Best Sushi Bars in Louisville
One of the most important things to realize is that Sushi does not translate to “raw fish”. This connotation has been scaring off would-be fans of the art and taste of sushi for years. While much of sushi does in fact contain fish, any sushi bar will have an offering of vegetarian rolls as well. These are made of fresh veggies, rice and seaweed, and contain no fish at all, so don’t let any preconceived notions about sushi scare you away from what could be a great experience. Sushi is served with soy sauce, ginger, and wasabi on the side. The taste of ginger and soy are relatively mild, but that of wasabi is extremely strong and spicy, so use sparingly. Keep that in mind when enjoying your sushi experience.
No matter what part of the city you are in, you can probably find a Japanese restaurant that has a sushi bar, or at least a sushi menu. These are just a few of the best.
Ichiban Samurai, at 1510 Lakeshore Court off Linn Station Road, comes complete with a full sushi bar, and excellently fresh sushi, but doesn’t stop there. At their bar, they offer an all-you-can-eat sushi dinner for a decent price-the only one of it’s kind in the city, to my knowledge. You may not want to Gorge yourself on the Sushi though, as they also offer a dessert of sorbet with fresh pineapple, a pleasant treat. Check this place out if you’re extremely hungry, or on a tight budget.
Kobe, right across the river in Jeffersonville, offers an extremely comprehensive sushi menu, prepared by sushi chefs who truly see sushi as an art; the presentation of their rolls is positively beautiful. To boot, they offer a happy hour five days a week, with half of their sushi rolls at half price. You simply can’t beat a deal like that. For those who prefer their food cooked, half of the restaurant serves as a fun hibachi grill, which is especially entertaining in large groups.
Sapporo’s, on Bardstown Road, is a stylish, if cookie-cutter, sushi bar with all of the basic offerings, as well as a nice presentation. The atmosphere: clean lines, solid colors, and stainless steel, has all the sophistication of being in a New York City-style Japanese bistro, but without the big city sticker shock. Because of its location, close to all of the prominent nightspots, It’s a great place to sit down for some sushi before a night out on the town.
Finally, Amazing Grace, also on Bardstown Road, may be known primarily as a health food store; to be fair, sushi can certainly be seen as a health food. Their full sushi bar is very fresh, and reasonably priced. For those on the go, they also keep on hand already prepared rolls, which is great if you’re in a hurry, or just picking up a quick lunch. While you’re there, be sure to check out the store’s wide array of fresh, organic, and healthy whole foods, great for someone who sees the choice to eat sushi as more than a meal, but a lifestyle.
Wherever you go, be certain that the food is fresh; because sushi, whether it contains fish or not, remains uncooked, the most important element in judging the quality of the food is it’s freshness. If you’re ordering, be sure that someone is there to make your food as you see fit, or if it’s already prepared, make sure that it has been refrigerated, and is no more than about two hours old. Never eat sushi that has been kept at room temperature, as bacteria can form, and not only ruin the taste, but can quite possibly make you ill.
Other than that, just remember that sushi is really just a fun, healthy food. So, have fun eating it, pick up your chopsticks and soy sauce, and dig in.
