Fish Fridays - Sushi Survey

A while back, Rene and I had lunch with a fellow food writer visiting from NYC. While discussing the various cuisines of New Orleans, The Big Apple remarked: "I usually steer away from sushi when I am down here. I would rather spend my time eating things like oysters and softshell crabs in New Orleans, and save the fresh salmon and tuna for when I visit the Northwest."

I understand that when people visit New Orleans, they are looking for oysters rockefeller, barbeque shrimp, and other dishes which our city is well known for. I'll admit that when I have visitors, I take them to eat po-boys and gumbo as opposed to burritos and burgers. But to dismiss an entire genre of food based on regional stereotypes would amount to missing out on a lot of good eats.

I love sushi and firmly believe that New Orleans has quite a few sushi bars worth dining in during Lent. When I'm looking to avoid weighing myself down with fried seafood and peeling crawfish while wearing suit just isn't an option, I usually turn to raw fish. In this inaugural edition of Fish Fridays, here is my ranking of the 10 sushi bars that I have visited over the last year.

1. Kanno - After your first meal prepared by Chef Hide and his wife Lin, you will never again hesitate to make the journey to Fat City. I'm partial to the Lobster Dynamite Roll and Hot Garlic Softshell Crab, but Hide has never steered me wrong with any of his impromptu creations.
2. Kyoto - While the quality of the rice has varied on recent visits, I still believe that Kyoto serves some of the best sushi in town. Best bets: Poke Salad and the Shrimp Sara Roll.
3. Sushi Bros - Quality fish, sizable portions, and fast service all at an affordable price. The 4 Roll Lunch Special, complete with soup and salad, will run you $11. If you're into more complicated rolls, I recommend the FEMA Roll (pictured top).
4. Sake Cafe (Uptown) - Extensive menu of special rolls with unique preparations and a dizzying array of sauces.
5. Little Tokyo (Mid-City) - According to the menu, fish is flown in weekly from the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. If the Japanese style "fish and chips" is available, order it as a starter.
6. Shogun - The first sushi bar in the area. Try the Steve Roll of barbeque eel and avocado.
7. Ninja - Some of the nicest staff in the business. Don't miss the Cajun Tuna Tataki.
8. Rock-n-Sake - At night this place resembles the Jersey Shore, but during Friday lunch the crowd is more my style. Order the Calamari Crunch Roll, but be prepared to battle on the dance floor.
9. Wasabi - The original location on Frenchman is better than the new one in West End.
10. Hana - Big fan of the complimentary noodle salad and the large portions (see the salmon box above), but unfortunately I find the fish lacks in quality behind the others.

Sushi in West End

Wasabi recently opened a 2nd location across from Russel's Marina Grill (in the former temporary location of the Steak Knife). This is the second time Wasabi has decided to give-it-a-go in 70124, with their first try on Canal Boulevard closing for good due to Katrina. (Warning: I have not been to the original Wasabi on Frenchman in quite a while, so I can't really compare the two locales.)

Our order (from right to left) was: Phoenix Roll, Super Crunchy Roll, and the LSU Roll. Here is my overall assessment: the sushi is good but not good enough or in big enough portions to justify the prices. For example, the LSU Roll (shrimp tempura and cream cheese inside with fresh tuna on top) was considerably smaller than its counterparts at other local sushi joints but still had a hefty price tag of $14. The Phoenix Roll of snow crab, avocado, and lettuce wrapped in rice paper and topped with salmon was not worth $10.50. (Seriously, since when does adding lettuce to a roll warrant a $5 bump in price?)

On the other hand, the Special Crunchy Roll - which is made "Special" by being topped with fresh salmon - is a much better deal at $6.50. Similarly, the Crunchy Dynamite Roll (above) is a great bargain at $5.50. As you can tell from the picture, Wasabi's Dynamite Roll consists of freshly cut fish as opposed to the finely chopped trimmings that most sushi restaurants serve. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Also, Wasabi adds yellowtail to the normal mix of tuna and salmon.

So I guess your best strategy at Wasabi is to stick to the simple rolls to get the most bang for your buck. While Little Tokyo on Carrolton is still my preferred sushi spot in the neighborhood, Wasabi is a welcomed addition to the lakefront dining scene.

Wasabi in West End - Par.