After an afternoon of surprise birthday hangover Olympics in Kelvingrove Park, the two "German"…read moreOlympians were seeking some healthy sustenance. Having participated in such strenuous events like the "hurl a massive column wax candle", "schwing zee sausage", "pin the torch on the Olympian", "beat the goalie", and an obstacle course, they needed some good ole protein... FISH! However, lacking any energy and motivation, it was all about, "Why can't we order in like that place in Munich?" (Note: we really did order in sushi while we were in Munich, and it was effin delicious)
*LIGHT BULB*
The other day while we were driving through Finnieston, I noticed a wee shop next to the Korean restaurant Shilla, a "newish" sushi bar/takeaway called Cailin's Sushi. I took a mental note of this for future reference. While I may whinge about the Japanese food in Glasgow, Nanakusa has always been my go-to anytime I'm jonesin' for some sushi or a bento. Though my only gripe is that it can get quite pricey for the quality, though the quality actually surpasses that of YO! Sushi, Oko, Wudon, Ichiban, Wagamama, etc. On this occasion, my "German" teammate confirmed that Cailin's delivered and their offering was immense... nigiri, gunkan, hand rolls, hoso maki, futomaki, special rolls, sashimi, noodles, rice dishes, bento boxes, various sushi boxes, and desserts.
My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I ultimately ordered more that I could eat... seabass nigiri, mackerel nigiri, grilled eel hand roll, and a full spicy tuna roll. My teammate had the crispy duck hand roll and chicken katsu curry. Delivery was swift, but not as lightening fast as Usain Bolt; 30 minutes is standard! When the food arrived, presentation was much nicer than I had expected or experienced (i.e. Home Wok's sushi). The individually wrapped nigiri might be a little over the top, as they already come in a container. So I'm a bit confused as to how that adds to its "freshness"; if anything I think it's slightly wasteful packaging?
The food itself was fresh and flavourful, and the miso soup was delightful. I'm happy to report that the fish didn't smell of ammonia or anything horrible (all good things). The only negative was the chicken katsu curry was already quite soggy, since the curry had been poured over the chicken prior to delivery. If the curry sauce were kept separately in transit, then my teammate would have been able to enjoy the crisp coating before the lashing of the silky curry sauce. While this probably wasn't the best sushi of my life, Cailin's does offer Glaswegians great value for food quality and price, especially when delivery is only £1.50. The £12.60 worth of sushi was enough to force me out of my Oktoberfest dirndl and Chuck Taylors combo, and into some stretchy yoga bottoms.
Glasgow has a lot of catching up to do with regards to a good representation of more diverse ethnic cuisines like the other cosmopolitan cities around the world (*cough* NYC, Chicago, LA, Seattle, San Francisco...). With Cailin's offering fresh sushi delivery to either your home or office, this is a refreshing option in a land that birthed the deep-fried Mars bar. Yummers.