There are some people who don’t like sushi and I feel sorry for their misguided souls.
There’s something to be said about a meal that tastes so good it should be bad for you but is still loaded with nutritional value. I love a good burger or pizza as much as the next guy but sometimes you just have to break out of the mold and go for something fresh and fantastic -- Sushi. Redding has some really phenomenal sushi establishments. I haven’t been to all of them yet, but here are a few of my personal favorites.
Tokyo Garden
Tokyo Garden was one of my first Redding sushi experiences. It’s a small family-style restaurant with friendly service and some really great food. Two must-tries from there are Pot of Gold Roll (tempura shrimp, avocado, sake, topped with spicy tuna salad, tobiko, and special sauce) and the Jackpot Roll (tempura shrimp & asparagus, avocado, topped with maguro, albacore, unagi, sake, tobiko, and special sauce). They, of course, have stellar sides and killer bento boxes if you aren’t in the mood for sushi.
Kobe Seafood & Steakhouse
Kobe is right downtown on the corner of Market and Shasta St, which means that there are plenty of options for post-dinner drinks right within walking distance. It’s a nice, modern space perfect for a date or night out with close friends. My two favorite rolls they make are The Fusion Roll (tuna, white tuna, eel, salmon, ebi, krab, hamachi & fried and topped with eel sauce, spicy mayo & tobiko) and The Zombie Roll (tuna, salmon, white fish, avocado, cream cheese, masago, mixed crab & spicy mayo) You won’t be disappointed. The Fusion Roll is a perfect balance of crispy, meaty and deliciously saucy and The Zombie is a great compliment to The Fusion with its simpler flavor pallet.
Sakura Sushi
It might not look like much from the outside, but inside it’s nothing but quality. Sakura serves traditional style sushi. If you’re looking for lots of sauce and cream cheese, you should probably go to one of the other options but if you want authentic sushi prepared by Kenji Tanaka - an extremely experienced, highly trained sushi chef, look no further. It’s a cozy place with quality rolls and good prices.
Kahunas Mongolian BBQ and Sushi
Kahunas is primarily a Mongolian BBQ restaurant but also serves really fantastic sushi. The best part? You can do bottomless sushi. Yes, you read that right. The exception is that your first roll has to be finished before you get another, which isn’t an issue at all because the rolls are so delicious. It’s a very large space with plenty of seating for the whole crew and some great beers on tap.
Poke Land
Poke Land has been my new favorite. The downfall of sushi is that it is quite pricey. Poke Land does bowls instead of rolls. Less than 13 dollars you get a massive bowl loaded with rice, meat, and all your favorite sushi sauces and toppings. You can’t beat the price and the quality is exceptional. It’s a great alternative if you want all the flavors and nutrition of sushi and don’t want to break the bank.
All in all, Redding has some great sushi options. What are your favorite spots and rolls? Let us know!