by Tracy Rose

MON JIN LAU RESTAURANT
1515 E. Maple Rd Troy, MI 48083
(248)689-2332

Mon Jin Lau is a fine dining Chinese restaurant. The tables are lined with white linen, but the atmosphere is trendy with modern décor. One reason customers fall in love with Mon Jin Lau is their Nu Asian choices. They are home to many less common Chinese dishes. The food is delicate, yet filling. A few of their specialty sushi rolls include: the rainbow roll, dragon roll, spicy fish roll and special eel roll with seasoned seaweed. Their more traditional sushi choices are salmon, octopus, squid, sweet tofu and tuna rolls.

by Erin Blakemore

JAPON
1028 S. Gaylord St.
Denver, CO 80209
(303) 744-0330

With a modern decor featuring a wall of bubbling water and a fearless selection of fresh fish, Japon brings brisk energy and enthusiasm to the age-old art of sushi.  Located on South Gaylord near chic boutiques and stately homes, Japon has been serving Japanese food to hungry Denverites for over a decade.  And executive chef Miki Hashimoto has quality in mind:  the restaurant serves only handmade shoyu (soy sauce) from a family recipe and features local tofu and top-barrel sushi rice to create elegant sushi for the fresh fish connoisseur.  In addition to standard nigiri, bento boxes and boats, the restaurant features specialty rolls such as the Washington, D.C. roll, a succulent collection of softshell crab, cucumber, burdock root, green leaf, asparagus, alfalfa, Japanese mayonnaise and smelt roe.

by Sarah McClure

Taiko
14775 Jeffrey Rd #K
Irvine, CA 92618
949.559.7190

Not to be confused with the martial art practice of Taiko drumming, (there is a Taiko drumming class nearby), the Taiko sushi restaurant, an American-Japanese style of sushi, sits adjacent to the Oak Creek Golf Club. They have three resident sushi chefs that have been slicing and dicing up divine raw delicacies for 15 years since Taiko opened in 1980. No need to sample Fugi the first time though — the lethal Japanese blowfish contains enough poison to kill you 30 times over if not properly prepared by the chef. However, don’t pass over the toro sashimi or sea scallops that come so fresh they are still in their sea snails shell. The pompano and Japanese sticky potato sweet shrimp boat is as delectable, coming as sweet shrimp sushi, covered in a heap of crabmeat. The fresh abalone is tasty, sautéed in a light butter and panko breadcrumbs. Taiko may push you to eat more ginger to cleanse your palate between bites due to their abundant types of sushi. 

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by Sarah McClure

Wasa Sushi
13124 Jamboree Rd.
Irvine, CA 92602
714.665.3338

1346 Bison Ave.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.760.1511

23702 El Toro Rd.
S-6A
Lake Forest, CA 92630
*Now opened February 2007

This restaurant offers what’s called “new generation sushi” for its twist on traditional sushi, Wasa Sushi boasts a contemporary setting and some of the most premiere sushi in Orange County. Started in 2001 by Chef Bronnie Lee and Chef James Hamamori, their latest and third location recently opened in Lake Forest February 2007. Japan-born Hamamori trained in Tokyo and has quickly become a favorite among his OC clients for his innovative style of cooking sushi. For example, he sears tuna to crunchy style. As a sushi chef in Los Angeles, he served up customers like Cindy Crawford, Dustin Hoffman and Michael Ovitz. Delicious items at Wasa Sushi include the Newport roll of spicy tuna and cucumber and the Wasa rainbow, a rainbow roll with wasabi sour cream sauce.

You have to love their Asian-spun deserts too, which include a banana spring roll with ice cream; a halved banana wrapped in rice paper, fried golden and served with a choice of green tea, vanilla or red bean ice cream. Also check out the watermelon cubes in coconut milk with a side of ice cream.

by Sarah McClure

Mosun Sushi/Club M
680 Coast Hwy.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.497.5646

A sushi restaurant and nightlife club, Mosun gives its clients sushi fusion with a side of Laguna Beach flair. Upon entering, guests are greeted by a 500-gallon coy fish tank. Walk past a cool, manmade waterfall that drops down a marble wall. Expert sushi chefs like Chef Toshi, and trendy and attentive servers make for a satisfying experience at Mosun, whether you’re there to grab a quick Sapporo and sushi after work, dine late with friends or sip cocktails listening to DJs on their second floor until morning. Sushi is displayed in artistic fashions on beautifully-simplistic square and triangle-shaped platters. Try the OC roll; a California roll topped with baked baby lobster (slightly crunchy), and firecracker roll, a tempura roll with spicy tuna and eel sauce. Also worth a taste is the Volcano roll, a halibut wrapped asparagus and scallops baked in homemade aiole sauce. Monday night try their all you can eat sushi for $19.95; Thursday nights is $5 for sake bombs and specialty rolls — choose from over 20 rolls, Wednesdays and Fridays is Orange County locals night with a %50 discount off the menu. Plasmas TVs show the latest skate, surf, and snow videos all night. Celebrate private or corporate parties with guest accommodations up to 800.