Fun fact: The Food Snob loves sushi. Less-fun fact: The Food Snob is not rich.
That second fact there explains why you’ve never seen a Food Snob review of sushi before. While it is an excellent, tasty, nutritious food, it tends to be on the pricier side, with some rolls ringing in at a dollar per piece or more. That adds up when you’re trying to make a whole meal out of it.
But we made our way to Splendid Sushi at 26 Pleasant St. last week and had one of the best sushi experiences ever.
The place has been open for about a month in the storefront right next to Noodles & Pearls, another Asian-themed restaurant. It looks practically the same as it did when Off Main Pizzeria was in there, save for a few new pictures of sushi on the walls.
As we were walking up to the door last Tuesday, a big sign on the sidewalk advertised specials on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for $4.99 for select items. Inside, the specials board contained about 20 items, but we went with a tried-and-true classic: spicy tuna roll.
After placing the order, the food was delivered to the table within 2 minutes, tops, and looking mighty good at that. The big surprise here was the volume – 10 pieces! For $4.99! And presented in a professional and extremely appetizing manner, no less. If there was anything to complain about, it would have to be the size of the portion of wasabi we got to start. As a big proponent of wasabi (I know, a lot of sushi purists out there are probably cursing me right now for defiling a simplistic delicacy with an overpowering condiment), we were hoping for more, but we eventually got some extra (for free) after asking.
This sushi was very good. It featured solid pieces of fish, not the mashed-up stuff you find at lower-end establishments. The fish was flavorful and fresh, as were the veggies inside. The cucumber added a very pleasant crunch, and the spicy sauce on top gave more of a tangy zip than actual heat. That said, the sauce was a perfect complement to this sushi roll.
We really couldn’t get over the price, though, and the Food Snob generally avoids talking prices at all. What can we say – a good deal is a good deal.
This big plate of sushi was gone before we knew it, and we’ll probably make another trip here some time to try a wrap, bowl, dumpling or bento box. If you like sushi, you owe it to yourself to give Splendid Sushi a try.
