Katsuno’s carpaccio made me rethink salmon.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve ordered salmon at a sushi bar. At least one of those times was a monstrous Philadelphia roll. Novelty rolls are common at Japanese restaurants in Queens, but not at Katsuno. Yuka Seo and her husband Chef Seo pride themselves on authenticity at their Forest Hills sushi haven.

I have nothing against salmon, after all I love gravlax and such, it’s just that most other sushi—toro, yellowtail, and uni to name a few—prove more interesting. And so I thought it would be one night last week as sat on Metropolitan Avenue as the wind and the rain raged outside.

I’d just polished off a last piece of creamy toro gunkan, and off-menu specialty of chopped fatty tuna sushi. Then Chef Seo placed a plate of salmon carpaccio before me. Dressed with caper, dill, olive oil, sea salt, and red onion it was revelatory in its simplicity. It made me remember why I like Katsuno so much, the kitchen dishes sometimes outshine the sushi. And that’s not easy because Katsuno is still turning out some of the best sushi in Queens.

Katsuno, 103-01 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, 718-575-4033