sushi 01
We had a Groupon and we're self-appointed sushi aficionados, so we decided to go.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we arrived at Sushi on the Roll in Medina. I had envisioned some incarnation of the trending dark-lit rooms filled with faux bamboo, tiny green tea cups with uber ornate designs, a splattering of greenery maybe. Perhaps a tank with depressed-looking fish that wondered if they're kin suffered before ending up in a sarcophagus of rice and eel sauce.
I have to humbly say that I've never been more off-base (as it pertains to guessing the ambiance of a sushi establishment). I actually thought we were in the wrong place at first. Minimalism is kind of an understatement. If you ever went into the old Metro Burger (RIP), then you have some idea of the ambiance ... but literally 6 times bigger. Brightly lit with both natural and human-induced light. A concrete floor a la VegiTerranean (RIP) ran the expanse of the single room setup. "Surely, that can't expect us to order sushi from a counter like some hospital lunch-line!"
That being said, once I shifted gears and understood that this is probably exactly how the real deal sushi places in big cities (ie, Tokyo) approach their ambiance and delivery, I totally dug it! In my mind, I even down-graded the ambiance those stuffy over-produced sushi places a bit. I really like the idea that I can eat sushi in a more vibrant environment and not have to fight off the sleep that comes from dining under 5-watt bulbs - why should a sushi outing have a minimum requisite of 1.5 hours?!
As an added bonus, the sushi was delicious! Owner Ken Oppenheimer was nice enough to have a chat with us. While most restaurants use tuna mashed up and blended with an assortment of sauces for their Spicy Tuna rolls, he explained that he insists on using strips to tuna sashimi instead so that the quality and flavor of the tuna is preserved. And it is.
To get a better idea of what I'm talking about, just go and do. You'll be refreshed by your new sushi paradigm.
