Mai Sushi

2/7/14 & 2/13/14:

Stars: 4.8 out of 5.0

Pros: Convenient Location, Excellent Variety, Fresh & Tasty Sushi

Cons:

     Growing up most of us are taught that in polite conversation we shouldn't bring up politics or religion. I am adding sushi to that list. People lose their minds and become raging experts on the finest sushi in town. Just ask someone sometime if you don't believe me. That being said, I love sushi and I like finding new places to get it. So, when the folks on Yelp suggested I try Mai Sushi, I was in.

     SB and I first tried Mai Sushi as a takeout order at my house. The online ordering was super easy. It's simply a click on the roll you want and it asks you if you prefer a hand roll or a roll. Hand rolls are the cones fit for one person so we always go with rolls. Once you place your order, it's generally ready for pickup in about 15 minutes. Note that while the website doesn't say it, they do deliver if the order is over $15. If you do pickup, Mai Sushi is located in The Village shopping center at Patterson & Three Chopt.

     The restaurant itself isn't very big. Its located behind Estilio down a walkway. There are signs, just pay attention. It's a fairly small place with maybe 15 tables and a counter you can sit at where they make the sushi. The staff is fairly friendly, but pretty quiet. When we ate there, it was pleasant. I would certainly stay in house again.

     The menu has plenty of choices on it. SB and I have tried many of the different rolls. For MK's birthday dinner we did sushi at their house. We ordered 16 different rolls that night alone, and I tried them all. You can get several kinds of seafood from imitation crab to raw scallops to tuna to cooked shrimp. The variety is huge with something for all tastes.

     There are a few rolls SB & I put on every order. One is the Richmond Roll which is rice wrapped around avocado, cream cheese and shrimp. Second is the Tiger Roll which is rice around asparagus, cream cheese & shrimp with raw salmon & avocado on top. Finally, we always get a spicy something, be it tuna, scallop or yellow tail. Each of these rolls is consistently fresh and always very good. We have yet to get a bad roll, or even be remotely disappointed.

     I guess I didn't realize how much of a hot button issue sushi really is here in Richmond. Finally I am able to lay a card down on the table that speaks to what sushi really is. If you are in the mood for a new sushi restaurant, go try out Mai Sushi. It's a little trip to Japan in the West End.