Sushi

So I have never been to a Sushi place. There...I said it. You can take my club membership away if you like! I am very curious and really want to try it out. My coworker is trying to get me and my wife to with her one night. There are currently Groupons for Osaka, Oasis, and Bendoya. Anyone with a good recommendation on a good place to start? Thanks!
Kris

Kris, one of my fav Sushi places is Sakara Blue in the Shelbyville Road Plaza. Now, it has something for everyone...you can go straight Sushi, or do Japanese Steak House if you wish. They are very accommodating, and won't mislead you at all. I've also been to, and enjoyed, Kansai on Hurstbourne Parkway (where Shalimar is)....when I was there they had a half price roll special, and I pigged on the cheap....

Enjoy!

[Robin Garr]

Kris, your eager curiosity more than makes up for your status as a sushi virgin. Your club membership is safe!

I like Bill's advice, Sakura Blue. Out in Fern Creek, Sake Blue is attractive, they have a great selection of the "rolls" that many find the most fun form of sushi, and the staff is friendly and accommodating.

A few other random favorites: Sapporo on Bardstown Road is often considered the local temple, although it can be crowded and noisy. Dragon King's Daughter on Bardstown is a fun alternative.

Tokyo Sushi on Lime Kiln is particularly good, a smaller place where the staff can be very helpful; and Hiko A Mon in Westport Village is another crowd-pleaser that's usually accommodating to newbies.

Oasis is good, the times I've been, but it is rarely very busy, so I worry a bit about freshness and supply. Maybe they are busier when I'm not there?

As a more recent convert to sushi, I only have a limited number of favorites, but I will share my thoughts:

1) Sake Blue: I live in Fern Creek, so I've tried it. The sushi was good. The ambience was pretty upscale for a strip mall. I've been hearing a lot of complaints coming out of the place recently though.

2) Kailana: This one is also in Fern Creek, and as far as my own tastes are concerned, this one wins the Battle of the Creeker Sushi by a long shot. It's also in a strip mall but is definitely NOT an upscale restaurant as far as decor goes (it's in a location that has housed everything from short lived fried seafood joints to short lived BBQ joints). Their rolls are HUGE (my particular favorite, the poison spider roll, doesn't really pass the eat in one bite test, but it's pure yum). They often have specials, and if you bring someone who doesn't like sushi, there's a hibachi grill right in the middle of the place (no flaming volcanoes either). The friend who got me started on sushi and I haven't found a bad roll yet.

3) Rikishi: This one's in Crestwood (in Crestwood Station). It's not too impressive from the exterior of the building, but the owner/sushi chef greets you as you walk in and as you leave. If I didn't live so far away, I'd be a more frequent customer.

I've also tried Shogun and Sapporo, and while what they offer has been good, nothing has truly stood out in my mind like the offerings from Kailana and Rikishi. I've eaten at Dragon King's Daughter, but that was prior to starting my sushi habit, so I can't vouch for theirs.

Of course all this talk of sushi makes me want to go get some. Unfortunately, I can never get just one roll at Kailana. It gets expensive being an addict, even when one gets enough for a doggy box (and their sushi holds up well for next day snacking).

Kris-
My vote would be Hikoamon at Westport Village or Sake Blue. Both have great specialty rolls which are great fun plus the more traditional rolls. If you are going with a large group the private sit on the floor room at Hikoamon is great!
Deb

Oishii Sushi across from Bowman Field.

Love sushi. Favorite places are Sakura Blue , Tokyo, and Osaka. , Would love Sapporo but its WAY too noisy for me. Wherever you go I recommend sitting at the sushi bar and talking with your sushi chef. I find most love to tell you about their craft and if you show an interest they can often give you a memorable sushi experience that you would never have gotten sitting at a table.

Now this thread has inspired me to tryRikishi since its right around the corner from me.

Big fan of Sake Blue and Wild Ginger.

Wow! Thanks everyone for the recommendations. If nothing else, it seems that there several great sushi places in this city!now to make a decision!

I hit Tokyo for lunch with a few friends today- great as usual! They are very friendly and will guide you through their menu.

Cheers,

Doug

Hiko A Mon in Westport Village is another crowd-pleaser that's usually accommodating to newbies.

Outside of Manhattan, Hiko A Mon is one of the best sushi places Ive been to. Havent gotten out that far in awhile but they used to offer a very individual menu when it seems all the other chefs are using the same cook book for their "special" rolls.

I am a big fan of Sapporo. One reason is that they're consistently honest when you ask about how a particular item is for that night. i.e., uni, very delicate as far as freshness goes. Even if it was passable, if it wasn't ideal, they would tell me that I wouldn't want it. However, the competition in the same building hasn't been so truthful.

Oishii on Taylorsville Rd. has become our go to lately. Apparently it's a lot of people's go to because it's been packed the last two times we've been. Huge rolls. Lots of choices.

Dragon King's Daughter is great because (to my knowledge) it's the only place you can get a delicious roll AND yummy tacos under the same roof. Plus, that wasabi salsa with tuna and the wonton chips...SO GOOD.

I do have a Japanese Restaurant related question for you guys. That ginger dressing they all serve on those generic salads is like crack to me. I contemplate drinking it from the bottom of my bowl every time. Do these restaurants make this dressing or do they buy it? If so, where do I get it? I've never had any luck buying one in the stores that even comes close.

Taylor,
I'd bet a lot of them buy it somewhere.
You might want to try this at home: http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Benihan ... ecipe.html, and tweak to your taste ( likely with more ginger )
Deb