On any day of the week, approximately zero percent of Evanston residents experience a shortage of tasty nearby Asian cuisine; to ensure that no Evanston resident misses out, trendy sushi hot spots pop up in new places around the city seemingly every week. NU undergraduates, however, may find themselves restricted from fully exploring Evanston’s vibrant sushi scene by time (we’ve only got four years) or cost (we’ve only got … well, let’s not get into it). To guide you through what to skip and what not to miss, The Daily took a taste tour through some of Evanston’s affordable sushi, rating flavor and presentation on a scale of one to five.
nuSushi Spicy Tuna Roll
9 pieces, $6.65
Flavor: 3.75/5
Presentation: 3/5
Served with pale yellow pickled ginger, Kimlan soy sauce, wasabi and optional chopsticks, this Willie’s Too staple is a great choice for the more casual sushi fan. Bolstered by friendly, familiar ingredients like avocado and spicy mayonnaise, NUsushi’s tuna roll makes up for what it lacks in consistency with its surprisingly subtle harmony of flavors.
That said, however, the Norris food court’s spicy tuna roll probably isn’t the best choice for dining, say, on a date: the sticky, chewy nori (seaweed) encasement and the layer of flaky rice uncertainly holding the production together add up to a messy, less than graceful eating experience.
Sashimi Sashimi Spicy Tuna Maki Roll
6 pieces, $4.75
Flavor: 5/5
Presentation: 4/5
There’s one secret ingredient to this knockout maki roll, and let’s just call it the element of surprise. The flavors in this compact six-pack start subtle, with a delicate marine sweetness, and it takes a moment for the explosive flavor of the spicy orange mayonnaise to really come out swinging. But when it does, the potent combination suddenly tingles with power and precision like a samurai.
Garnished with black sesame seeds, the Sashimi Sashimi spicy tuna maki is served with wasabi, pink pickled ginger and soy sauce – all of which can be ignored. When sushi packs a zesty, tangy punch like this, it would be a shame to add distractions.
Koi Spicy Tuna Maki
8 pieces, $6.05
Flavor: 2/5
Presentation: 4/5
Bland sushi is, essentially, minimalism for the minimalist – and by that logic, the Koi Spicy Tuna Maki is probably best enjoyed by a Zen master.
Generously including no less than four packets of Kikkoman soy sauce in the takeout package, the chefs at Koi seem to hint that they already know their maki roll needs extra flavor help. That delicate flower made of pink pickled ginger isn’t just for ornamentation – unfortunately, it’s the most flavorful part of this all-too-mild presentation.
Its compact construction, however, is where the Koi roll scores points. Chunky red tuna wrapped tightly in a barely perceptible layer of nori, then firmly packed into a coating of plain white rice makes for a clean presentation and a tidy, sturdy sushi roll perfect for customers on the go.
