29 May,2011 11:49 AM IST | | Dhamini Ratnam
Sushi purists may well turn their nose up at the idea of Sushi takeaway, but they'll miss out on these bite-sized rolls that come packed so neatly that even the Japanese would be proud
Sushi & More
At: Warden Road, Napean Sea Road
Call: 66157285
Cuisine: Japanese
Verdict: Pretty good
There's something very reassuring about Sushi & More, Warden Road's newest food joint. Probably it's the fact that even though you've been told to take the first left after turning right from St Stephen's church on Napean Sea Road, it's not a filthy cul-de-sac that greets you, but a clean and wide road, where a large solid board states the name of the Japanese takeaway joint quietly and clearly.
The Asparagus, Cheese and Bell Pepper roll (R250 for 8 pieces) with
Inari, stuffed tofu pockets with flavoured rice (R380 for 8 pieces)
Outside, there are no cats licking their paws or dogs with a hungry look in their eyes. This takeaway, you tell yourself sub-consciously, is clean.
The feeling is only compounded when you enter the gleaming premises, all of 200 square feet, where a man in a chef's hat and black uniform pours golden liquid into a pan that sizzles, once again, quietly.
On a stand behind the cashier is a marble cat that looks on unconcerned as Smoked Salmon Sushi Rolls are prepared and Chicken Dumplings sculpted into shape.
Excited as only a Sushi fan with too little time -- or cash -- would be about the opening of a Japanese food takeaway, we decided to try the Teriyaki and the Gyoza (dumplings) on the menu, along with the Salmon Cheese and Scallion Sushi.
The good thing about this place is that you can call them and place your order before you set out from you home to pick it up -- they trust you to come there, which makes you feel warm towards the establishment.
But try not to get too late. We did, and our Chicken Teriyaki needed a short round in the Microwave before the chicken turned succulent again. Served with half a quarter of an American corn cob -- it has to fit into the long yet shallow clean plastic take-away box, after all -- the teriyaki pleases the neat eater in you. The chicken stays on, the sticks have one flat end that makes it easy to hold, and there's just enough juice to make the chicken taste succulent, without it becoming messy to eat. One serving has three skewers (Rs 250) and would barely do as a snack, unless of course, you are already full.
The Gyoza (Japanese for dumpling) is another great snack idea. We tried the Chicken and Vegetable Gyoza and were impressed with the tiny bite-sized dumplings that gave off the distinct taste of chicken mince cooked to perfection, with a soft and silky outer crust.
One serving has six pieces and goes well with the tiny tub of soya sauce and shichimi (red chilli powder) that comes with the packaging. Too bad they don't serve Jasmine Tea to go.
And then, of course, we opened the box with the eight pieces of Sushi looking delightfully scrumptious. There are options for vegetarians -- owner Anuj Jodhani and chef Shreeya Mitra insist they use different pots and pans for those dishes -- such as the Classic Cucumber Roll (Rs 230), the Shiitake Mushroom Tartar Roll (Rs 300) and the Inari made with tofu (Rs 380).
For the non-vegetarians, the choice is between tuna (Tuna & Green Apple Roll for Rs 400), prawn (Prawn Tempura Roll), crabmeat (California Roll for Rs 300) and salmon (Salmon, Cheese and Scallion Roll for Rs 340).
We chose the salmon and found to our delight that the Gari (pickled ginger) was as pungent and damp as we like it to be. The rice absorbed the soya sauce and held well as we popped it in our mouth using the chopsticks provided in the packaging. With just the right dash of creamy cheese and a pink lick of salmon peeping out of the rice roll, the Sushi was tiny, yet satisfying enough to want to reach out for a second bite.
This isn't the sort of takeaway where you'll worry about the food being too much -- in fact, we think the portion sizes are small -- but everything else about the place makes you happy.
The food is good, the place is clean, and the oil that the chef uses isn't all sizzle and no spark.
This place may not make the Sushi purist switch from a regular fine dining restaurant, but it'll definitely satisfy your craving on a day when you simply can't make it to the eatery on time.
