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Ninja Sushi, a closer look
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Don't just take my word for it! Check out these other excellent views on Ninja Sushi!
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Check out the official Ninja Sushi site!
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Check out Reid's visit to Ninja Sushi! |
 See what the Yelper's are saying! |
Aloha!
2/15/10 - Once again, let's drop all our pre-conceived notions. Once again, let's forget our elitist positions. Rigid traditionalist's will tell you there's only one way to do something correctly, and that correct way is - the way it's always been done!
No, no, I'm not degrading the traditionalists! Upon walking into Sushi Sasabune, Kin-chan, or Hanabi, I love nothing more than strict tradition and quality all the way, and after having already been blessed by so many such restaurants, I'm extremely thankful for each respective Chefs' many, many years of experience and expertise, achieving things noone can expect to duplicate without decades, quite literally, of fine-tuning their craft. However, not every meal is alike, and for each food type, as in life, there are many possibilities and points of appreciation. I mean, sometimes there's nothing like flowers, candle-light, fine wine, lit aromatics, and rose petals on a King-sized, silk-laden hotel bed on the top floor of a sound-proof room (or the music turned-up!) in a Waikiki Hotel. But c'mon now, the bathroom floor suits me just fine sometimes! Followed by the top of a bedroom dresser... Followed by the kitchen table and washer/dryer...
Easy, over there...
For disclosure purposes, by the way, I will not confirm nor deny whether I'm talking through theoretical or experiencial knowledge...
Just trying to make a point, is all. Some of these sushi-makers at Ninja Sushi, being the fast-food-type chain it is, don't look a year out of high school (sometimes!), so forget about decades of proven experience, expertise, and tradition! However, for a decent, satisfying meal, you don't always need all the bells and whistles, so don't even try comparing! A little more kabayaki sauce, a little more dynamite topping, a little more spicy mayo mix, and, most of all, a lot more savings on your bank account, and it's aaalll good! I mean, these are the kinds of details that oftentimes make-up for any possible lack of freshness, quality, and tradition, yes? Regardless of what sushi snobs are saying, and you can put this on the record - Aku still enjoys meals here at Ninja Sushi!
With spreads like these, at plate lunch prices or slightly more, you won't find me complaining!
There were just under ten Ninja Sushi locations throughout the island, although at least a couple have recently closed down. Walking into any of them, especially the newer ones, you can really see and appreciate the juggernaut of a marketing scheme this small chain has employed - that is, if you're into the Starbuck's-like style of theme-branding, with its modern feel and catchy designs. Their Mililani store, at the Mililani Town Center, happens to be one of their more recent locales, and it shows, too, with a clean, youthful, shopping mall-like atmosphere:
This particular visit was from a couple of months ago, when I dragged Kumi in, as yes, she's one of those that can be highly critical of anything less than optimal conditions when it comes to sushi - the freshest of seafoods and best varieties of rice are a must in her book, no if's, and's, or but's. And it's not just about the best ingredients, either, but also the preparation - why, I've seen, on one hand, even Koshihikari Tamaki Gold rice being abused, while I've also enjoyed lesser-grades of grain cooked so perfectly, they'd fool all but the most educated dining at any fine Japanese restaurant!
My sushi advice for those worried about the freshness of fish, or quality levels in general, is to not mess with too many raw nigiri pieces, where freshness and quality is tantamount, but to stick with fancy rolls, dynamites, spicy mixes, cooked pieces, etc., as alluded to earlier. But you know Kumi, she's one driven woman. She'd have nothing less than a nigiri set, perhaps in hopes of being pleasantly surprised, or perhaps to prove a point that fast-food nigiri really is inferior, and that the experience would be the final nail on the coffin, ending any more future fast-food-style sushi visits for us!
And what was her elitist-little verdict? Well... as far as that ahi goes, I'd definitely agree that it wouldn't pass in any good sushi restaurant, and neither would the pinkish hamachi, as both were pasty and obviously pre-frozen or treated, perhaps even both. Over-all, however, she still found the meal ok, mostly because of the other items - both the ikura (salmon eggs) and tobiko ika (flying fish roe and squid) gunkan pieces were her favorites of the bunch, and she seemed a bit surprised that it was perhaps a little more enjoyable than she'd expected. But I knew the results would be so all along...
