Per the 5th-level Cleric spell, raise dead, a target must be gone no longer than 10 days. The spell also closes mortal wounds but does not restore missing body parts. I'm dropping some mean D&D funk because such a spell was cast on Sushi Hut. I don't even think rigamortis had set in. This is not a zombie, and like many Japanese horror films, the soul that returned is not the same, deciding to call itself Sushi 97. Jenner went through a bigger change than this.
Sure, there are new owners, but they obviously adopted the "ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude. Which is too bad because I can't help but see the old location. Even the hanging lamps were carried over. About the only contribution of individuality is the outside sign. I wasn't a huge fan of Sushi Hut; I found the selection lacking. I would order a mixed sushi combo, and half the pieces would be the same. And with So Good basically across the street, the latter was always my preferred location. Sushi Hut suffered from a complex of being too close to larger competition, like a black hole stripping the surface off a nearby red dwarf. In defense, it wasn't bad looking. I've seen worse, though I'm still disappointed at the lack of bar stools--a hallmark of the cuisine I dearly miss. At least the new name is somewhat original, referencing the highway its located on. I mean it's not like you can call it "Highway Sushi" ...because that sounds kind of disgusting, like something picked off the road. And what's with the logo? A fish eating sushi, reminiscent of the ouroboros--the snake eating its own tail. That would work if this was an all you can eat place, which it thankfully isn't.
On the first visit to Sushi 97, I ordered the 97 Special--spicy salmon, avocado, tobiko, and tempura. I saddled said plate with a sushi combo, dreading the oversized cuts that at this point is tragically expected given the local trend. The sushi combo came with miso, and I miss miso. Correction, I miss complementary miso. And it was good to, no, excellent. The closest to the Suzuran-standard I've seen yet. Hmm...Suzuran-standard, I think that's going to be a thing from now on. So, miso, par-Suzuran. And the 97 Special roll was close to the classic kamikaze rolls from Suzuran's past. After ten long years, someone has finally delivered the goods...kind of.
The second visit was marred by the unfortunate oversized cuts I has dreaded, especially with the specialty rolls. Not leaving it alone, I brought up the issue with the owner. She commented that in the future, I could ask for "double-cut", and they'd accommodate me. I wasn't aware this was an option, and I'm curious if that's a compromise every place offers. If I walked into Tokyo Sushi, would they understand such a request. And when asking for double cut, would I get double the pieces? I like that the option is there but shouldn't smaller cuts be assumed? Bite-size sushi should be the default, not the option.
There is also an issue with the rice. It should be light, fluffy, and not dense. This was not the latter, and in fact was so much the former, several nigiri was falling apart as they were lifted from the plate, indicating a lack of pressure in forming the rice. It's a delicate operation, akin to Goldilocks, not too firm, not too light, the perfect balance. Finally, a point on presentation--I miss wooden serving trays. I keep seeing places with them behind the bar, but I seldom receive them. That being said, as I started removing the sushi from my plate, I found images of Sushi underneath, like staring at a parallel reality. If I looked deep enough, would I see myself without a goatee and a full head of hair eating the same meal?
I would place Sushi 97 at -1 under Suzuran. Not as good, but really close. The service was remarkably good for a sushi restaurant--when I dropped my sticks, they were immediately replaced. They have a bit of a climb ahead, but they are doing everything right with what they have. If they had bar stools, I'd be satisfied that my long search for a local sushi place was over. It is better than So Good, better than Sendo, and unquestionably better than Wasabi. I've had better, Banff, Vancouver, Calgary, Hong Kong. This is not only good for PG, but actually good. There are some rough edges to be smoothed, but I for one am looking forward to the polish.
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Presentation: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Recommendation: 4/5 read more