Restaurant review #1

Let me begin with this disclosure: Sushi is my favorite food. And my favorite Japanese restaurant is Sakura, in Germantown, at Saddle Creek.

This restaurant review is not about Sakura.

But I do compare every Japanese restaurant I try to Sakura. I can’t help it. To me, sushi places fall into two categories: “I’d rather be at Sakura,” (and probably won’t bother coming back) or “I’ll go there if I have to have sushi on Sunday when Sakura is closed” (and actually liked it enough to come back, although I still like Sakura better). However, my love and loyalty to Sakura have never stopped me from trying new sushi.

Out to eat alone with my dear husband, EasilyAmusedToo, (hmm... EAT for short? pretty apt, but I suppose EAToo would be nicer) on a rare “date night” last weekend, we tried Wasabi, the new Japanese restaurant in Cordova. It definitely fell into the latter category.

Located next to Quizno’s near the Malco Cordova Cinema, Wasabi was exactly what I would expect from a small Japanese restaurant. The décor was understated, with some nice original art, and the atmosphere wasn’t too loud. The staff was warm and (exceptionally) welcoming, and the restaurant was obviously family friendly (which I like) without being out of control.

Wasabi has an extensive menu, which includes their “Hurry Up” lunch, “Sushi Lunch” choices, and a kids’ menu. While everything on the menu sounded great, we were definitely there for the sushi. Our only stop on the actual menu was the Calamari Tempura appetizer, and honestly, I wish we had skipped it. While the tempura was beautifully breaded and fried, the calamari itself was on the tough and chewy side, and all legs. Big, big tentacles. I only ate a small bit; EAToo finished all of it, as he will generally do. Next time we go, I’ll either order edamame, or order something else off the tempura menu for an appetizer.

Once we moved on to the sushi, things started looking up immensely. We had ordered three kinds of nigiri (finger rolls): tuna to share, shrimp for me, and eel for him. The shrimp and eel were cooked; the tuna was not — for those of y’all who might be worried about it, the idea that sushi is only raw fish is a myth. I was a bit apprehensive when I first saw the tuna, as it was a pale pink, and not the beautiful deep red I associate with really the good, sashimi-grade stuff. Turns out, I had no reason to worry. The tuna was delicate, flavorful, and just the right temperature and texture. The shrimp were also good. I was even coaxed into trying the eel, which turned out to be quite tasty, although frankly, the animals themselves give me the creeps, and I’ll have to get over that before I’ll be able to order it for myself.

Then we were on to the specialty rolls we had ordered. First up was the “Rain Man,” (all the specialty rolls are named after movies) a cucumber-and-crab roll, topped with tuna, salmon, and yellowtail. Or, I should say, a cucumber-and-krab roll, because it was definitely krab-with-a-k. Not that there’s anything wrong with that particular krustacean; it’s just not the same as actual crab. The roll was tasty, but I’ll probably avoid crab/krab at Wasabi in the future, just the same.

Done with “Rain Man,” we moved on to the “Lord of the Ring” roll. It was definitely the best of the rolls we had (insert your own “one to rule them all” joke here). A variation of a shrimp tempura roll, it also included mayonnaise, crunchies, and apple (of all things) and was topped with avocado slices. Odd though it sounds, it was a perfect blend of textures and tastes, and was our favorite, despite EAToo not being a big fan of avocado. When we go back, this one will be a given.

Next up was the “Grease” roll. Unfortunate name as food goes, but lovely sushi. Although it also includes krab-with-a-k, it also contained shrimp, crunchies, and mayonnaise, and was topped with a delicious hot and sweet sauce. The sauce is spicy, but not so much so that it interfered with enjoying the roll.

We finished, intentionally, with the “Ocean 11” roll. Knowing that it would include spicy crawfish and spicy mayonnaise, we saved it for last just in case it ended up being too hot to taste anything else. (We both enjoy spicy foods, but not so spicy that you can’t taste anything else.) It also had cilantro and crunchies, and was topped with seared white tuna and garlic seasoning. It was pretty spicy, but the sort of spicy which doesn’t hit you right away. So we were able to taste and enjoy it, although when the spice did kick in... wow. Fortunately, our server was wonderful, and kept the iced tea coming in significant quantities.

Too full, with all the pleasant little fishies swimming around in our tummies, we did not get as far as dessert, although the “Happy Ending” portion of the menu does contain a Wasabi Green Ice Cream that I’m dying to try.

It won’t tear me away from my beloved Sakura, but overall, Wasabi was a great experience, and definitely worth giving a second look.

Wasabi
1134 N. Germantown Parkway
Cordova, TN 38018
(901) 754-0567