Me, I stuck to my own advice and selected one roll and one cooked variety, a single set of fried shrimp nigiri, for $4.25:
Ever seen one of those pre-packed shrimp katsu or tempura pieces in the freezer of your nearest supermarket, the ones where you simply drop them in oil, while yet frozen? Well, I won't say I know for sure, but these buggah's tasted awful similiar! Hey, what can you expect, right? But no worries - they were still plenty good! Not optimal, of course, but deep-fried goodness, paired with kabayaki sauce, sushi rice, and nori? Fine with me!
My roll was one of their most popular, a tiger ura-maki roll:
How can you go wrong with such a gorgeous creation? Ok, ok, the rice wasn't premium stuff, but it (rice) was better than average, and leagues above any plate lunch or 7-11 maki sushi variety. But it's really the extra's that make this roll sing. With a shrimp tempura (katsu) and imitation crab salad center wrapped by an inside-out maki roll, topped with a spicy ahi mix (although it was more like negi-toro since it wasn't spicy at all), tobiko, green onion, and kabayaki glaze, this particular tiger sure carried a ferocious bite, every bit as powerful as it looks! The soft ahi mix, semi-firm imitation crab, creamy mayo, tasty glaze, crunchy shrimp and tobiko - they all combined for an explosion of tastes and textures well worth the $7.99 price tag.
Meanwhile, over on the Windward side, sits another Ninja Sushi outlet, and one of the very first in this particular chain to open. Located in the Temple Valley shopping center right outside Kaneohe (or is it still considered part of Kaneohe?), it is nestled right across the street from gorgeous Byodo-in Temple, which itself sits just below an also-gorgeous backdrop called the Koolau mountain range, or, as we say in Hawaii, the Koolau's:
Though one of the older stores, the insides have been renovated and designed similiarly to the newer locations, as well:
By the time mom and I arrived at Temple Valley, I had already forgotten what we ordered at the Mililani location. Upon arriving home and checking out the Mililani pics, I was surprised to find we had mostly ordered the same things all over again! Mom's sushi combination was the same as Kumi's a couple of months back, with results much the same - mediocre, obviously off-grade ahi and hamachi, while everything else carried enough great flavors to carry the individual platter through:
On the fancy roll side, Ninja Sushi's tiger maki roll was much the same as well - fabulous!
So sorry - I was thinking of ordering a curry tempura or curry katsu, just to give you a different look outside of just sushi pieces. Had I recalled the specific items ordered on our last visit, I most certainly would have done so!
And choices are a large part of the allure here at Ninja Sushi - besides carrying a huge variety of both traditional and new-wave sushi, there's also a great selection of other Japanese and local foods as well, such as udon, soba, kalbi, poke, teriyaki chicken, tonkatsu, donburi bowls, and more.
But the only non-redundant dish today was another popular roll, a T-dragon:
Just another gorgeous example of why it's hard to deny Ninja Sushi. I mean, look at the dang thing! Tasty unagi, avocado, shrimp tempura (katsu), decent-quality rice, kabayaki glaze, and sprinkled sesame seed? How can you go wrong? It's actually much the same as our tiger maki, except with a different top. Inside, it looked much the same:
Don't forget about the party platters also available, with sets ranging from 32 pieces of California rolls and inari for $22.99 to a Deluxe set of 42 mixed pieces of nigiri, gunkan, and maki for $42.99. In between, there are all manner of party options sure to meet your needs, combining every sushi type here, including some of their fancier rolls!
Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's yesterday. Wanna see what Kumi and I did?
Well...
Wow - what a showman! Brian Mcknight was incredible, with a soaring falsetto and enough modal high's to match Phillip Bailey of Earth, Wind, and Fire, whom I also saw the last time they arrived in the islands, when we were seated in the third row, a couple of seats from Kelly Boy Delima of Kapena, who was also obviously amazed at such a commanding voice. But it was Mr. Mcknight who set everyone in the mood for luuuv on this particular Valentine's day, even bringing his girlfriend on-stage, proposing to her right there!
Hey, it's been good, but I'll be checking you all out latuhz'. Coming soon, an incredible look at Sapori Enoteca and also a surprisingly economical spot in Kailua that's been popular for quite a while, but has largely gone unnoticed by the general public - and no, it's not Kalapawai Cafe and Deli, which is also great!
Until then, take care, and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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