Tsunami has long been at the top of the food chain when it comes to sushi in Baton Rouge.
Opening its elevators in 2005, Tsunami’s downtown location atop the Shaw Center of the Arts provides an extravagant sushi experience for anyone looking for a fancy feast and a vibrant view of the Old State Capitol and the Mississippi River. However, that terrace-topped sushi elegance spot comes at a high price, especially for college students. Tsunami describes their Japanese cuisine with southern flare as “edible art,” but is it worth the hype?
No, at least, that’s what criminology senior Elizabeth Perot and early childhood education junior Camille Toups thought. Perot went to Tsunami to shoot some shots for her foodie Instagram page, @kizzie_eatzz, but said she and Toups were thoroughly disappointed by the experience.
“This place is very forgettable, like a 3/5,” said Toups. “You can go to better places that are cheaper.”
Perot and Toups spent about $50 on four rolls and a glass of plum wine but said they were still hungry after eating.
“The Rock-n-Roll was $12 and it maybe tickled my stomach at most,” said Perot. “It was like an appetizer in sushi form, and an average sushi appetizer at that.”
“I had the Father Calais roll,” said Toups. “It was not much. For $12, they gave me six pieces and cut them so thin, which would’ve been fine if the taste was as great as it was hyped up as, but the roll was average.”
The pair also shared a roll with a Louisiana twist. Tsunami’s Ragin Cajun roll, which features alligator, was reportedly tasty, unique and fairly priced at eight dollars.
“$8 is the perfect price for a place like this,” Toups said. “The sushi is average, but the location makes up for it. I would come back if it was cheaper, but at the cost and the quality of the sushi, most of the rolls just aren’t worth it.”
There were other options with crawfish, crab and even Doritos in them, but the two were too reluctant to try the last one.
“When I saw the nacho cheese Dorito crumbs over a salmon roll, I was so curiously appalled—I felt like I had to try it,” said Toups. “But then I was like, ‘Do I really want to spend $9 just to see if this absurd idea even works?’”
To Perot, Tsunami is regarded as the most prestigious sushi restaurant in all of Baton Rouge, but that reputation didn’t make sense after her experience.
“This place is so hyped because of where it is. It’s in an art museum on a downtown terrace, so all of Baton Rouge social life is gonna want to go here because it’s clout—it’s classy—but it’s average food, and it’s way overpriced,” explained Perot.
Toups added that despite the disappointing food, the view was Instagram-worthy and memorable.
“I mean – maybe we just didn’t order the right things?” Toups concluded. “I feel like I could go to Rouse’s, buy sushi, and sit on a rooftop and I would have the same experience.”
