Sushi is a cuisine that can either evoke feelings of strong hunger or of intense fear. To those unfamiliar with sushi, it can prove to be a daunting meal to attempt.
Baton Rouge offers those in need of Japan’s major food export several options to sample the delicacies. Sushi is currently available in the LSU Student Union or at four Japanese restaurants around Baton Rouge. The city will soon have new options for sushi eaters with Hello Sushi opening soon next to the new Co-Op Bookstore location, and Tsunami opening in Spring 2005 as part of the new Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge.
The five eateries sampled ranged in atmosphere from authentic Japanese to more hole-in-the-wall style restaurants. Each restaurant offers a variety of rolls, sashimi and Japanese entrees, many of which are unique to their establishment. Several rolls are available and popular at all restaurants, such as the California Roll, the Crunchy Roll and the Philadelphia Roll (also called the Miami Roll or the Cream Cheese Roll).
The California Roll usually contains avocado, cucumber and crab. The Crunchy Roll is an excellent roll for beginners. It usually contains Tempura-fried shrimp, avocado, masago, and is sometimes topped with eel sauce. The Philadelphia Roll is named for the cream cheese inside. The name varies, which can be confusing, but it typically contains either raw or smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado. The roll is excellent to consume with heavier rolls such as the Crunchy Roll, because its lighter taste makes it suitable to cleanse the palate between rolls.
KOTO OF JAPAN
Koto of Japan, located at 3023 College Dr., is the Waffle House of Japanese restaurants. The decor and service is slightly lacking; however, the food provides patrons with an average place to get their sushi fix. After sampling five sushi rolls and one type of sashimi, the conclusion was the atmosphere did not directly affect the quality.
Five rolls and one piece of sashimi were sampled at Koto: the Rainbow Roll, the Cajun Roll, the Crunchy Roll, the California Roll, the Miami Roll and yellowtail sashimi.
The Rainbow Roll is not for the timid sushi eater, since the outer layer of the roll is a combination of raw fish with various colors. Tuna, yellowtail and salmon adorn the roll’s top, in addition to the snow crab and avocado on the inside which give the roll its distinct color variation and taste.
The Cajun Roll is the equivalent of having rice and seaweed at your crawfish boil. The outer layer of rice is accented by what is clearly Tony Chachere’s — not very authentic, and not very adventurous. The inside merely tasted like boiled crawfish.
The California Roll at Koto succeeded in providing a light, crisp taste, and the Crunchy Roll was one of the best in Baton Rouge. Though it did not contain eel sauce, it was the most crunchy of all samples.
The Miami Roll was also satisfactory, as it managed to have an ample amount of cream cheese without tasting like a morning bagel.
Yellowtail is one of the less pungent varieties of sashimi, and good for those wanting to test the waters. At Koto the yellowtail was fresh and had a rich, smooth taste.
Total Price: $35.86
Grade: B
THE UNION “TIGER LAIR” BY AFC SUSHI
The Union features AFC Sushi, a chain that is available in supermarkets and other student unions nationwide. The Union is for those in desperate need of sushi or those looking for an option other than Chick-fil-A.
Four items were sampled at the Union: The Full Moon Combo, the California Roll, the Cream Cheese Roll and edamame.
The Full Moon combo provided a variety of rolls containing imitation crab. It contained California Rolls, California Salad Rolls containing imitation crab with mayonnaise, cucumber and avocado and Spicy Shrimp Rolls containing shrimp and cucumber. The combo’s smell was overpowering and seemed somewhat disturbing.
The California roll was decent, and the safest choice of Union sushi.
The Cream Cheese roll was the least appetizing. The salmon is raw, therefore one would hope the roll had been prepared properly.
Most disappointing of all was the edamame. At the Union, the soy beans were cold and not salted. The beans appeared very wrinkly, causing their freshness to come into further question.
Total Price: $16.95
Grade: D
KAMADO’S JAPANESE GRILL AND SUSHI BAR
Kamado’s, at two locations, 4612 Bennington Ave. or 4215 South Sherwood Forest Blvd., offers the most authentic Japanese atmosphere in Baton Rouge. There are paper windows, Japanese decorations and Asian music, with more traditional furniture. For those looking for the whole sushi experience, this could be the best bet.
Items sampled at Kamado’s included edamame, the Crunchy Roll, the California Maki Roll, the California Roll, the Sapparo Roll and Hawaiian cod sashimi.
The edamame, unlike the Union’s, was fresh, warm and perfectly salted. The Crunchy Rolls, although topped with the special sauce, lacked the crunchiness that the name insinuates.
The California Maki Roll featured cucumber instead of avocado, providing an even lighter and crisper taste than the average California Roll. The California Roll was one of the best sampled in Baton Rouge.
The Sapparo Roll contains yellowtail and grilled eel. The combination of the yellowtail’s smoky taste and the fatty eel gave the roll a unique taste that made it stand out among the others.
The waitress recommended the Hawaiian Cod as the freshest sashimi of the day. The cod, unlike yellowtail, is a more daunting sashimi. It breaks apart easily and is much more pungent. Although it tasted fresh, the fish is not for the casual sashimi eater due to its overpowering taste.
Total Price: $26.32
Grade: A-
ICHIBAN JAPANESE GRILL AND SUSHI BAR
Ichiban, located at 5741 Essen Ln., is the pinnacle of Baton Rouge Japanese cuisine. Though prices are higher here than at the other restaurants sampled, the food is worth every penny.
Four rolls were sampled at Ichiban: the Ichiban Roll, the Pink Lady Roll, the Crunchy Roll and the Philadelphia Roll.
The Ichiban Roll is one of the most expensive rolls on the menu at $12.95, but for a good reason. The roll is covered with tobiko, snow crab, tempura flakes and eel sauce. The inside of the roll is composed of seared tuna and avocado. It was by far the best roll sampled of all the restaurants.
The Pink Lady Roll is a newer menu item containing spicy tuna, avocado and snow crab. The rice is moved to the inside of the roll leaving the pink soy paper on the outside exposed. This makes the roll easier to consume in multiple bites. It is spicy without being overpowering.
The Crunchy Roll contained scallions, giving it a variation from the other rolls sampled.
Ichiban offers a modern, less authentic atmosphere, with jazz music and contemporary decor. It is the best all-around sushi restaurant in Baton Rouge.
Total Price: $39.95
Grade: A+
FUJI JAPANESE
RESTAURANT
Fuji, located at 4611 South Sherwood Forest, is the smallest restaurant and seemed to offer patrons a more limited selection. The rolls were less meticulously crafted, causing them to fall apart easily. The taste was not affected by the flimsy quality of the rolls.
Four rolls were sampled at Fuji: the Dynamite Roll, the Philadelphia Roll, the Crunchy Roll and the California Roll.
The Dynamite Roll contains chili sauce with mixed fish. The roll is spicy and is best accompanied by a roll with a lighter taste. The Philadelphia roll is a good companion for the Dynamite. The Philadelphia Roll at Fuji was much larger than the others sampled. It was more difficult to eat but still enjoyable.
Although the Crunchy Roll was topped with the special sauce, it was much crunchier than Kamado’s.
Fuji was more expensive than many of the restaurants sampled for lower quality sushi and less of it. The location was also the farthest from campus.
Total Price: $24.31
Grade: C