Sushi Fuji
2500 S Woodlands Village Blvd, #24
Flagstaff, AZ
(928) 774-2322
Cuisine:
Sushi, Asian, Japanese
March 16, 2009
My new standby
I have raved in the past about Hiro’s, another very good sushi restaurant in Flagstaff, but Fuji, after a somewhat rough opening few months, has become my sushi standby. The only reason I haven’t given them five stars is that their cooked food — reasonably tasty lunchtime bento boxes and noodle dishes — just isn’t as flavorful or as varied as Hiro’s.
But on the sushi front? Mmmmm, it’s every bit as good! Well-crafted, fresh, and with some nice inventive specials. Fuji is my impulse lunch out, and one of the spots that I really look forward to going for a dinner.
Dishes I tried:
Salmon mango roll
Delicious. Slices of salmon rolled with a gem of mango on top. Simple, clean flavor.
Sushi combo B
Lunchtime fave consisting of three hand rolls: A spicy tuna, a salmon (with avocado spears), and a california with tempura. Served with miso soup.
Scallop dynamite
Dude.
This is heavenly sushi comfort food, the rough equivalent of mashed potatoes and gravy-sushi. Tempura battered roll with a mound of warm scallop, tiny-sliced mushrooms, and a dot of chile sauce on top. Don’t order it alone, because it’s filling — but you’ll love to share it.
Dara Thai
14 S San Francisco St
Flagstaff, AZ
(928) 774-0047
Cuisine:
Thai, Asian, Traditional British
October 25, 2006
Flag's favorite Thai
Dara is my favorite of the several Thai joints in town. There’s great variety on the menu and everything is tasty.
Dishes I tried:
Dara Tofu
Lighty-fried tofu in a rich red sauce with peanuts, basil, and potatoes. This is good stuff.
Steamed tofu
Another great vegetarian option: Tofu steamed with white wine, noodles, and vegetables.
I Love Sushi (Lake Bellevue)
23 Lake Bellevue Dr
Bellevue, WA
(425) 455-9090
Cuisine:
Sushi, Japanese
February 11, 2007
Tasty food and nice service
I visited I Love Sushi for a quick lunch and was really impressed with the quick and friendly greeting (from the host, the two waitresses making rounds, and the entire set of chefs behind the sushi bar). I had barely sat down when I was given a hot mug of tasty green tea and a small crispy salad. For this meal, I just had a couple of rolls, but I’ll be back — I watched the chef make sushi combo B for a couple of people next to me, and that’s definitely on the menu for next time.
Dishes I tried:
I Love Roll
Broiled eel, shrimp, and avocado. This is a little sweet and savory at the same time. Really tasty.
Paradise Roll
(I can’t remember if that’s the right name. Think so.) This is a great roll: Perfect pieces of salmon, tuna, and yellowtail, with a bit of spicy sauce. The mix of textures and flavors in this roll is really oustanding, and the presentation is great, too: Dabs of three different-colored roe on top. I only regret that I made a mess of eating it and probably embarrassed myself.
Hiro's Sushi Bar & Japanese
1312 S. Plaza Way
Flagstaff, AZ
(928) 226-8030
Cuisine:
Sushi, Japanese
May 19, 2007
Best sushi in town
Hiro’s is the best sushi and Japanese in town, affirmed by numerous local reader polls over the years. Service is good (they tend to get slightly alt-rock-looking guys in black t-shirts), and both the sushi and cooked food are great. The sushi is consistently fresh, generous, and varied, and their curry and noodle dishes have a ton of flavor (and are also very large).
Hiro’s recently completed a renovation that included adding on the neighboring space — they now have an even bigger dining room to pack in for the busy weekend nights, which means less waiting on those spontaneous sushi runs.
Dishes I tried:
Sushi lunch special
One of the lunch specials consists of miso and three hand rolls for about $8. You get spicy tuna, cooked salmon, and california roll. The standouts of the three are the cooked salmon (warm, a bit crispy) and the spicy tuna, a big pile of which is rolled into the nori cone. Yum.
Chicken yakisoba
A huge plate of chicken, big chunks of vegetable, and noodles, with a warm smoky taste. This is a good dish.
Yoshimatsu
2660 N Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ
(520) 320-1574
Cuisine:
Japanese, Sushi, Organic
July 10, 2007
Great Japanese food in a fun environment
Yoshimatsu is without a doubt one of the most interesting places to eat in Tucson, and one of my favorites. The interior of the restaurant is positively covered in manga: Action figures in lucite boxes adorn each table, giant toys hang from the walls, and TVs play anime on a loop (fortunately, with the volume down).
And the food: Yoshimatsu has a huge menu, ranging from sushi (primarily available in the adjoining and more fancy/formal "bistro") to bento boxes to (intriguing and flavorful) Japanese-style pizzas. And more: rich dark curries, smokey noodle dishes, rice, piles of vegetables. Most dishes are also available as vegan or vegetarian varieties. They also have a selection of sakes, wines, and beers.
I haven’t had a bad meal here, though I do have my favorites. Try everything.
Dishes I tried:
Bento boxes
Tasty and tremendously varied, Yoshimatsu’s bento boxes come in all kinds of styles. Try the brown rice (really tasty). My favorite bentos that they offer are the broiled chicken (slices of spicy or teriyaki chicken) and the tofu (lightly fried and deliciously-seasoned). Bento boxes come with a small salad (go for the excellent peanut dressing) and an assortment of other veggies: A bit of pickled cabbage and seaweed, some diced and pan-fried yams.
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