — are beautiful. Sapporo's see-and-be-seen patio is slammed with people in their 20s to 60s, while a few younger couples and small groups dine inside the restaurant where it's easier to hold a conversation. The restaurant is illuminated in bright blue, which adds to its hipness.

The food deals: Discounted appetizers

The drink deals: Half-off drinks, except bottled beer

The review: The tootsie rolls ($4) — an order of eight small sushi rolls that are filled with crab and cucumber — are sprinkled with tempura bits and drizzled with a sweet sauce. Although this is our favorite treat at Ra, it doesn't wow us here, since the rolls aren't packed tightly and fall apart when we pick them up with chopsticks. However, the yummy Philly Rolls ($5), which also come in an order of eight and are filled with cream cheese, smoked salmon and avocado, don't fall apart. The lobster cocktail rolls ($5), eight sushi rolls filled with a lobster salad mix and avocado, are equally delicious. The lobster and vegetable dumplings ($5) and barbecue chicken egg rolls ($5) both come in a way-too-small order of four. The vibrant green caramel appletini ($4.50) is one of the best martinis we've had in awhile. Though most of the food we tried was delicious, people aren't coming to Sapporo for the food. They're coming because of the restaurant's atmosphere.

The inside scoop: Sapporo also offers a reverse happy hour from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday

Info: and www.sappororestaurant.com