Sushi – a glistening slice of seafood, a vinegary wrap of rice, a shiny sheet of seaweed all rolled tight with an artistic flourish.
It’s food; it’s art; it’s fun. Finding the best, we knew, would be harder than slurping soup with chopsticks.
Nearly 700 readers called before our deadline to nominate their favorite house rolls or to apply to be testers, and they are probably calling still. Nearly 60 restaurants got a nod.
On a recent Saturday, a panel of four testers visited the restaurants that made it to the final four of our sushi spectacular. Here’s what they found. – Lorraine Eaton, The Virginian-Pilot
OUR WINNER
Island roll at sushi aka, Suffolk
Price $6.75
Score 90
What they said:
“This is a complex biteful. The fresh taste begins with the rice, then the layers of tuna, mango, cucumber and jalapeno give you a nice, chewy, crispy finish.” – Judy
“Nice quantity of fish and fresh, crispy vegetables. Fish is excellent.” – Bill
“I have not seen this combination of flavors on any other sushi menu.” – Emi
“A perfect 10 for color and texture. Very fresh. For lovers of good old fashioned sushi, Suffolk has THE place.” – Ron
Best of the rest
Mermaid roll at Kyushu Japanese Restaurant, Chesapeake
Price $9.50
Score 84
What they said:
“A pretty roll that looks like a mermaid. This restaurant reminds me of the restaurants in Japan.” – Emi
“The buttery salmon was a sure sign of freshness. The shrimp tempura had a nice crunch. The roe that explodes in your mouth is a wonderful, light surprise.” – Judy
“An interesting presentation. Very original. The mermaid’s tail, which is tempura shrimp, is a great accent to the roll.” – Bill
“Overall a pleasure. A very wonderful experience for those who want a sushi equal to Suffolk, but don’t want to make the drive.” – Ron
Tiger roll at Nana Sushi, etc.,Chesapeake
Price $12
Score 71
What they said: “Intricately layered, elegantly presented with the look of a tiger. Beautiful and fun, as sushi should be.” – Judy “The taste of the roll was different with each bite because on one slice was tuna, on one was salmon, on one was white fish, and the filling was spicy tuna.” – Emi
“The fish was all sushi/sashimi grade, and the serving size appropriate.” – Ron
“It was delightful. I wanted to try several other rolls here. The tiger roll was imaginative, creative and tasty.” – Bill
Daikichi roll at Daikichi Sushi Japanese Bistro, Chesapeake
Price $5.95
Score 67
What they said:
“The topping on the sushi was baked on top of the sushi. It was very different than a regular sushi roll and added a spicy taste.” – Emi
“A simple roll, simply presented, symmetrical shape, tight and taut.” – Ron
“This roll is self-contained. No ginger, wasabi or soy was necessary.” – Judy
“I believe that this restaurant serves wonderful sushi, but I was not blown away by this particular roll. I saw other items on the menu, and will be back for dinner soon.” – Bill
Delicious
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