by Eleonora Boreyko

HAKATA SUSHI
2830 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 828-8404
I think it is uncommon for a sushi restaurant to be open on Sunday at 10am? Indeed, the chef’s of Hakata have passion for the outstanding sushi as well as the football. Come to see your favorite team play while gulping oyster shooters or the celestial crab sushi with sweet sauce. A large room has three televisions and a square bar area in the middle with a giant dinosaur hanging from the ceiling, holding a bottle of Kirin. If commercials during the break seem a bit boring, look around: the walls are crowded with posters and pictures, some of which are signed by legends of showbiz. Just to name a few: basketball player Reggie Miller, musician Brian Zetzer, skater Michel Kwan, comedian/actor John Candy. As energy builds up, ask Riki, a.k.a. crazy sushi man, to make lobster tempura with a sauce that adds a spiky taste to it. Don’t let the fun slip away even if your team is losing.

by Steve Goodman

Toni’s Sushi
1208 Washington Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-9368

That’s Toni with an “i” so don’t let the name fool you, Toni’s is anything but Italian. Toni’s was “rolling” out some of the best Sushi on The Beach while the chefs at the countless other sushi/sashimi restaurants that have sprung up in Miami were probably still rolling around the playground. Out-of- towners and locals alike continue to flock to Toni’s for its great selection of rolls, including the unique Miami Heat Roll named either for its wonderful zesty tuna with scallions and sesame oil or our Champion B-ball Franchise. Another Fav is the Beach Rolls, a delectable combo of baked eel, salmon, avocado and spicy mayo. Toni’s is open to 11:30PM during the week and to 12:30AM on the weekends, and like most SoBe Hot Spots is busiest on the weekends, so expect a wait – but its well worth it.

by Steve Goodman

Sushi Blues
2009 Harrison Street
Hollywood, FL 33020
(954) 929-9560
Just a few miles north but still within the Miami Metro area in the newly swinging and upscale Downtown Hollywood, you will find the Sushi Blues Café. This reporter who lives on Hollywood Beach could not put together a “best of” Sushi list, without including one of his favorite local haunts. Its been said that Sushi is an art – and what better way to enjoy one art form then in the presence of another. Often imitated Sushi Blues is the quintessential place where “Asian Fusion” means as much about the cuisine as it does about the world famous Jazz and Blues musicians you can enjoy there almost any night of the week. A feast for the palate as all as the ears, Sushi Blues is a South Florida tradition that is not to be missed.

by Magda Nakassis

Rockville Sushi
785 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 251-1822
With the Japanese government threatening to crack down on faux sushi restaurants, you had better write down the address of Korean-run Rockville Sushi before it’s forced to change its name. This little hole in the wall in suburban Maryland serves Korean house specialties and Japanese sushi side by side. *shock/horror* The clientele is almost exclusively Korean, and if you’re unable to speak/read Korean yourself, you may have difficulty ordering. But whatever you do end up pointing to on the abstruse menu, it will inevitably be delicious—even if you never figure out exactly what it is you’re eating: before, during, or after consumption. The prices are also very reasonable, and if you leave the “Wintergreen Plaza” strip mall without eating an oddly textured, unidentified raw sea creature, well then you’re just not trying very hard.

by Magda Nakassis

Sushi-Ko
2309 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-4187
Washington, DC’s oldest sushi restaurant remains (with little argument) its best. In the safe hands of creative director and co-owner Daisuku Utagawa and head chef Koji Terano, Sushi-Ko succeeds in bringing sushi fanatics, discriminating foodies, and Glover Park locals a stunning blend of traditional and creative Japanese fare. Wielding his $2,000 knife, Chef Terano treats Washingtonians to the best fish in town and a menu that is utterly gourmet. (The “sushi moriawase”—the chef’s pick of that day’s finest fish and rolls—is highly, highly, highly recommended.) In addition to Terano’s culinary skill, Sushi-Ko prides itself on Utagawa’s innovation. He has pioneered the pairing of Japanese food with French burgundies, and the man is a genuine international culinary playboy—trekking across the globe in search of the world’s finest foods and techniques, and folding them back into Sushi-Ko’s menu. DC is blessed to be the home of such a cutting-edge veteran.

by Lynn Marshall

I LOVE SUSHI
100 Fairview Ave. N., (206) 625 9604
Both I Love Sushi locations, the one here in Seattle near Lake Union, and its two eastside cousins in Bellevue are great places to introduce someone to sushi – they’re big, family friendly and easygoing, but the quality is terrific, and has been consistent since the main Bellevue location opened in 1986. Many of the city’s sushi chefs got their start right here.
The combination plates are winners, and the more traditional Japanese selections like the sea urchin and abalone are great choices for the more experienced. Healthy techniques and organic ingredients are emphasized at I Love Sushi, and are a priority for founder Yoshi Yokoyama.

by Lynn Marshall

SHIKI
4 West Roy St., (206) 281 1352
In addition to the usual favorites - rolls, sashimi, and nigiri, Shiki, located in lower Queen Anne, emphasizes seasonal sushi. The staff and sushi chef Ken Yamamoto will be happy to talk to you about the specials. Don’t miss the 10 gallon fish tank and the terrarium at the end of the bar – that eel you ordered may well be swimming in the tank just minutes before arriving on your plate!  The black and purple décor is casual, and Shiki often feels more like a neighborhood bar than the typical great sushi restaurant. Yamamoto trained in Japan and is one of the few US chefs licensed to prepare the potentially deadly puffer fish, Fugu.

by Marie Richie

RESTAURANT MURATA
200 SW Market St., Suite 105
Portland, OR 97201
(503)-227-0080
Probably the most expensive sushi restaurant in town, Murata specializes in creating authentic Japanese food of the highest quality. This small and sparsely decorated space in downtown also offers private tatami rooms that can be reserved. This is the only place in town to reliably get fresh toro (fatty tuna belly). Be sure to ask your server for some recommendations, as you’re sure to encounter things on the menu that gaijin have never heard of – they’ll be happy to help you expand your culinary horizons. The usually large Japanese crowd found here on any given night attests to the authenticity.

by Marie Richie
SUSHIVILLE SUSHI-GO-ROUND
1514 NW 23rd Ave. (at Quimby)
Portland, OR 97210
(503)-226-4710
One of several sushi restaurants in town with a conveyor belt, Sushiville serves the best quality fish, by far. Walk in and sit right down. Servers are ready to take your order for anything you can’t find going around, drinks and special requests. The bar is enormous, though the seats are not. The cafeteria atmosphere is punctuated by endless pop-hits of the 1980s. However, you won’t care when you get the bill. Each color-coded plate ranges from $1.25 for edamame or tomago to $3.75 for the spicy dragon or caterpillar rolls. Help yourself to all the ginger and wasabi you want, and don’t forget to have your frequent diner card stamped. Available for take out.

by Genevieve Wheeler

AOI
1210 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 985-1838

Aoi has an unusual name and a prime location: close to the Forrest and Walnut Street Theaters, two of Philadelphia’s most beloved theaters. Aoi serves up authentic Japanese cuisine, with a range of sushi and sashimi treats that boggles the mind! Go there before a show to sample their eel and crabmeat combination specialties. Aoi is famous for its all-you-can-sushi special, available seven days a week for a measly $19.95! But wait, there’s more! Aoi’s menu also features a huge selection of noodle dishes and seafood entrees, as well as a completely vegetarian menu.